13 replies to this topic

[KevinKorell]

It was time for a fresh pinned thread here, but rather than dreaming about the progression of RailFests twice or thrice per year that has been thwarted by this pandemic,  I thought it might be worthwhile to just discuss what we as a group are comfortable about doing.

 

You can look at the previous thread to see all the recent ideas, including our planning for the Boston trip we eventually postponed in March 2020, what we were talking about for over this past summer, and some ideas going forward.   Know that the extra hours I spend at home not travelling to work are used often to come up with more travel ideas.

 

Covid-19 continues to be a concern for everyone, and I know that how safe we feel varies between us.   I've ventured out myself along the Northeast and Keystone Corridors in the past few months, but have not as yet felt like going on an overnight jaunt involving a hotel.  A few have taken longer trips and stayed overnight. Keep in mind too that many states have lists of other states that require 14-day quarantine if you travel to them.   So those lists, which change every few days, have to get shorter or be eliminated before we can take a trip involving medium or long distance travel.  Furthermore, many in our circles are within the age range or have health considerations that might pose a higher risk to travel.   Couple this with the danger of large groups occupying close space, varying restrictions on capacity at restaurants we might want to dine at, the long time of extended travel that would require masking, and the reduced Amtrak service to 3 days per week on most long distance trains, and you should understand the challenges in even thinking about assembling once more like we used to.  Know that I really want to, I miss it, but it just isn't possible given all these obstacles the situation has presented.  I take pride in the fact I've pulled off 50 RailFests over the course of 20 years, and I presently feel healthy enough to keep going once it is safe and possible to do so.

 

Let's just pool our thoughts on the following questions:

 

1.  When would you feel comfortable resuming having our RailFests?   Or would you ever?

 

2. What would you feel comfortable doing on such RailFests as far as safety is concerned?  For example, only Amtrak, riding commuter rail & transit, or a combination of those.. Day trip vs overnight, etc.

 

3.  Any other thoughts?

[pennyk]

Thanks Kevin for soliciting our thoughts.  

Although I am healthy, I am over 65.  I took my first Amtrak trip since February last weekend.  I took the Silver Star to Tampa and back for a day trip.  I booked a sleeper room for extra safety.  At both the Orlando and Tampa stations, I waited outside and did not sit down.  I found a restaurant in Tampa that had outdoor seating, but unfortunately, they permitted cigar smoking and one customer was smoking a cigar and the smell was quite offensive.

 

In answer to Kevin's questions:

 

1.  I do not know when I will be comfortable resuming having the RailFests.  I may be ready in a year or so when the rates of COVID infection are down and vaccination rates are up.

 

2.  I think Amtrak travel is probably safer than commuter rail and transit.  For me, in Florida, almost all travel is overnight.  I am not ready to stay in a hotel yet nor am I ready to eat with a group in an indoor restaurant.

 

I am guessing that Shanghai (Dick) is not reading the forum, so I will comment on his behalf.  He recently had surgery and, last I heard, he was recovering in a rehab facility.  He was not sure about his ability to travel in the future.

[steve4031]

I would be comfortable with commuter train rides and Amtrak rides. Would be willing to travel to nyc area or east coast to participate. I would stay in hotels. I would eat in restaurants. I prefer to sit in eat.

[steve4031]

I honestly think most people will feel safer when there is a vaccine and health officials state that things are safe. In the meantime there are safety precautions that experts say mitigate risks.

Kevin, if you want company on one of your trips let me know a few weeks ahead of time. I can fly out for weekend trips. I know you work differently than I do. But I support you.

[jebr]

1.  When would you feel comfortable resuming having our RailFests?   Or would you ever?

 

Once there's an effective vaccine that I've received personally, or spread is so minimal that it's considered safe by most health departments to have non-socially distanced groups again. Based on current timelines, if everything goes smoothly probably summer/fall 2021, but there's so much we don't know that it's hard to say with any confidence.

 

2. What would you feel comfortable doing on such RailFests as far as safety is concerned?  For example, only Amtrak, riding commuter rail & transit, or a combination of those.. Day trip vs overnight, etc.

 

Honestly, once we have an effective vaccine and most people have it, I think I'd be okay with most things. I think the hardest thing for me to overcome will be indoor dining, but by the time the rest is in place that may feel safe again with widespread immunity.

