One such investigation of a 10-hour journey from London to Hanoi starting on March 1 found that 15 people were likely infected with COVID-19 in-flightand that 12 of them had sat within a couple of rows of a single symptomatic passenger in business class. Those measures dont guarantee risk-free travel on board. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Thanks for reading Scientific American. Follow Sophie Bushwick on TwitterCredit: Nick Higgins, Tanya Lewis is a senior editor at Scientific American who covers health and medicine. "There is a lot of exchange," said Patricia Quinn, executive director of the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority, which operates the Downeaster. 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. We may earn commission from the links on this page. With COVID-19 reaching the most dangerous levels the U.S. has seen since the pandemic began, the country faces a problematic holiday season. 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. (The results were published this month in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventions journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.) Many transit companies have established frequent cleaning routines, but evidence suggests that airborne transmission of the novel coronavirus poses a greater danger than surfaces. 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. So, whats holding back higher speeds across Michigan? "And that has really been something that I think has given people a sense of comfort. It is nearly impossible for drivers and passengers to remain six feet apart in a car, so transmission is definitely possible. When I finally made it to the dining room the next day, after official breakfast hours were over, Sandy and Linda greeted me. 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. Reliable data on the frequency of COVID transmission in cars is lacking, however. Explore our digital archive back to 1845, including articles by more than 150 Nobel Prize winners. SO THERE IS A LOT OF EXCHANGE 09:34 AND THAT HAS REALLY BEEN SOMETHING I THINK THAT HAS GIVEN PEOPLE A SENSE OF COMFORT 09:39 ("METROBUSAIRPURIFICATION) METRO IS TESTING OUT HIGH- TECH PURIFICATION SYSTEMS ON BOARD THEIR NEW BUSES. With announcements of our largest order for new trains in decades, the opening of new stations, the addition of new customer services and amenities, and our proposals for new corridor service in up to 160 communities, Amtrak put in motion key initiatives to support an enhanced national rail network capable of serving more people in more places with better service. Amit Gaggar Photography: Steve Wood. At night, she saw passengers traveling in coach with masks down as they slept, and during the day, mask use seemed intermittent at best in communal areas. The new coaches, built in the U.S. by the German multinational company Siemens, will be pulled by almost-new Siemens Charger locomotives, which Amtrak began introducing in the Midwest in 2018 and 2019, according to Amtrak officials. A post shared by Ali Wunderman (@aliwunderman). 05:49 CERTAINLY WITH THE SUMMER COMING WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE THE WINDOWS OPEN -- AND I'M SURE THAT WILL MAKE OUR PASSENGERS FEEL BETTER ABOUT HAVING THE FRESH AIR 05:56 THAT, IT SEEMS, MAY BE THE KEY MOVING FORWARD. Another safety factor? Although its already twice the size of a roomette, the bedroom cabins are much more spacious than they appear online. Solo passengers can use the empty seats next to them for personal belongings. 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. On pure reflex, I shot to the window to watch as we rode over the Willamette River. Our customers trust Amtraks commitment to safety and are responding positively to the investments and improvements we are making, said Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn. 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. Theres not enough data on either to say which is safer, but the same risk factors are at play. But if you are seated relatively far from others, and everyone is wearing a mask, your risk is probably fairly low. Sometimes, doing all this extra work makes me feel paranoid, and I almost didnt do it this time. Still, a handful of case studies have found that limited transmission can take place onboard. "And that has really been something that I think has given people a sense of comfort.". According to online data, these locomotives burn about 10% less diesel fuel per mile than the old engines they are replacing and spew far less pollution, reducing by about 90% the two banes of diesel exhaust oxides of nitrogen and particulate matter, the diesel soot thats noxious to human lungs. We reached my room and I was immediately impressed. But even with fresh air available, an infected passenger can still transmit the coronavirus to someone who. For more stories like this, sign up for our newsletter. A looming question is whether once most Americans are vaccinated and people begin to return to flying, can Amtrak maintain its momentum and rebuild its ridership to pre-pandemic levels, then keep it growing. Suddenly, taking an overnight train from Portland to Los Angeles felt like an adventure. In late January, airline executives and employees told reporters they welcomed a new executive order by President Joe Biden, who ordered mask-wearing on all airplane flights as well as on other public transit that crosses state lines. Companies have also implemented rigorous cleaning procedures between flights. "MEASURE THE AIRDr. Its the ultimate transient experience: Almost as soon as you see something out the window, its gone, and then everything eventually fades to black. This summer, expect lots of open windows on the buses too to add extra ventilation, officials said. Mask wearing reduces risk and is now mandatory on many forms of transit in the U.S., including New York Citys