For decades since, the system struggled to get funding and to upgrade service on key routes like the Wolverine, Amtraks line that links Chicago to Detroit, then runs north through Oakland County to Royal Oak, Troy and Pontiac. But those still wary of catching COVID-19 may wonder: Is taking a train safer? "It's as if people were walking into burning buildings and we didn't have smoke detectors", "We know this is an airborne virus. Unfortunately, roaming around the train is a bad idea right nowand for the foreseeable future. Here's how to get better air flow at home, in schools and offices even in gyms to stave off COVID. Your Health Quickly, Episode 1, COVID Poses Severe Risks during Pregnancy, Especially in Unvaccinated People, Survivors of Deadly Earthquakes Must Deal with Lasting Trauma, A New Map Tracks the World's Largest Glaciers, The Most Compelling Science Graphics of 2022, See How Much Climate Change Has Cost Different Countries. She noticed more thorough sanitation on her Portland-to-Chicago route, and less mask enforcement from Chicago to Boston. It found no correlation between mass transit use and transmission of the virus. Continue reading with a Scientific American subscription. They announced several times, you must wear the mask over your nose and mouth or we can kick you off, she said. (DR BOB ZOOM) 18:02 FUNDAMENTALLY YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE CLEAN OUTDOOR AIR, INDOORS. 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. Theres not a huge amount of evidence that contaminated surfaces are the major source of transmission of COVID-19, says Lofgren. Many transit companies have established frequent cleaning routines, but evidence suggests that airborne transmission of the novel coronavirus poses a greater danger than surfaces. Wundermans advice for travelers considering taking trains this holiday season is to book a roomette or fly instead. (The results were published this month in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventions journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.) 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. "With the sort of substandard masks most of us wear, if you don't have good ventilation, I just think you don't have a chance.". Helmet ventilation has been in use for 2 decades in certain countries, especially Italy; and its use has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Explore our digital archive back to 1845, including articles by more than 150 Nobel Prize winners. Wearing a mask also probably helps, and ride-share companies Uber and Lyft both require drivers and passengers to do so. These face visors not only offer some added protection, says Lofgren, but they also make it easier to eat, drink, and communicate with other passengers.). Schools have been some of the first places to take a hard look at their ventilation. During the 2019 fiscal year, Amtrak carried a record 32.5 million passengers; however, an Amtrak internal analysis in April showed a 95 percent drop in ridership because of the coronavirus. However, on the routes where the boarding announcements didnt sound as intense about COVID policies, passengers seemed less inclined to follow the rules. Detours with locals. 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. Face Coverings While Amtrak passengers and employees are no longer required to wear masks while on board trains or in stations, masks are welcome and remain an important preventive measure against COVID-19. In other words, unless I chose to, I wouldnt have to interact or share space with any other passengers on my 30-hour journey from Portland to Los Angeles. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. We have new procedures that ask people to stay seated and listen for directions for on how to detrain, says Kuhnen. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. Passport wait times are up again. 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Feb 28, 2023 (CDN Newswire via Comtex) -- The Global Ventilation Devices Market study has been announced by MarketQuest.biz for 2023-2029. YOU CAN FI, With mask mandates and capacity limits lifting in Maine on May 24, some experts are warning we need to take a closer look at something they feel has been overlooked in this pandemic: the quality of the air we are sharing inside. One of the things thats most concerning to health experts about trainsand planesisnt what happens on the vehicle (although thats extremely important), but how we get on and off them. Ive made a habit of giving every hotel room or Airbnb Ive stayed in during the pandemic a solid wipe down for my own sanity and security. Another safety factor? "Cambridge University says it is the best overall indicator of whether or not you have fresh air in that room or not.". 