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. Another safety factor? Many of the cities in question required commuters to wear masks. Even worse, on the popular route from Chicago to Detroit to Pontiac, on-time performance occurred just 33% of the time. 7 In March 2020, the US Food and Drug Administration issued Emergency Use Authorizations to several manufacturers for helmet use in acute hypoxemic respiratory failure from COVID-19. In Vermont, Dr. Arnot advised some of the local school districts on how to improve their air quality. 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. And be sure to wash your hands after boarding (Amtrak bathrooms are equipped with soap and running water). And while safety and sanitization were largely prioritized no matter which train I rode, the experience wasnt uniform. Amtrak's ridership hit an all-time record nationwide in 2019, then skidded by about 90% in April when cases of COVID-19 began soaring. COVID-19 risk calculator: The safest and most dangerous things to do this holiday season; Updated number of COVID-19 deaths, cases in Bay Area; COVID-19 Help: Comprehensive list of resources . Theres not a huge amount of evidence that contaminated surfaces are the major source of transmission of COVID-19, says Lofgren. "I think Maine is very well positioned," Quinn said. Yes, its lonely and solitary, but unfortunately during the coronavirus, thats perfect.. The folding lounge bench and viewing seat were made of a fabric similar to what youd find on an airplane. In fact, the whole room looked like what I would have expected to find in a first-class suite on an international flight back in the 1970s (if they made them this big). In Vermont, Dr. Arnot advised some of the local school districts on how to improve their air quality. Corrie Pikul is the Health and Wellness Director of O, The Oprah magazine, where she covers every aspect of health, from mood to the microbiome, the immune system to the cardiovascular system, sex to sleep. (Air travel was also down by 96 percent). For homes and many businesses, the solution may be as simple as keeping all the windows open as much as possible. The driver of a tractor-trailer struck by an Amtrak train in Vermont on Monday has been ticketed. And, for a moment, everything felt normal again. UPDATE: Vermonter Train 55 is currently operating approx. On top of that, you may have heard that Amtrak recently announced enhanced safety and cleaning measures intended to protect passengers during their rail journeys. Heres how to stay safe. Yet, Amtrak mandated masks for all passengers and employees beginning last spring. Learn more atAmtrak.com and connect with us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. In a letter dated Jan. 22, Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn, who took the top job last spring, sent a letter to each member of Congress, citing Amtraks 50th anniversary this year. Amtraks ridership hit an all-time record nationwide in 2019, then skidded by about 90% in April when cases of COVID-19 began soaring. Widespread mask use is key, says Lofgren. In the dining car people wouldnt wear a mask while they were actively eating, but it seemed like they would use eating just like on planes as an excuse to keep their mask off.. Im Linda, and Ill be your cabin attendant taking care of you all the way to Los Angeles. Lindas cheerful spirit was contagious, giving me the first real feeling of excitement and adventure since my last trip, a food-filled exploration of Houston back in late February. That [risk] could be mitigated and reduced with mask use, but its still possible [to become infected].. And read coverage from our international network of magazines here. When their recirculation systems are operating, most commercial passenger jets bring in outside air in a top-to-bottom direction about 20 to 30 times per hours. MERV-13 filters are less efficient than HEPA filters, but the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends them for reducing the number of airborne viral particles. "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.". Sophie Bushwick is an associate editor covering technology at Scientific American. But as is the case with buses, these barriers would likely only protect against larger droplets, not aerosols. Public transit systems have also been focusing on the ventilation component. That study went on to point out the potential threat existed even with a mask. This will hopefully avoid clusters of people in aisles and at doorways. Many transit companies have established frequent cleaning routines, but evidence suggests that airborne transmission of the novel coronavirus poses a greater danger than surfaces. 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. (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. PEOPLE MOVE AROUND. Explore our digital archive back to 1845, including articles by more than 150 Nobel Prize winners. However, Amtrak doesnt allow passengers to open windows any longer because of safety regulations and the central air conditioning. 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. In Vermont, Dr. Arnot advised some of the local school districts on how to improve their air quality."We were at 2,000 PPM for the local classrooms here, and we opened the window and we were at . 