TheAirport Transit System(ATS) is an automatedpeople moversystem at ChicagoO'Hare International Airport.It opened on May 6, 1993. The ATS moves passengers between the airport terminals and parking facilities, and was designed to operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The system was closed for refurbishment and modernization between January 2019 and November 2021.[4]
| Airport Transit System | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 A Bombardier Innovia APM 256 undergoing testing in May 2021 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Owner | Chicago Department of Aviation | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Locale | O'Hare International Airport,Chicago,Illinois | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Termini |
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| Stations | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | Official website | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Service | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Type | People mover | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operator(s) | Chicago Department of Aviation | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rolling stock | BombardierInnovia APM 256 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| History | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opened | May 6, 1993[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Closed | January 8, 2019[2][3] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reopened | November 3, 2021[4] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Technical | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Line length | 3 mi (4.8 km) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number of tracks | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Character | Elevated | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Track gauge | 1,880 mm(6 ft 2 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Electrification | Third rail,750 V DC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating speed | 50 mph (80 km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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History
editPlanning and construction
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In 1982, O'Hare officials unveiled the O'Hare Development Plan, a plan to expand the airport with a new international terminal (now called Terminal 5), and an expansion of the domestic terminals. The new international terminal, located away from the domestic terminals, necessitated the creation of a people mover to allow for connections between domestic and international flights. The system was also intended to provide connections to distant parking facilities.[5]The City of Chicago first awarded the contract for the people mover system toWestinghouse Electric,the second lowest bidder, in 1985.[6]After simplifying their initial proposal in response to concerns from City, the contract was re-awarded to low bidderMatra.[7]Ground was broken in 1987 by MayorHarold Washington,who also died that year. The system ultimately opened in May 1993.[8]
Modernization and extension
editAs part of a larger, $800 million project involving a new integrated transit center, the ATS began a modernization project in 2018. The expansion included replacing the existing 15-car fleet with 36 new BombardierInnovia APM 256vehicles, upgrading the previous infrastructure, and extending the line 2,000 feet (610 m) to the new Multi-Modal Facility on the east side ofU.S. 12–45(Mannheim Road).[9][10]Previously, the line ended at Remote Parking. Remote Parking station still stands, but is disused and trains no longer stop there as the air passenger parking lot the station once served has been converted to airport employee parking. The system closed in January 2019 for construction and testing of the planned modernization, with airport-funded shuttle buses running in public trafficways servicing the destinations previously serviced by the ATS.[2][11][12]Originally, the ATS was to reopen by Fall of 2019, but this was delayed several times due in part to theCOVID-19 pandemic,contract disputes, and reliability. The Chicago Department of Aviation reopened the system in November 2021 with a limited schedule.[4]The system returned to 24 hour service in April 2022.[13]
Service
editThe Airport Transit System operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.[13]The system is free to users and connects O'Hare's terminals to parking lots, and the consolidated rental car facility.
The system is in a "pinched-loop" configuration, which allows more than one train to travel along a track at once while providing service in both directions.[14]The entire system usesplatform screen doors,preventing people from leaving the platform, falling on the tracks or tampering with restricted areas.[citation needed]
The system's 36 cars are joined into 3-car trains, with each train able to carry up to 147 passengers.[13]
Stations
editATS stations are fully accessible and provide access to the elevated ATS tracks. The system has two tracks, and each train stops at all five stations traveling in both directions. Its west end is at Terminal 1, at the west end of the terminal core, and it makes a counterclockwise loop around the parking garage with stops at Terminal 2 and Terminal 3. Parking Garage A (the main garage) is accessible from any of the three terminal stations, as is theO'Hareterminal of theCTA'sBlue Line.Parking Lots B and C are only accessible from Terminal 1 and 3 stations, respectively. It takes 10 minutes to travel from Terminal 1 to the consolidated rental car facility.[13]
Outside the terminal loop, the ATS travels east to Terminal 5, the airport's international terminal. It then turns north, crosses overthe main access roadandBlue Line,and crosses Mannheim Road to reach the consolidated rental car facility, which is the terminal forPacebus routes 250, 330, and thePulseDempster Line. The facility also connects with theO'Hare Transferstation onMetra'sNorth Central Service,providing commuter rail service toChicago Union Stationinbound andAntiochoutbound during service hours. Currently, the Metra station is open on weekdays only.[15]
Fleet
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The ATS originally used theFrench-basedVALtechnology, which features fully automated,rubber-tiredpeople mover cars that previously saw use on theJacksonville Skywayuntil 1989. The system is capable of traveling at speeds of up to 50 mph (80 km/h), and now uses 12 3-car BombardierInnovia APM 256trains, which replaced the previous 15 Matra VAL 256 vehicles.[16]
As of 2023, the previous 15 VAL trains are sitting in a vacant lot on airport property near Irving Park Road and Taft Avenue.[17]
References
edit- ^Fornek, Scott (May 6, 1993)."Moving Experience Ready at O'Hare".Chicago Sun-Times.p. 4. Archived fromthe originalon June 11, 2014.RetrievedJanuary 16,2010.
