Masks now required even in private room with door closed.

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M

merkelman06

Train Attendant
Joined
May 27, 2014
Messages
52
Amtrak has removed the phrase from their website saying you can remove your mask while in your private room with the door closed. It says required at all times except for actively eating or drinking or taking medication. They are citing federal policy that was just signed. Oh boy.
 
The new law does not have an exemption for private Amtrak rooms, so Amtrak can no longer explicitly say that you can remove your mask inside a private room. However, I seriously doubt they are doing checks when the curtains are closed, and even if they were you could just put a mask on when they knock, so enforcement is essentially impossible. Additionally, enforcing masks in a private room would have little to no health benefit; it's likely there was not an exemption simply because private train rooms are currently such a niche travel mode.
 
This is consistent with the new Executive Order signed by Biden. The order says that masks must be worn on interstate public transportation, and has no exemption for Amtrak roomettes and bedrooms.
 
The thought of sleeping with one on makes me say no way. Then I think about the coach passengers. They would have to have it on even if they are sleeping which is understandable for coach.

In the sleeper the door is closed and locked. And curtains shut. Good luck enforcing this. Of course if there’s a knock I just put it on and open the door.
 
Steve4031 said:
The thought of sleeping with one on makes me say no way. Then I think about the coach passengers. They would have to have it on even if they are sleeping which is understandable for coach.

In the sleeper the door is closed and locked. And curtains shut. Good luck enforcing this. Of course if there’s a knock I just put it on and open the door.
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I believe it's the law that if an Amtrak official knocks on your door you must open it.

Will wait for the all-clear before I ride the rails again... especially now when unnecessary travel is not recommended.
 
Qapla said:
I would love to take a day-trip 😒 but not anytime soon
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Tomorrow will take a short trip down the coast to Coos Bay to do some shopping. There are more stores down there... so I'll put on my tapes and just glide along. Then I'll mess around where the still active Coos Bay rail link functions transporting goods from the port to Eugene. When I get home will whip up some clam chowder. With a little creativity it's possible to get along during this difficult time and find the good things that can be had.

Of course a day trip on the train would be preferred! :)

BTW Coos Bay does indeed have a functioning railroad and at one time had passenger traffic!!!

https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/port-of-coos-bay-celebrates-100-years-of-rail

bridge+map.png
Port of coos bay rail trip 16x9.jpg
 
20th Century Rider said:
Will wait for the all-clear before I ride the rails again... especially now when unnecessary travel is not recommended.
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Same here! Wish I could train across the country to see family, but it depends on so many factors. Not happening yet, as long as there are so many hazards and restrictions along the way.
 
Qapla said:
The bummer part is - right now a round trip to Tampa and back is only $34 but it only works on Friday or Saturday. Not the day I would want to go.

Not to mention it would require 4-5 hours each way confined in a metal tube with people who may not take C-19 seriously.

I will wait !
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I've done 4 day trips since the pandemic started, plus one trip right before they shut everything down. I never felt uncomfortable -- the coaches were half full or less, and pretty much all of the passengers were good about mask-wearing. Also, except for the trip to/from Boston in the beginning of March, right before things got hairy, my trips were shorter, two Baltimore-DC trips at 45 minutes, a trip to New York at 2 1/2 to 3 hours, and a trip to Philadelphia at 1 hour, 15 minutes. If the cases keep going down like they've been doing around here over the past couple of weeks, I might consider a day trip to New York, mainly to see the Moynihan Train Hall. On the other hand, I might wait until I get vaccinated and/or the weather gets a bit warmer, so I can actually do something in New York when I get there.
 
Qapla said:
The bummer part is - right now a round trip to Tampa and back is only $34 but it only works on Friday or Saturday. Not the day I would want to go.

Not to mention it would require 4-5 hours each way confined in a metal tube with people who may not take C-19 seriously.

I will wait !
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In FL, the southbound Star is SaSuMo, and the northbound Star is ThFrSa, so it seems like the only opportunity for a day trip from Orlando is Saturday. I'm considering it just to ride the TECO trolley and hang out around the waterfront for a few hours, seeing as I'm now 2 weeks past my second vaccination. I wish it were possible on a weekday, when there would be fewer people out and about.

Were you contemplating an overnight stay from south of Tampa?
 
The CDC exempts people who are in a room by themselves from the mask mandate.
Do workers at transportation hubs need to wear masks at all times or only when they can’t social distance?
Employees must wear a mask while on the premises of a transportation hub unless they are only person in the work area, such as in private offices, private hangars at airports, or in railroad yards.

Employees are also exempted from the mask requirement if wearing a mask would create a risk to workplace health, safety, or job duty as determined by the relevant workplace safety guidelines or federal regulations.
 
joelkfla said:
In FL, the southbound Star is SaSuMo, and the northbound Star is ThFrSa, so it seems like the only opportunity for a day trip from Orlando is Saturday. I'm considering it just to ride the TECO trolley and hang out around the waterfront for a few hours, seeing as I'm now 2 weeks past my second vaccination. I wish it were possible on a weekday, when there would be fewer people out and about.

Were you contemplating an overnight stay from south of Tampa?
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I did a day trip to Tampa on a Saturday in October (in a sleeper). I definitely would have preferred a weekday. I found Tampa a bit too crowded for my liking. I walked to Ybor City from the Tampa Station, went to an outdoor brewery, then took the trolley back. I waited outside for the train both in Orlando and Tampa.
 
merkelman06 said:
Amtrak has removed the phrase from their website saying you can remove your mask while in your private room with the door closed. It says required at all times except for actively eating or drinking or taking medication. They are citing federal policy that was just signed. Oh boy.
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So long as you wear a mask while boarding and in public areas you're probably okay but if you get sloppy the staff will be obliged to remind you and if you refuse to comply they will be expected to remove you when practical to do so.

Qapla said:
Try enforcing that when the door/curtain is closed :rolleyes:
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Closing the door/curtain may not be enough to ensure complete privacy. I've seen more than I cared to because some passengers did not consider placement of wall mirrors and such. It's possible this rule will be further clarified at some point to exclude private rooms with closed doors but I doubt that is any sort of priority right now.
 
CTANut said:
The CDC exempts people who are in a room by themselves from the mask mandate.
Do workers at transportation hubs need to wear masks at all times or only when they can’t social distance?
Employees must wear a mask while on the premises of a transportation hub unless they are only person in the work area, such as in private offices, private hangars at airports, or in railroad yards.

Employees are also exempted from the mask requirement if wearing a mask would create a risk to workplace health, safety, or job duty as determined by the relevant workplace safety guidelines or federal regulations.
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The rule you cited is for transportation hubs, which would not apply to traveling on a train.

Regardless, the issue is not what the CDC says, but what Biden's Executive Order says. His order says that masks must be worn on "trains," and does not distinguish coach class from sleeper class.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing...-safety-in-domestic-and-international-travel/
 
Devil's Advocate said:
Closing the door/curtain may not be enough to ensure complete privacy. I've seen more than I cared to because some passengers did not consider placement of wall mirrors and such. It's possible this rule will be further clarified at some point to exclude private rooms with closed doors but I doubt that is any sort of priority right now.
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One needs to make sure to make full use of those those little Velcro strips.
 
Well, I would not phrase it as "I am using" since I would not choose that route. For day trips we like to take the Star both ways if going to Tampa. If we go to Orlando or Kissimmee, back when both trains ran daily we had additional options.

I will not be taking any day trips on Amtrak anytime soon - so, perhaps daily service of both trains will be back by the time I take another day trip

Maybe by then we may not need masks ... one can hope 😄
 

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