I went to work a few days last week in North Wales where my office is located half a block from the tracks. SEPTA may not be releasing numbers, but judging by how few trains I heard, it's at least 50% down. Each day I ate lunch outside at the picnic table and I would previously see at least two trains go by, but there were none when I was out there. There still seemed to be a decent number of rush hour trains, but midday service was definitely much low than pre-pandemic times. No, I didn't get close enough to the trains to see if everyone was wearing masks.

Interesting about the Hatboro transformer project. I believe they swapped the transformer in Lansdale not too long ago.

For what it's worth, I rode there ferry from Bridgeport to Long Island today. Rather busy route lots of law enforcement viability including state police dogs sniffing everyone prior to boarding.

Outdoors no one wore masks indoors 15-20% did. I am pretty sure the ferry falls under the same regulations and likely would see a lot more law enforcement on a regular basis and they don't seem to either care or be able to enforce this thing. So not that non compliance in one area justifies it in another but at the vary least it would seem that tourist rail is not unique in the lack of enforcement.

What are others seeing in public transport? Only place I have actually seen any level of enforcement of this mandate was on New York City buses. I wonder how CT transit is doing in its enforcement? Are there airlines around the country enforcing this thing?

Yes, airlines around the country are enforcing it. I believe Amtrak is too.

For Portland Tri-Met (I generally only ride light rail) mask wearing is close to 100%, but then so is mask wearing in grocery stores etc., and even outside I would say it is over 50%. That might be a funny quirk of urban Oregon, they are rule followers here, but once the rule ends the behavior ends (i.e. when the mask mandate was on pause a few months back the masks disappeared). Ridership is back to about half of what it was pre-covid, but the number of trips have also been reduced. I only ride the light rail once a week or so these days, but the trains look about as full as they were pre-covid to me. https://trimet.org/about/performance.htm
https://blog.trimet.org/2021/07/27/chec ... d-service/

“when the mask mandate was on pause a few months back the masks disappeared”

That was also when the CDC was saying if you are vaccinated there is no need to wear a mask. And then.... delta.

A local group just announced a banquet and speaker event for next month, that requires masks be worn at all times except when actually eating or drinking. It will be interesting to see what the event turnout is, considering that right now you can dine at a restaurant in this state without wearing a mask.

PC

Prior to COVID, weekday service on Lansdale-Doylestown was every 30 minutes to Link-Belt and hourly to Doylestown.

As of 9-5-2021 it's hourly with almost all trains to Doylestown.

All the passengers I've seen wear masks. Remember, airports have TSA and local Police on site. Passenger have been screened for weapons. Still, there are plenty of ugly scenes involving onboard staff and unruly passengers before a plane can get to an airport terminal from 40,000 feet.

Commuter Rail passemgers are not screened for weapons.

Phil Mulligan

Here's a social media post from the New York City subway:

https://old.reddit.com/r/nycrail/commen ... t_to_each/

Looks like full mask wearing and lots of passengers.

Brian