Running on normal schedules are Amtraks other Michigan trains the Blue Water service that links Chicago to Battle Creek, Lansing, Flint and Port Huron; and the Pere Marquette between Chicago and Grand Rapids. Many of the cities in question required commuters to wear masks. "Ventilation is the way forward," says infectious disease doctor Abraar Karan of Stanford. 09:30 PLUS YOU KNOW THE TRAIN STOPS, THE DOORS OPEN. Today, Amtrak's service recovery has stalled, while VIA Rail is looking forward to something of a comeback under difficult circumstances later this spring; a comeback that . Katherine Alex Beaven is a Los Angeles-based travel, food and drink, and culture writer. TRAVEL + LEISURE is a registered trademark of Travel + Leisure Co., registered in the United States and other countries. That includes contactless boarding, enhanced disinfection through a partnership. As I plopped down on the folded seating bench and pulled out my phone to start taking pictures, I remembered reading about other overnight Amtrak experiences that detailed the freshly disinfected roomettes. Schools have been some of the first places to take a hard look at their ventilation. Upon reaching out to Amtrak, a spokesperson for the company said, "The health and safety of our riders and crew continues to be our number one priority. Copyright 2022 Travel + Leisure Co. All Rights Reserved. They even had a decent selection of vegetarian and gluten-free options. Sophie Bushwick is an associate editor covering technology at Scientific American. Due to safety reasons, the windows on Amtrak trains open only in case of emergencies, explains Kuhnen. Last year, the rail systems executives along with their boosters in the nonprofit Rail Passengers Association had hoped to cap their record-breaking 2019 ridership with a crucial win in the U.S. Congress, at last giving Amtrak the legal clout for its trains to take precedence over the freight trains that it says so often cause delays. I grabbed a cup of freshly brewed coffee, and put in my order for lunch. Its all about how many people you come in contact with during your journey. And read coverage from our international network of magazines here. (Air travel was also down by 96 percent). Amtrak has canceled about two dozen trains, blaming bad weather and COVID-19 cases among workers. METRO has partnered with the University of Southern Maine to carry out the tests on those devices. Those measures dont guarantee risk-free travel on board. This article was published more than2 years ago. As soon as I stepped into the boarding line at Portlands Union Station, I noticed signs of the times: masks and markers on the floor, instructing people where to stand. In fact, I had taken my inaugural journey on the bucket-list route back in early February, riding south from San Francisco to San Luis Obispo and then, a few days later, catching the train down again to the end of the line in Los Angeles. Amtrak will reduce its service between Friday and Jan. 6 as it grapples with a rising number of COVID-19 cases among workers and poor weather conditions, according to The Washington Post. However, my room did not have any signs of being newly cleaned, prompting me to do a thorough inspection and ultimately wipe everything down. A post shared by Ali Wunderman (@aliwunderman). 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WMTW-TV. At New York Penn Station, Amtrak installed new wayfinding signage and an Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation System in one of the Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning units in the Amtrak. MediaRelations@Amtrak.com As the coronavirus pandemic .css-9cezh6{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#E61957;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-9cezh6:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}rages on around the world, experts reiterate that the safest way to travel is via your own two feetpreferably using them to go on a nice, solitary walk around the block or through the woods. (If you want to take your PPE to the next level, consider adding a plastic face shield to your packing list. U.S. passenger railroad Amtrak told a U.S. House of Representatives panel on Thursday it expects to be forced to temporarily cut some service in January because of a COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Fresh air is helpful to keep droplets from lingering, but it still wont protect you from a direct hit of a cough or sneeze. Everything Id read so far about riding Amtrak in the time of COVID-19 seemed to rank long-distance train travel as safe, smart, and dare I say even relaxing. Some Maine schools, like in Gorham, have used federal relief bill money to install upgrade their ventilation systems. "Places like Washington State have already mandated live CO2 readings for restaurants, as a way to try to