Corona virus impacts on Amtrak

If I may shed some scientific theory on this, I would recommend the reading of Muller's Ratchet. Once you read it AND you are willing to flush all the garbage given to you the past few years. Look at things objectively you just may see that science when done correctly and not for political/monetary gain actually has a clue.

COVID is real I have no doubt, we lost a relative to it early this year. He also had a list of other medical issues and was double vaxed. At some point quite possibly when most of us on here are gone or telling our grandchildren about the pandemic there will be studies done showing we here in the USofA could have done better. There already are...

Well, Mr. Junkie, I guess you are not handling 48(12). One of our members is on board; let him say who, if he chooses.

BTW, do both 48 and 448 show in your CSX ETT?

west point wrote: ↑Sat Mar 12, 2022 12:38 pm

WashingtonPark wrote: ↑Sat Mar 12, 2022 10:05 am What would be stopping the Amtrak conductors from double masking and getting boosters? Is vaccinated me wearing my thin cloth mask, or not, making a difference?

Yes, but better still a surgical mask or N-95. I only use them whenever I know am going to be in close quarters not able to guarantee 6 feet.

If you aren't being sarcastic and really believe a boosted individual wearing an N-95 somehow will save the life of a boosted conductor wearing two masks you seriously need to read this article in the Philadelphia Inquire,(a very left-wing paper) on where we are now. https://www.inquirer.com/health/expert- ... 20304.html. I'm boosted. No N-95s for me. I wear the thinnest thing I can get away with only to meet the virtue signaling requirements the FTA still has in place. If others want to wear two masks, that's fine. We are adults. At this point in the endemic with vaccines readily available government needs to back off and let us make our own decisions.

Mask wearing protects the wearer. I keep them around in case there is a new variant that vaccination does not protect. I have too many relatives whose immune systems are not up to full protection.

I think we're going to be at a point where the vulnerable and those feeling not 100% are masking up... IE what those in Asia do. Which TBH isn't a bad thing for the rest of the world to follow.

I may resume commuting soon, and if so, I'll be masked anytime I'm in a crowd on LIRR or the NYC subways, even if there is no longer a requirement.

Some places upgraded ventilation and filtration indoors - and some didn't. And most firms, I suspect, won't give an honest answer on this if you ask. Most firms care only if the top bosses are safe and comfortable. Years ago the little office I shared with my boss at a supposedly 'good' firm had mold growing on the outer walls. Our management didn't care, neither did HR or the building management. And this was a major building on Park Avenue.

LIRR did do a fair amount of research on better, active filtration systems. No idea on what was actually put into place. Does anyone here know what Amtrak did? Or if the new Acela or other new equipment has upgraded air handling and filtration?

west point wrote: ↑Sun Mar 13, 2022 2:23 pm Mask wearing protects the wearer. I keep them around in case there is a new variant that vaccination does not protect. I have too many relatives whose immune systems are not up to full protection.

Same for me. There is a new variant that combines Delta and Omicron in one. Don't know yet how fast it spreads or how nasty it gets, but it is in the US. Also no idea how well the current vaccinations and boosters help with it.

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Sun Mar 13, 2022 12:27 pm Well, Mr. Junkie, I guess you are not handling 48(12). One of our members is on board; let him say who, if he chooses.

BTW, do both 48 and 448 show in your CSX ETT?

We arrived NYP 838pm I think the Bulova on my wrist said. We had a few issues in Albany with the ACSES. Hence the pulling forward then backing up into the station then pulling forward again. For those who may want to know. Plus Amtrak decided to hold us for an hour, its a discharge only train down the Hudson. 410pm is the normal but today was 510pm, guess time change.

CSX ETT dosent list trains like the old school ETTs. Your train ID is on your paperwork which is your clearance to be on the railroad. All trains are required to call out the train ID, engine number, track and signal on CSX helps everybody keep track of each other.

Railjunkie wrote: ↑Sun Mar 13, 2022 11:57 pm CSX ETT dosent list trains like the old school ETTs. Your train ID is on your paperwork which is your clearance to be on the railroad. All trains are required to call out the train ID, engine number, track and signal on CSX helps everybody keep track of each other.

I wonder if calling out the train ID, engine number, track and signal is a standard in the US. (Yes, another "for-the-book" question).

So it would appear, Mr. Junkie, you DID handle 48(12) ALB-NYP, and, after an apparent "flawless" journey from CHI, where never more than 35ML, "the fun began" for you.

This member was on #48(12) to ALB; thence moved to 448(12) @ ALB to continue to destination SPG, as he did not want to "listen to the music" all night as would be the case had he space in 448's Sleeper - and further he arranged to have space assigned in the #625XX V-II within the consist. I'm sure he would have walked forward, if practical or even possible, and said hello.

I was aboard the train in 4812 sleeper. As Mr Norman hinted I switched to 448 coach at Albany to get to SPG. ACSES troubles with the P32?

west point wrote: ↑Sun Mar 13, 2022 2:23 pm Mask wearing protects the wearer. I keep them around in case there is a new variant that vaccination does not protect. I have too many relatives whose immune systems are not up to full protection.

And that's fine West Point. I never said mask wearing shouldn't be allowed on Amtrak trains. I said at this point the FRA shouldn't be demanding mask wearing to ride a train. I said mask wearers shouldn't expect everybody to do what they want them to do anymore than non-mask wearers should expect everybody to do what they want. I said if you are boosted and double masked that ought to be enough protection without demanding everybody else in the train wear an N-95.

lordsigma12345 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 14, 2022 7:51 am I was aboard the train in 4812 sleeper. As Mr Norman hinted I switched to 448 coach at Albany to get to SPG. ACSES troubles with the P32?

First how was your extra hour in Albany? Still confused as to why this happened. Neither crew knew of this change till we looked at our manifest for the days trip. Time change I guess, just have never seen it done before.

The AMT#701 gave me some issues out of the gate but it cleared up after one of the "engine whisperers" showed up and basically did what I had already done. Good thing, cause there was not another to replace it with.

WashingtonPark wrote: ↑Mon Mar 14, 2022 8:06 am

west point wrote: ↑Sun Mar 13, 2022 2:23 pm Mask wearing protects the wearer. I keep them around in case there is a new variant that vaccination does not protect. I have too many relatives whose immune systems are not up to full protection.

And that's fine West Point. I never said mask wearing shouldn't be allowed on Amtrak trains. I said at this point the FRA shouldn't be demanding mask wearing to ride a train. I said mask wearers shouldn't expect everybody to do what they want them to do anymore than non-mask wearers should expect everybody to do what they want. I said if you are boosted and double masked that ought to be enough protection without demanding everybody else in the train wear an N-95.

I had to dig though this. The TSA is requiring passengers to mask up. The FRA is requiring railroad personnel to mask up.

And TSA made it official that the mask use extends to April 18th: TSA statement regarding face mask use on public transportation

"Back in the old days", as in my day, April, Westward trains would just proceed to the next station and "wait for time". Eastward, "well let's see what the old girl can still do". Oct, the reverse.

What Amtrak did with this past time change was well founded. Only trouble, it sounds that they didn't tell "the troops in the field" such as Mr. Junkie.