subway and bus systems, as well as Amtrak trains throughout the country. Phone calls are preferred if the request is urgent. Jim Mathews, president and CEO of the Rail Passengers Association, notes that an Amtrak coach changes the air about 12 to 15 times per hour, and supplies 15 pounds of fresh air per minute per. Every other table had a sign on it, instructing passengers to leave the booth empty in order to maintain social distancing. Riding Amtrak's Northeast Regional service from New York to Boston. Since then, that number has climbed north of 30% as the calendar moved closer to summer. FOR PLACES LIKE BARS, RESTAURANTS AND STORES DR. (ARE- KNOT) ARNOT HAS A PROPOSAL INTO THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TO MANDATE CARBON DIXOIDE METERS. Fresh air is helpful to keep droplets from lingering, but it still won't protect you from a direct hit of a cough or sneeze. "We have been waylaid by the CDC with 'wash all this stuff,'" Dr. Arnot said. Follow her on Twitter @unamandita, Rob Jackson, Corinne Le Qur, Pep Canadell, Pierre Friedlingstein and Glen Peters | Opinion. 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Each is said to boast a 4,400-horsepower diesel engine made by manufacturer Cummins in Indiana, which generates electricity that powers four electric motors to turn the drive wheels. "It's as if people were walking into burning buildings and we didn't have smoke detectors", "We know this is an airborne virus. This results in a 5050 mix of outside and recirculated air and reduces the potential for airborne spread of a respiratory virus. Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada took major hits in the two years since COVID-19 pushed much of the world into lockdown mode. Public transit systems have also been focusing on the ventilation component. 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. 2023 Scientific American, a Division of Springer Nature America, Inc. 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. Inside Ground Zero of the Coronavirus Pandemic, Oprah On COVID-19's Deadly Impact on Black America, The Governors Helping Americans Survive COVID. Some bus companies have installed clear partitions between drivers and passengers. These companies have also stopped offering car pools (except in Ubers case for people who work together), so passengers are only exposed to the driver and anyone in their own party. 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. Youre in car 31 thats my car! (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." One unexpected highlight of my train trip was the food both tasty and filling. 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. 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. Anyone needing or choosing to wear one is encouraged to do so. Those numbers suggest there could be another travel bump in the next few weeks around Christmas. Private Rooms 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. 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. 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. Initially some researchers blamed the metropoliss bustling subwaywhich carried 5.5 million commuters on a typical pre-COVID weekdayfor making it the epicenter of the pandemic in the U.S. 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. "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. During the COVID-19 pandemic, local train travel dipped from 8,000 passengers a day to 200. Even worse, on the popular route from Chicago to Detroit to Pontiac, on-time performance occurred just 33% of the time. She noticed more thorough sanitation on her Portland-to-Chicago route, and less mask enforcement from Chicago to Boston. In 2019, we were selling every seat now were filling only half of each trains capacity, and were strongly encouraging people to sit apart, said Marc Magliari, spokesman for Amtrak. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WMTW-TV. So how does this translate into overall risk? 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.". Since 2012, theyve rolled as fast as 110 mph there. (BOARDING) THEY SAY RIDERS CAN ALSO EXPECT PLENTY OF FRESH AIR ON BOARD AS WE HEAD INTO SUMMER. This left a total of five dining tables open (all of which must be reserved for a specific time in advance). But many planes have excellent high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters that capture more than 99 percent of particles in the air, including microbes as SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID. 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. Since then, Amtrak has enhanced both its fleet and travel experiences to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. However, my room did not have any signs of being newly cleaned, prompting me to do a thorough inspection and ultimately wipe everything down. While the view itself wasnt breathtaking, I found myself holding my breath. All of those situations increase your risk of coming into contact with the virus and picking it up. In addition, in a city system (as opposed to a long-distance ride), buses make frequent stops. (CG: DENISE BECK, GREATER PORTLAND METRO) 04:04 TWO OF OUR NEW BUSSES HAVE AN AIR PURIFICATION, A UV LIGHT FILTER -- AND WE ARE TESTING THAT. It has less to do with germy surfaces than you think. 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. This past spring the novel coronavirus tore through New York City, reaching a peak of thousands of new cases per day in April. Amtrak said on Friday that it will temporarily reduce service on some trains because of staffing challenges stemming from a surge in cases of the Omicron variant among workers . Are We Experiencing a Second Wave of COVID-19? 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. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. If youre traveling a long distance, then booking a private carespecially if it has a bathroomcould substantially lower your risk. It might be worth the price. ", 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. 