Metra Will Install High Tech Air Purifiers In Railcars
CHICAGO (CBS) — Today Metra announced its plan to upgrade its air purification system for safer transportation during the COIVD-19 pandemic.
Each railcar will have a ventilation system that uses a three-stage purification process that includes ultraviolet light, electrical fields and stronger filters. This process is expected to remove 99 percent of all airborne viruses, including COVID-19, Metra said.
Metra said that their current filters already refresh every four minutes and use hospital-grade filters on train cars. Their new filters are equivalent to MERV 17 or HEPA standards.
The new system will be tested on 50 train cars before it is approved. Today, the Metra Board of Directors approved a contract that would provide 700 train cars with the new air purification system. Metra continues to also require masks to be worn and social distancing measures while riding the train.