Heres how to stay safe. Id spent the day watching the outside world flicker by like a silent film, a few minutes at a time. 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. Due to safety reasons, the windows on Amtrak trains open only in case of emergencies, explains Kuhnen. In lieu of offering everyone private rooms, Murray says that assigned (spaced-out) seating is a smart step for Amtrak to take to protect passengers and allow for social distancing. 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. 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. 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). "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." 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. Last spring, Amtrak reduced its Wolverine service from three round trips daily to just one a day between Pontiac and Chicago. Its the ultimate transient experience: Almost as soon as you see something out the window, its gone, and then everything eventually fades to black. ", 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. 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. Despite the setback of the pandemic, riders can climb aboard not only what Amtrak touts as a safer mode of travel, but also one thats improving. 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. (The results were published this month in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventions journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.) We now understand that smaller airborne particles can spread this virus, so employees are wearing face coverings, and were asking passengers to do so, too.. 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. 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. Follow Sophie Bushwick on TwitterCredit: Nick Higgins, Tanya Lewis is a senior editor at Scientific American who covers health and medicine. This article was published more than2 years ago. "Cambridge University says it is the best overall indicator of whether or not you have fresh air in that room or not. Windows, as well as open ceiling vents, allow fresh air to enter the vehicle. Though it was a shared space . "Two of our new buses have an air purification, a U.V. Linda and her boisterous charm bid me adieu, promising to return to show me around my new digs after she was able to meet, greet, and guide her other sleeping car passengers to their rooms. The place is the environment. While many parts of my experience failed to meet my expectations, there were others that exceeded them. Amtrak, which serves more than 500 destinations in 46 states and three Canadian provinces, also offers a unique class of service that might especially appeal to travelers in the COVID-19 era: private rooms. Thanks for reading Scientific American. A traveler tested negative for covid-19 before a flight. In a case study of a bus in China, a passenger with the novel coronavirus was able to infect many other riders, including those seated up to seven rows away. There was also a metal utility sink, molded plastic wall, and an airplane-sized bathroom with a handheld shower nozzle over the toilet. 00:31) (CG: DR. BOB ARNOT, INFECTIOUS DISEASE EXPERT) 10:25 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. BO ARNOT IS A LONGTIME MEDICAL JOURNALIST AND AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE EXPERT, WHO TREATED EBOLA PATIENTS IN AFRICA. Our 50th year as a company is certainly a milestone, and we launched several hallmark initiatives as we embark on a new era for passenger rail, said Amtrak Board Chair Tony Coscia. 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. Additionally, Amtrak now shows the capacity of its trains online as people shop for tickets, which may help customers choose emptier options. When thinking about the risk of transmission, I like to use a rhyme that was coined by Bill Miller, an epidemiologist at The Ohio State University: people, place, time, and space, says Eleanor J. Murray, ScD, an assistant professor of epidemiology at Boston University School of Public Health. Passenger train operator Amtrak claims to cycle air through cabins 44 times an hour. Book travel, check train status, access your eTicket and more through theAmtrak app. A LIVE READING 09:37 FOR MOST OF US -- THE SOLUTION IS LIKELY AS SIMPLE AS OPENING OUR WINDOWS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. While driving and flying are the most popular travel options, where does taking a train fit into pandemic travel? It has less to do with germy surfaces than you think. And while safety and sanitization were largely prioritized no matter which train I rode, the experience wasnt uniform. If you can splurge on a private room, do it! 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].. TRAVEL + LEISURE is a registered trademark of Travel + Leisure Co., registered in the United States and other countries. (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.). Instead of eating in the dining car, I took advantage of Amtraks new room service option and had all my meals delivered right to my room at a time of my choosing. Youre in car 31 thats my car! WASHINGTON - U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao today announced that the Department of Transportation's (DOT) Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is making over $1 billion available to the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) to support the railroad's activities to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the . Despite the release of a report in 1985 called Detroit-Chicago Corridor: High Speed Rail, nothing much changed. At the same time, the rail service announced that it would begin strictly monitoring where passengers sit and how many board each car. As the sun set on my first day, I was ready to call it a night. An NEJM study in March reported on a Thai taxi driver who fell ill and tested positive for the coronavirus after driving some tourists who had been coughing but wearing a mask. METRO has partnered with the University of Southern Maine to carry out the tests on those devices. The folding lounge bench and viewing seat were made of a fabric similar to what youd find on an airplane. Experts worry safe ventilation overlooked as coronavirus capacity limits, mask mandates lift, WMTW NEWS 8'S STEVE BOTTARI REPORTS THERE'S ANOTHER PIECE OF THE SAFETY PUZZLE: VENTILATION. For homes and many businesses, the solution may be as simple as keeping all the windows open as much as possible. I love autumn, so this was a huge deal and a big surprise I relished every turning leaf, knowing it was the only glimpse of fall foliage I'd get this year. 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. 5hr 10min late. That made me not want to gather in any kind of a public space while on the train whatsoever, she said. It is worth noting that masks are not mandatory in the dining car when seated for meals, nor are passengers required to wear masks elsewhere while they are eating or drinking. 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. But I reminded myself that I was booked in one of Amtraks private bedrooms, a space where Id have my own sitting area, en suite bathroom with a toilet and shower, a sink, and, when I was ready to call it a night, a bed. 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. Many transit companies have established frequent cleaning routines, but evidence suggests that airborne transmission of the novel coronavirus poses a greater danger than surfaces. It turned out to be a rough night, full of rattles and rumbles. In fact, we have a full-time medical director and public health and safety team who have been on the frontlines throughout the COVID-19 outbreak. Wearing a mask also probably helps, and ride-share companies Uber and Lyft both require drivers and passengers to do so. Its all about how many people you come in contact with during your journey. While the view itself wasnt breathtaking, I found myself holding my breath. Every other table had a sign on it, instructing passengers to leave the booth empty in order to maintain social distancing. But is train travel during the coronavirus safe? I was excited. Solo passengers can use the empty seats next to them for personal belongings. Offers may be subject to change without notice. But later reviews of the evidence suggest mass transit systems have not been major drivers of viral spread. 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. In addition, the railroad has restored daily service for its East Coast long . Amtrak. (BOARDING) THEY SAY RIDERS CAN ALSO EXPECT PLENTY OF FRESH AIR ON BOARD AS WE HEAD INTO SUMMER. You can isolate from really everyone, so that, of course, becomes essentially just as safe as driving in your car, Khabbaza said, although you may still have to encounter people if you go to the dining car or a communal restroom or when you exit the train. 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. It is nearly impossible for drivers and passengers to remain six feet apart in a car, so transmission is definitely possible. 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