1.5 billion for Amtrak in stimulus with daily service mandate (Passed in Congress)

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Barb Stout said:
I don't understand why some immunologists will say that vaccinated people can still spread the virus. When a person's immune system has been activated against a particular virus, then that virus is less likely to get into cells where they have to be in order to replicate. Even if they still do get into a few cells, the immune system, both innate and induced, have many ways of detecting those infected cells and eliminating them. Plus, both the induced and innate immune systems engage in a lot of what cell biologists call crosstalk in order to ramp up the other side (induced vs innate host defenses) or also to calm the other side down. Anyways, the end result is virus replication is far, far less in a vaccinated person compared to an unvaccinated person and where replication goes, so does transmission from one person to another.
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Read the article quoted in this post:
https://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/are-you-scared-to-take-the-train-now.78331/post-876683
 
lordsigma said:
I believe there was an Amtrak town hall earlier this week. While I was of course not there I heard “through the grapevine” that management mentioned that long distance bookings for the summer are greater than projected. June 1 is the date management apparently was saying their target is for daily service restoration.
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That is great.
 
Barb Stout said:
I don't understand why some immunologists will say that vaccinated people can still spread the virus. When a person's immune system has been activated against a particular virus, then that virus is less likely to get into cells where they have to be in order to replicate. Even if they still do get into a few cells, the immune system, both innate and induced, have many ways of detecting those infected cells and eliminating them. Plus, both the induced and innate immune systems engage in a lot of what cell biologists call crosstalk in order to ramp up the other side (induced vs innate host defenses) or also to calm the other side down. Anyways, the end result is virus replication is far, far less in a vaccinated person compared to an unvaccinated person and where replication goes, so does transmission from one person to another.
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Responding to this in the COVID Pandemic Generic thread instead of hijacking this thread further....

https://www.amtraktrains.com/thread...-general-discussion.76916/page-84#post-876800
 
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jis said:
I think the issue is that there are still a few people whose immune system is not adequately activated even after being vaccinated. They are few and far between and they still do exist, and they could get infected and spread. These are the ones that are eventually supposed to be protected by herd immunity, if the herd chooses to immunize itself adequately that is, which is another thing that is not clear at present.

The other thing that is not known for sure is what proportion of vaccinated people are getting asymptomatic infections and spreading, since this has not been specifically measured in all the trials. The focus has been on preventing severe symptoms. Additional trials are needed to quantify how good the vaccinations are in preventing transmission. It is quite certain that a 95% vaccine should be reducing transmission drastically, but the exact numbers are yet to be experimentally confirmed.
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I suppose that the ones who say that the effect of vaccination on transmission is unknown are being conservative for those apparently substantial amount of people for whom things have to be black and white; grey not being big part of their reality.
 
Barb Stout said:
I suppose that the ones who say that the effect of vaccination on transmission is unknown are being conservative for those apparently substantial amount of people for whom things have to be black and white; grey not being big part of their reality.
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I guess my attempt to move this discussion out of an Amtrak funding thread to a COVID thread failed. Sigh!
 
McIntyre2K7 said:
Peter A. DeFazio is the chairperson. I had the meeting on in the background yesterday while I was working. I kept hearing "no's" so I thought it didn't pass. Little did I know that "no's" were FOR Amtrak and not against.
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This is certainly 'music' to my well 'trained' ears 😁

I pay my taxes... now gimme back the passenger rail service!

Sorry to be so pushy and greedy for more trains... but now let's expand the system! Let's extend the Sunset back to Orlando; let's get HS up and running; let's bring back full meal service, ooooh so greedy for more train service!😄😛🥳
 
20th Century Rider said:
This is certainly 'music' to my well 'trained' ears 😁

I pay my taxes... now gimme back the passenger rail service!

Sorry to be so pushy and greedy for more trains... but now let's expand the system! Let's extend the Sunset back to Orlando; let's get HS up and running; let's bring back full meal service, ooooh so greedy for more train service!😄😛🥳
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Wrong thread for discussing expansion. ;) This $1.5 billion is merely for restoring service and recalling employees from furlough, and is funding to keep the system together until the end of this fiscal year. Any expansion discussion really belongs to the Infrastructure Bill which is just starting to be discussed, and then the 2022 fiscal Appropriation bill.

https://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/2021-infrastructure-bill.78349/
 
IndyLions said:
I’ll have to admit that I am a little bit torn on the return of a full schedule.

First, the current LD schedule is garbage. Cutting back during the pandemic makes perfect sense, but the current schedule makes zero sense. I could list examples, but we all know them.

To me, what makes more sense is a “sensible” schedule that is probably about 75% of normal. Combining trains where possible, making sure there are daily connections where they need to be, etc. That includes state services.

Where I would be seeking to spend my money right now if I were Amtrak is in maintenance of my rolling stock, employee training, planning and lobbying for new corridor services, evaluating higher quality economically viable food services, etc.

I understand the stimulus money is really all about bringing employees back to work as much as anything, and I’m not against that.

It just seems that Amtrak’s biggest need right now is to get their house in order and “up their game” so they can be a more relevant, effective travel option in the future. Hopefully, they ARE doing those things in the background and we just don’t know it. Flynn’s open letter was certainly encouraging, at least to me.
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Couldn’t agree more
 
jis said:
Wrong thread for discussing expansion. ;) This $1.5 billion is merely for restoring service and recalling employees from furlough, and is funding to keep the system together until the end of this fiscal year. Any expansion discussion really belongs to the Infrastructure Bill which is just starting to be discussed, and then the 2022 fiscal Appropriation bill.

https://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/2021-infrastructure-bill.78349/
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Tongue and cheek euphoric humor that at least we are getting back to square one. We're pretty much united on our hopes and wishes for the future of rail travel... and I'm sure that thread will find enthusiastic discussion. 😇
 
me_little_me said:
Chicago to Atlanta; Nasheville to Atlanta; and Atlanta to NYP. Everything else can wait. :):):)
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I wish there was a Florida-Chicago train that went through those both, then connects with the CONO.


And ofc the desert wind, pioneer, etc
 
Nothing could be done in congress until Jan3rd due to it being a new congress. All 2020 bills not passed or not signed died on Jan 1. The funds as I understand is only for restored service until Oct 1st when the new fiscal year for all government including Amtrak will need a new appropriation.
 
Cal said:
How long till these are rolled out? May be on the east coast in July and I really want to know if I should book on the regional or acela..
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Don't know. I called today and hang up after over an hour of elevator music and announcements made in many different languages. But I was able to sign up online. Hmmm... patience patience... no choice... but at the same time choosing to take all precautions I can.

Because I want to survive.

And because I consider myself a survivor.

Of options available... this is my well chosen path.
 
My understanding is that this Covid Relief Bill needs to be a done deal (i.e. passed by Congress, signed by the President) by the middle of March so that the extension in unemployment benefits doesn't suffer another hiatus. This is a top priority of congressional leaders to get done, and, despite some semi-sensationalist press reports that the Democrats are in disarray and arguing over stuff, the issues will be solved and the bill passed on time.
 

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