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Train and tram manufacturer Bombardier is looking for solutions to make public transportation safer in Corona times. One option is a silver filter that will remove virtually all viruses. If the tests go well, it could be installed soon.
The Swiss, known for being European champions in train travel, are increasingly avoiding public transport due to the corona pandemic. The train and tram manufacturer Bombardier Switzerland now wants to regain confidence with technical solutions.
Bombardier, maker of Dosto trains and Flexity trams, has come up with several ideas “with which the virus can stay away from trains,” as Stéphane Wettstein, head of Bombardier Switzerland, told the media on Wednesday.
There is a lot of interest
Nothing has been implemented yet. But they are in talks with suppliers, including urban transport companies, and there is great interest. The pandemic is known to last longer. That’s why you have to be prepared to take longer-term action, Wettstein said. But even without Corona, the changes would make sense, still due to the wave of flu that hits every year.
There is great interest in a new filter that stops not only pollen and dust, but also 99.9 percent of viruses. It is a silver-lined foam filter. The patenting process is currently in progress, Wettstein said.
The filter is already being used on a trial basis in Hamburg (D) and Great Britain. If the tests go well, the silver filter could be installed on Swiss trains and trams in no time. “The filters would be available immediately and installed quickly.” The current filter mats would simply be replaced by the new filter.
Zones for vulnerable people
According to Wettstein, the Plexiglass panes between the seats and the sanitizer dispenser would also be easy to install. Especially endangered passenger areas would also be a possibility, similar to rest areas.
Bombardier also offers rail operators the option of redesigning trains in view of current or future pandemics. For example, the standing areas, which have only been used for a few years, could be dispensed with again. “In general, it is better if the passengers sit rather than stand,” says Wettstein.
Corona could even spell the end of open-plan cars. Instead of building open compartments for four people, compartments for six or eight people would again be separated, as is sometimes the case in 1st class today. The walls would prevent viruses from spreading throughout the car.
Separate doors for getting in and out could also prevent passengers from crossing in search of a seat. This concept is already in use in Canada. “Of course you have to stick with him.” (pbe / SDA)