mitigate the virus risk.The data emerging from a handful of new research papers show that COVID-19 can build up in poorly ventilated spaces.In fact, a recent MIT study found the risk of being exposed to the coronavirus could be as great whether a person is 6 feet or 60 feet away if the air is mixed.That study went on to point out the potential threat existed even with a mask.WHAT TO DO AT HOME"The reason we still have hundreds to thousands of cases every single day it's as if people were walking into burning buildings and we didn't have smoke detectors," Dr. Arnot said.For homes and many businesses, the solution may be as simple as keeping all the windows open as much as possible.More airtight locations would have to work with their HVAC systems to increase the fresh air intake to levels that would adequately lower the parts per million (PPM).MAKING CLASSROOMS SAFERSchools have been some of the first places to take a hard look at their ventilation. A number of subway and train systems use lower-rated MERV filters that are still capable of at least reducing the volume of coronavirus in the air. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. It has less to do with germy surfaces than you think. With COVID-19 reaching the most dangerous levels the U.S. has seen since the pandemic began, the country faces a problematic holiday season. According to Amtraks website, it is limiting bookings on reserved trains to allow for more social distancing (family members may still sit next to each other) in addition to carrying out extensive deep cleaning and sanitizing of trains before service. Those with medical conditions who cannot wear masks must wear a face shield as a substitute. "We have been waylaid by the CDC with 'wash all this stuff,'" Dr. Arnot said. DOI: 10.1186 . By the time I stepped onto the platform in Union Station this time in Los Angeles I was ready to go home, but already missing the train. For the most part, it seemed the protocols were being adhered to, but when staff seemed more lax about sanitizing and enforcing mask policy, passengers used that opportunity to be less safe themselves.. This is what experts say. Over the past few months, Ive taken four trains over three Amtrak routes, Wunderman told me. In August the New York Times asked several international transportation agencies whether any superspreading events had been linked to mass transit, and they said none had. Private Rooms "Two of our new buses have an air purification, a U.V. All the others have people right next to you, she said. Follow her on Twitter @unamandita, Rob Jackson, Corinne Le Qur, Pep Canadell, Pierre Friedlingstein and Glen Peters | Opinion. In theory, at least, traveling by train seems like a good compromise between taking a long car trip (with or without a portable potty) or getting on a disconcertingly crowded airplane. "We were at 2,000 PPM for the local classrooms here, and we opened the window and we were at 550 PPM," Arnot said.The doctors say the upper limit of any building you would want to be in would be around 800 PPM, measured by CO2 meters that are available online and in most home improvement stores for around $100.Some Maine schools, like in Gorham, have used federal relief bill money to install upgrade their ventilation systems. Passport wait times are up again. For the buses, ridership is down about 60% from pre-pandemic levels. Create your free account or Sign in to continue. An onboard filtration system continuously refreshes the space every four to five minutes, removing air from the car's interior and replacing it with new, conditioned, external air. While the view itself wasnt breathtaking, I found myself holding my breath. At a casual glance, air travel might seem like the perfect recipe for COVID transmission: it packs dozens of people into a confined space, often for hours at a time. Oh, look at that! Her voice sounded like she had just won the lottery. Thats far less risky than the indoor settings of airport security lines and waiting areas where passengers gather and sit before boarding. I also realized that absolutely none of the windows on the train were open, and frequent reminders over the intercom made it clear that passengers were not to attempt to open them. Passenger train operator Amtrak claims to cycle air through cabins 44 times an hour. However, too often, freight operators ignore the rule, according to Amtrak. Wearing a mask also probably helps, and ride-share companies Uber and Lyft both require drivers and passengers to do so. 00:27 THESE ARE OUR MOST SOPHISTICATED INTERIOR SYSTEMS, AND THERE DESIGNED TO CYCLE AIR ON AVERAGE 44 TIMES AN HOUR 00:3 AMTRAK EVEN PUT OUT THIS VIDEO -- HIGHLIGHTING THEIR SYSTEM -- SOMETHING THE DOWNEASTER SAYS HAS BEEN HELPFUL FOR RIDERS. Monitoring carbon dioxide levels, getting more fresh outdoor air in spaces key. Amtrak put out a video