- ^abWisniewski, Mary (December 31, 2018)."O'Hare 'people mover' will shut down completely until the fall".Chicago Tribune.Archivedfrom the original on November 8, 2020.RetrievedMay 13,2021.
- ^Martin, Kye (November 4, 2019)."Reopening of 'People Mover' at O'Hare Airport Delayed Again".NBC Chicago.Archivedfrom the original on May 14, 2021.RetrievedMay 14,2021.
- ^abcFreishtat, Sarah (November 2, 2021)."After years of delays, O'Hare's 'people mover' to reopen Wednesday on a limited schedule".Chicago Tribune.Archivedfrom the original on November 2, 2021.RetrievedNovember 2,2021.
- ^O'Hare Development Program.Chicago, Illinois: City of Chicago. 1982. p. 10.
- ^Frantz, Douglas (May 21, 1985)."City Takes Step Back on People Mover Bid".Chicago Tribune.RetrievedMay 13,2021.
- ^Baquet, Dean (September 17, 1985)."'People Mover' Sweepstakes ".Chicago Tribune.Archivedfrom the original on April 7, 2022.RetrievedMay 13,2021.
- ^Washburn, Gary (May 6, 1993)."O'Hare Set to Really Move You".Chicago Tribune.RetrievedMay 13,2021.
- ^"Bombardier to Supply INNOVIA Automated People Mover System to Chicago O'Hare International Airport".bombardier.Bombardier Transportation.Archivedfrom the original on April 1, 2018.RetrievedApril 1,2018.
- ^Wisniewski, Mary (May 24, 2018)."Get ready for buses at O'Hare this year as 'people mover' gets rehab".Chicago Tribune.Archivedfrom the original on May 24, 2018.RetrievedMay 14,2021.
- ^Martin, Kye (November 4, 2019)."Reopening of 'People Mover' at O'Hare Airport Delayed Again".NBC Chicago.Archivedfrom the original on May 14, 2021.RetrievedMay 14,2021.
- ^Bradley, Ben (May 19, 2021)."'It's a disgrace, frankly': The O'Hare trains to nowhere ".WGN-TV.Archivedfrom the original on May 20, 2021.RetrievedOctober 5,2021.
- ^abcdFreishtat, Sarah (April 18, 2022)."After years of construction, O'Hare 'people mover' resumes 24-hour service".Chicago Tribune.Archivedfrom the original on April 19, 2022.RetrievedApril 19,2022.
- ^Elliott, Dennis M.; Norton, Jack (1999)."An introduction to airport APM systems".Journal of Advanced Transportation.33(1): 35–50.doi:10.1002/atr.5670330105.ISSN2042-3195.Archivedfrom the original on May 14, 2021.RetrievedMay 14,2021.
- ^"O'Hare International Airport Visitors Guide"(PDF).October 2005. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on February 27, 2007.RetrievedJune 14,2007.
- ^Gary, Dennis; Art Peterson.A technology alternative to the VAL system on the O'Hare Airport Transit System (OATS).Proceedings of the 2000 ASME/IEEE Joint Railroad Conference, Newark, NJ, USA, 2000.IEEE.doi:10.1109/RRCON.2000.870001.S2CID109698833.Paid subscription
- ^What Happened to the Old O’Hare ATS?,retrievedDecember 23,2023
External links
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Media related toAirport Transit Systemat Wikimedia Commons- Official web page