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. An airplane cabin is probably one of the most secure conditions you can be in, says Sebastian Hoehl of the Institute for Medical Virology at Goethe University Frankfurt in Germany, who has co-authored two papers on COVID-19 transmission on specific flights, which were published in JAMA Network Open and the New England Journal of Medicine, respectfully. "Cambridge University says it is the best overall indicator of whether or not you have fresh air in that room or not. If the tests go well, METRO may add the purification to the rest of the fleet.For the buses, ridership is down about 60% from pre-pandemic levels.METRO launched a joint website with regional transit systems to provide information to riders about safety protocols.This summer, expect lots of open windows on the buses too to add extra ventilation, officials said.That, this summer -- and even heading into colder months -- may be the key, according to Dr. Arnot:"Fundamentally you've got to have clean outdoor air, indoors and where could you possibly have better air than the state of Maine. (CG: PATRICIA QUINN, NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND PASSENGER RAIL AUTHORITY) 09:25 IT EXCHANGES SEVERAL TIMES AN HOUR. However, on the routes where the boarding announcements didnt sound as intense about COVID policies, passengers seemed less inclined to follow the rules. There seemed to be less risk of transmission, however, for people who were seated near windows and doors that could open. On pure reflex, I shot to the window to watch as we rode over the Willamette River. East of Kalamazoo, where the track needs improving, Amtraks maximum speed is 79 mph. App users will also receive boarding gate and track information at select stations so they can head directly to their train. light filter, and we are testing that," said Denise Beck, Marketing and Community Outreach Manager for Greater Portland METRO.METRO has partnered with the University of Southern Maine to carry out the tests on those devices. We reached my room and I was immediately impressed. 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. In fact, we have a full-time medical. "Ventilation is the way forward," says infectious disease doctor Abraar Karan of Stanford. Travel on Amtrak to Virginia Wine Expo at the Main Street Station in Richmond, Va. 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). 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. All of that may, literally, require an act of Congress. However, my room did not have any signs of being newly cleaned, prompting me to do a thorough inspection and ultimately wipe everything down. (The results were published this month in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventions journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.) It turned out to be a rough night, full of rattles and rumbles. 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 . "And that has really been something that I think has given people a sense of comfort. We will continue to prioritize offering a modern, safe and reliable customer experience and preparing for what should be a monumental fiscal year 2022.. Thanks for reading Scientific American. "We're investing in some additional CO2 sensors, 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," Superintendent Heather Perry said in our report on schools last August.PUBLIC TRANSIT ADAPTSPublic transit systems have also been focusing on the ventilation component.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. It sits in the air and moves over time and space," said Dr. Bob Arnot, a longtime medical journalist and infectious disease expert who treated Ebola patients in Africa in the early 2000s. Delta is the only airline that is still blocking the middle seat. You dont want to get sick just because someone was unwilling to choose a different seat. Or, get someone sick if you're a carrier. I also bring my own pillow. Travel writer Ali Wunderman has taken a couple long-distance Amtrak trips during the pandemic, from Montana to the Bay Area in August and from Portland, Ore., to Chicago, then to Boston in September and October. Doing so might limit the spread of virus-carrying droplets from coughing, sneezing, breathing or speaking but is unlikely to prevent viral transmission via smaller airborne particles. A representative is available by phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to provide information regarding railroad operating matters. Wundermans advice for travelers considering taking trains this holiday season is to book a roomette or fly instead. 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. For someone like me with immune issues that put them in a higher-risk category for COVID-19, having this option offered an off-load of anxiety. The company requires customers over 2 years old and employees to wear face coverings while onboard and in stations unless they are actively eating or drinking or in their own private room with the door closed. Passengers traveling by Amtrak also must submit a health questionnaire, answering questions such as whether they have experienced COVID-19 symptoms within 24 hours of departure. Book travel, check train status, access your eTicket and more through theAmtrak app. With COVID-19s onrush, that hope was shunted to a political siding. In the station, Lofgren says you should practice the same kind of social distancing that youd do at, say, the grocery store: Minimize your contact with other people, so if someone is boarding, hang out until theres space for you to safely get on behind them. "MEASURE THE AIRDr. 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. The new cars could be put into service as soon as this spring, said Michael Frezell, a spokesman for the Michigan Department of Transportation, which purchased the cars and owns much of the track Amtrak uses between Detroit and Chicago. Thanks for reading Scientific American. "We were at 2,000 PPM for the local classrooms here, and we opened the window and we were at 550 PPM," Arnot said. TRAVEL + LEISURE is a registered trademark of Travel + Leisure Co., registered in the United States and other countries. Walking through the rows of roomettes, it appeared that people were taking advantage of a loophole in the mask rule they were maskless while in their rooms as required, but their doors were wide open. Is this your first time on the Coast Starlight? Linda asked. 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