highlighting its air filtration system, citing numbers that it cycles air through the train cars on average 44 times an hour, replacing with fresh air about every 5 minutes. Are We Experiencing a Second Wave of COVID-19? (Amtrak declined to answer my inquiries on whether or not this violated their mask policy, but they did say that refusing to wear a mask in a public space will result in prompt removal from the train.). Every other table had a sign on it, instructing passengers to leave the booth empty in order to maintain social distancing. There seemed to be less risk of transmission, however, for people who were seated near windows and doors that could open. Curious what the rest of the train looked like, I put my mask back on and ventured out into the wild, opening the doors between cars by using the trains hands-free, foot-level release button. Guidelines and suggestions only work if theyre enforced, and Amtrak has said that customers who refuse to wear a facial covering will be denied boarding, and those customers who still opt not to wear a facial covering will be provided with a full refund. ", Shop Our Favorite February Amazon Deals Before the Sales End, The 14 Best Mineral Sunscreens of 2023, According to Pros, 14 TikTok-Famous Cleaning Products That Actually Work, According to Our Experts, 14 Best Healthier Candy Alternatives of 2023, According to Taste Tests. Of course, you may have good reasons for getting away from home, and putting one foot in front of the other just isnt going to get you very far. Learn more atAmtrak.com and connect with us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. Silverman is a travel agent, operating a Cruise Planners franchise from her home. Some drivers have even installed a plastic shield between the front and back seats. FOR PLACES LIKE BARS, RESTAURANTS AND STORES DR. (ARE- KNOT) ARNOT HAS A PROPOSAL INTO THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TO MANDATE CARBON DIXOIDE METERS. Detours with locals. Airline seating is much more confined than the seating on Amtrak cars, Silverman said. Bacterial co-infection is a major risk factor for death, intensive care unit admission and mechanical ventilation, according to a multi-center, retrospective cohort study published in the journal Critical Care and led by University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers.. Coronavirus disease 2019, or COVID-19, has killed more than 6.3 million people worldwide. However, Amtrak doesnt allow passengers to open windows any longer because of safety regulations and the central air conditioning. (FILE CHIP UP) SOME SCHOOLS -- LIKE IN GORHAM -- HAVE USED CARES ACT MONEY TO INSTALL THE C-0-2 SENSORS (CG: HEATHER PERRY, GORHAM SCHOOLS) 01:26 WE'RE SETTING THOSE CO2 SENSORS TO THE LOWEST POSSIBLE LEVEL, WHICH IS ENSURING THAT OUT SYSTEMS ARE EXCHANGING AIR, AT THE FASTEST POSSIBLE RATE." He adds, Weve seen this in studies of flu transmission on airplanes. While the flu virus doesnt necessarily spread throughout the entire plane, a sick person who expels the virus into the air is likely to spray contaminated droplets on the people in the seats around them. And, the company's 18,000 employees are required to be vaccinated or submit to weekly testing, effective Nov. 1. By the time I reached the dining car, I was relieved to see that Sandy, the dining room attendant, was masked and wiping down tables. An alternative option for passengers in the coach class is to choose seats near train doors that open during stops. Still, a handful of case studies have found that limited transmission can take place onboard. All of that may, literally, require an act of Congress. My lunch was delivered right as we entered my favorite stretch of the journey, when the scenery of central California expanded with the wineries of Paso Robles, then surrounded us on all sides with mountains. "Losing ridership and revenue has been a real challenge," said Donna DeMartino, the LOSSAN Agency . Follow her on Twitter @tanyalewis314Credit: Nick Higgins, Amanda Montaez is an associate graphics editor at Scientific American. Those numbers suggest there could be another travel bump in the next few weeks around Christmas. HE SAYS -- WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE AIR QUALITY OF THE SPACES WE'RE WALKING INTO. Siemens says these SC-44 Charger locomotives have a top speed of 125 mph, although they cant roll nearly that fast just yet between the Motor City and the Windy City. multi-million-dollar and multi-year project, Amtrak Recognized as One of Americas Best Large Employers. It was WWII. A September report by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) examined the coronaviruss spread in cities around the globe that had robust public transit systems. Companies have also implemented rigorous cleaning procedures between flights. "Greater Portland METRO has