 

3.  Any other thoughts?

 

The hard part (for me) about doing a Fest before it's safe to meet up without six feet of distance is that most of the enjoyment comes from seeing everyone again, getting to catch up, etc. I'd find the experience fairly lacking if we're all sitting multiple rows apart, not comfortable chatting with each other for long periods of time, dinners/restaurant dining being difficult, etc. There's also the varying quarantine rules/restrictions, both imposed by governments, and for me personally what my workplace requires (we can't go into the office for 14 days if we visit a state with especially high spread.) Given all of that, while I have some comfort level personally doing solo travel, the things that make a Fest enjoyable for me are things that simply don't feel safe when there's community spread, no matter what precautions we take.

[saxman]

I've continued to travel because, obviously thats my job. I feel quite safe in hotels, as there's not much opportunity to get close to anyone and places like Hilton and Marriott properties are taking lots of precautions. Room cleaning varies from not at all during a stay to every three days if staying for a long period. I haven't ridden Amtrak except for a quick jaunt from WAS to BWI, and it was quite easy to stay away from people. But what is the fun in that if we can't talk to each other. If we were to do a fest right now, (not saying we should) I don't think eating in a restaurant would be a good idea. However, I'd probably feel comfortable if it were a small group doing some random rides. Say no more than 5, masked up of course. Since the pandemic begin, I've done a little transit riding in Baltimore and Seattle. Most of the agencies are blocking seats and most everyone stays away from each other. I think most people are wearing masks as well. The airlines have been very very strict on mask wearing, going as far as kicking people off and banning them from flying. 

 

In a few months, I'd probably feel comfortable meeting in a small setting. We'll see what these vaccines do over the next few months.

[KevinKorell]

To update what I said above, later that month of October I did take a couple of overnight trips -- one 2-day daytime Amtrak round trip to Syracuse where I stayed in a hotel, and one 2-day daytime round trip on the Cardinal to Charlottesville in which I stayed in a hotel on the way back in Alexandria, VA before returning on a Regional.   I overcame the fear of hotels.

 

 

However since then, when the second wave of the virus struck many places, the rules about crossing state lines actually got stricter.  Hotels may now have requirements and might be the only enforcer of their state's rules that you must produce a negative COVID test to enter the state, and thus the hotel which may be the first point of contact where you encounter another person.  A place like say, Los Angeles is technically locked down right now so had I been planning a trip there (I'm not) it would be impossible to visit.  New York City, which I just did visit last week, cannot offer one crumb of food indoors right now.   Therefore, at this time I don't feel we are any closer to being able to get together.   

 

 

In addition, I'm not in any group that would get priority for a vaccine.   I don't know if it is appropriate for us to share here whether we've gotten our 1 or 2 shots, as it may be personal.  Truth is, even after some have gotten their full number of vaccinations, the rules observed by the various states and cities may not yet have been lifted meaning the masks and the distance would have to continue for a while.

[pennyk]

In Florida, I am in a priority group and received my first vaccine this morning.  If all goes as planned, vaccine-wise, I should be OK to travel in a couple of months.  I suffer from anxiety at times, so I am not sure when I will feel comfortable traveling in a group.  I have not taken an overnight trip since December 2019.  In a couple of months, I may try an overnight train to New York or DC with a turn around the same day.  

 

For what it is worth, I would feel more comfortable traveling with a small group of OTOL friends over other groups.

[KevinKorell]

While I understand that some like Penny would be travelling overnight to get to wherever a Fest might be held, I think it would be best to start off a Fest itself small rather than taking a week-plus trip visiting multiple cities.  And sticking to Amtrak daily service vs the thrice-weekly long distance trains would be better for our resumption as well.   Right now my thinking would be the Roanoke train, which would involve a day trip on Saturday going there, one hotel night at the destination, and then a Sunday day trip back to Washington or other Northeastern cities.   That would entail just Amtrak and not involve any local transit or commuter trains ---- although if we did it after this July (assuming that target holds) we could try to work in the WMATA Metro Silver Line extension to Ashburn as well.  

 

When I rode a Regional train this past weekend in Business Class, there were 6 or 7 passengers in that car, which about matches the 10% of capacity promised when I made the reservation.  But once conditions allow us to again travel together, I would guess that there will be a lot more company on the train and the mere numbers in our group alone hopefully would exceed the number I saw.

[steve4031]

I would be interested in the Roanoke trip.