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. But now the idea of being in such an enclosed space with a stranger can seem like a life-and-death proposition. Id spent the day watching the outside world flicker by like a silent film, a few minutes at a time. Una buena ventilacin, . While this reserved seating option doesn't apply to your local, commuter train, you can follow the same best practices. Even though the train runs parallel to certain sections of the freeway, these are vantage points that you can only witness from the train. A LIVE READING 09:37 FOR MOST OF US -- THE SOLUTION IS LIKELY AS SIMPLE AS OPENING OUR WINDOWS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. Increased Amtrak Police Department presence in stations and onboard trains to help enforce the federal transportation mask mandate. "Cambridge University says it is the best overall indicator of whether or not you have fresh air in that room or not. multi-million-dollar and multi-year project, Amtrak Recognized as One of Americas Best Large Employers. Discover world-changing science. At the very least, it does no harm to wear a mask. In addition to snagging window seats, bus riders should look for the same safety features they would on a subway: a mask requirement, good ventilation and adequate spacing between passengers. COVID-19 Innovative Adaptations As COVID-19 has greatly impacted the transportation industry, Amtrak has had to make some innovative adaptations. Something to consider when weighing the pros and cons of booking a private room they all come with free meals, including select soft drinks and your first alcoholic drink, plus you have the option of eating off the dining car menu or going with something more casual in the caf car. The only reason I needed to leave my roomette was to use the restroom, a regularly cleaned compartment about the size of an airplane bathroom at the end of the hall. As the sun set on my first day, I was ready to call it a night. Being in a crowded airport or taking a taxi to get there could be a bigger concern, though. In fact, Dr. Arnot said he thought the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention focused too much early in the coronavirus pandemic response on cleaning surfaces (including the 19% of Americans who put bleach on their food to kill coronavirus) and not enough on lowering transmission through good ventilation for indoor spaces. Greater Portland METRO has installed high-tech purification systems onboard their new buses. Dr. Arnot said he has submitted a proposal to the Biden Administration to mandate carbon dioxide meters in public indoor spaces like bars and restaurants. The data emerging from a handful of new research papers show that COVID-19 can build up in poorly ventilated spaces. Heres how to stay safe. Passenger train operator Amtrak claims to cycle air through cabins 44 times an hour. Since then, ridership crept partway back to its pre-pandemic level while Amtrak operated fewer trains and strictly enforced social distancing in coaches that could carry twice as many passengers. "With the sort of substandard masks most of us wear, if you don't have good ventilation, I just think you don't have a chance." Finally, the signals of change are growing obvious. If you happen to be seated close to a person who is actively shedding the virus, especially if it is a long flight or that person is not wearing a mask, there is a higher chance that you will get the disease. And at any given meal time, I found that only three out of five tables were ever occupied. I had 29 and a half hours to go. While the view itself wasnt breathtaking, I found myself holding my breath. One unexpected highlight of my train trip was the food both tasty and filling. Amtraks Coast Starlight is a Superliner, a fancy term that basically means its a double-decker train which, as I would find out, is great for views, but can get a little rocky in your private room. With flying, COVID risk really comes down to how closely one sits to other people and for how long, whether or not everyone is wearing a mask, and how infectious any passengers are at the time. At the same time, the rail service announced that it would begin strictly monitoring where passengers sit and how many board each car. Those measures dont guarantee risk-free travel on board. "MEASURE THE AIRDr. Amtrak rider Erin Silverman of Bloomfield Hills got off the train on the night of Feb. 5 in Troy, after riding the rails all the way to and from Denver. 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. 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. Trains also are safer than planes, in part, because many train stations have open-air platforms where travelers board, Dr. Aaron Rossi told USA Today in October. Companies have also implemented rigorous cleaning procedures between flights. For the buses, ridership is down about 60% from pre-pandemic levels. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. And keeping conversation to a minimum could also reduce the danger because talking is known to release aerosols that can spread the virus. Amtrak asked for $3.88 billion for "base needs" and to address the impact of COVID-19 and $1.55 billion in additional U.S. funding needed to address Northeast Corridor infrastructure projects and . "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. (CG: DR. BOB ARNOT, INFECTIOUS DISEASE EXPERT) 06:30 MIT JUST CAME OUT WITH A BRAND NEW PAPER TWO DAYS AGO SAYING IT DOESNT MATTER IF YOURE 6 OR 60 FEET AWAY THE KEY THING IS YOU NEED TO HAVE FRESH OUTDOOR AIR QUALITY INDOORS. Sleepy small towns and vast stretches of farmland also whizzed by outside, blurring into one another and introducing stories and characters that existed only for seconds. 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