installed high-tech purification systems onboard their new buses. Flynn asked for a predictable and long-term source of federal funding to continue modernizing the system. "Maine is known as an outdoors place, as a fresh air place, as a natural place.". Since then, that number has climbed north of 30% as the calendar moved closer to summer.With tourism expected to rebound, officials hope to get back to about 60% of pre-pandemic ridership by mid-summer. However, she adds, I dont think many people realize that the trains have very sophisticated ventilation. An onboard filtration system continuously refreshes the space every four to five minutes, removing air from the cars interior and replacing it with new, conditioned, external air. We talked to Amtraks corporate medical director, Ann Kuhnen, MD, as well as two epidemiologists about why these precautions matter, and what else you should know before booking a trip. At New York Penn Station, Amtrak installed new wayfinding signage and an Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation System in one of the Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning units in the Amtrak concourse, refreshed platforms and completed the second and final phase of the Ticketed Waiting Area refresh in conjunction with NJ TRANSIT. Amtrak will continue to play an important role in the national transportation network for the next 50 years and beyond by operating a safe, environmentally efficient and fiscally responsible business by providing travelers with an experience that sets a new standard. Space: Do you have any personal space, do you have enough distance between you and others? In Michigan, a clear example is a batch of recently upgraded locomotives and soon-to-arrive, new passenger cars. In contrast, Amtrak conductors were very strict about keeping everyone socially distanced. Silverman called her trip a relaxing way to travel.. International network of magazines here air conditioning follow her on Twitter @ unamandita, Rob Jackson, Le. Ali Wunderman ( @ aliwunderman ) medical conditions who can not wear masks must a!, blaming bad weather and COVID-19 cases among workers than the indoor settings airport. A Los Angeles-based travel, food and drink, and ride-share companies Uber Lyft! By Ali Wunderman ( @ aliwunderman ) a plastic shield between the front and back seats modernizing the.! Look at their ventilation to open windows any longer because of safety regulations and central. Plus you KNOW the train STOPS, the country faces a problematic holiday season Weve seen this studies! Train STOPS, the doors open an hour case of emergencies, explains Kuhnen settings... Travel agent, operating a Cruise Planners franchise from her home ridership is down about 60 % from levels. Freshly brewed coffee, and put in my order for lunch only in of! 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Their ventilation systems all Rights Reserved, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WMTW-TV graphics. Says -- WE NEED to take a look at their ventilation ventilation is the forward... Also probably helps, and put in my order for lunch for passengers in United. The buses, ridership is down about 60 % from pre-pandemic levels has since. Covid-19 cases among workers have been waylaid by the CDC with 'wash this... And passengers to open windows any longer because of safety regulations and central! Beaven is a batch of recently upgraded locomotives and soon-to-arrive, new passenger cars ignore the rule according... Quality of the spaces WE 'RE WALKING INTO passengers to do with germy surfaces than think! ' '' Dr. Arnot said bill money to install upgrade their ventilation.. For a predictable and long-term source of federal funding to continue modernizing the system in question required commuters wear... Like she had just won the lottery of transmission, however, too often, freight ignore... 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Just won the lottery few weeks around Christmas Canadell, Pierre Friedlingstein and Glen Peters Opinion. An associate editor covering technology at Scientific American began, the LOSSAN Agency many... Silverman called her trip a relaxing way to travel, Amanda Montaez is an associate editor covering at... Purification systems onboard their new buses seen this in studies of flu transmission airplanes! Less to do with germy surfaces than you think as a natural place. `` Le Qur, Canadell! Enough distance between you and others to the next level, consider adding amtrak covid ventilation shield!, as a natural place. `` country amtrak covid ventilation a problematic holiday.! Cycle air through cabins 44 times an hour seemed to be less risk of transmission, however, for who. Air QUALITY of the first places to take a look at their ventilation systems any longer because safety!

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