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. Travel + Leisure is published by Meredith Corporation under license from Travel + Leisure Co. 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. 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. Jan. 14, 2022. 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. In addition, the railroad has restored daily service for its East Coast long . Finally, experts suggest that limiting the length of a ride can also be helpful: 15 minutes on a subway is safer than a multihour train trip. "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.". Yes, its lonely and solitary, but unfortunately during the coronavirus, thats perfect.. If the rate of community transmission in your region is low, chances are that taking the occasional taxi or ride-share car is not a huge riskprovided you wear a mask and keep the windows open as much as possible. Shorter ridesespecially those under roughly 15 minutespose a lower risk than long ones. HE SAYS -- WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE AIR QUALITY OF THE SPACES WE'RE WALKING INTO. "Two of our new buses have an air purification, a U.V. 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. Customers are assigned specific seats once they board, says Predmore, and they wont be seated next to or facing other passengersunless theyre traveling together with friends or family members. One such innovation is the expansion of reserved seating on Acela trains. Widespread mask use is key, says Lofgren. 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. However, this was not the case on my train. If the tests go well, METRO may add the purification to the rest of the fleet. 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. Unfortunately, roaming around the train is a bad idea right nowand for the foreseeable future. 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. When that happens, Amtrak could reach its potential to consistently outshine the experience of driving a car from Detroit to Chicago with lower costs, less time and more convenience not to mention no fear of getting a dreaded three-figure parking ticket in Chicagoland. 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. If a window is able to be opened, that always helps getting droplets to disperse very quickly, making it very unlikely that they will make it to another person in enough of a concentration to transmit infection, especially if masking is enforced, he said. 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. Theres no doubt about that., Tips: Safe holiday travel | Coronavirus testing | Sanitizing your hotel | Using Uber and Airbnb, Flying: Pandemic packing | Airport protocol | Staying healthy on plane | Fly or drive | Best days to fly, Road trips: Tips | Rental cars | Best snacks | Long-haul trains | Foliage finder | Art road trips, Camping: First-time | Camping alone | Meal planning | Glamping | National parks, Places: Hawaii | Machu Picchu | New York | Private islands | Caribbean | Mexico | Europe. WASHINGTON Amtrak successfully advanced its COVID-19 recovery efforts throughout its 50th Anniversary fiscal year, through continued safety measures for customers and employees, increased train service levels in line with growing demand and continued building a strong foundation for modernization and growth. "I think Maine is very well positioned," Quinn said. Despite the release of a report in 1985 called Detroit-Chicago Corridor: High Speed Rail, nothing much changed. "Almost no cases came from somebody touching something -- all the time and effort spent washing when it should have been ventilation, number one, and masks, number two. Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. METRO launched a joint website with regional transit systems to provide information to riders about safety protocols. Dont let them spoil a trip. That [risk] could be mitigated and reduced with mask use, but its still possible [to become infected].. Wearing a mask also probably helps, and ride-share companies Uber and Lyft both require drivers and passengers to do so. To maximize space between passengers and manage flow, Amtrak is encouraging customers to arrive 30 minutes before departure (60 minutes if they need ticketing or baggage assistance). So far on the journey, Id soaked in the wooded landscape of the Pacific Northwest, gluing myself to the window as we snaked through trees already painted with golden yellows, bright oranges, and fiery reds. 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. It found no correlation between mass transit use and transmission of the virus. The data emerging from a handful of new research papers show that COVID-19 can build up in poorly ventilated spaces. AMTRAK Covid-19 Practices Puts Passengers and Workers at Risk News provided by. Business is now at about 70% of pre-COVID levels, up from 25% at this time in FY20, and based on the current forecast, ridership and revenue is expected to improve to about 80% of pre-COVID levels by the end of fiscal year 2022. Release of a report in 1985 called Detroit-Chicago Corridor: High Speed,... In advance ) BOARD as we rode over the Willamette River this month in the U.S. seen! At Scientific American who covers health and medicine summer, expect lots of open windows on the frequency COVID! If the request is urgent risk ] could be mitigated and reduced with mask,... Of COVID transmission in cars is lacking, however to Los Angeles felt like an adventure the purification the! That has really been something that I think has given people a sense of.! Work makes me feel paranoid, and I almost didnt do it this time Governors Americans! News provided by COVID-19 pushed much of the coronavirus, thats perfect | Opinion a bathroomcould lower! 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