Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Automated People Mover

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Hartsfield-Jackson APM
Concourse D people mover entrance
Info
Type People mover
Locale Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport serving Atlanta
Terminals Baggage Claim/Ground Transportation
Concourse E
No. of stations 7
Service routes 1
Daily ridership 64,000,000 (in 2002)
Operation
Opened September 21, 1980
Owner Atlanta Department of Aviation
Operator(s) Atlanta Department of Aviation
Character Serves sterile parts of the airport
Rolling stock 49 Bombardier CX-100 vehicles
Technical
Line length 1 mile
Highest elevation Underground
Line map
KBFa
Baggage Claim/Ground Transportation
BHF FLUG
Concourse T
BHF FLUG
Concourse A
BHF FLUG
Concourse B
BHF FLUG
Concourse C
BHF FLUG
Concourse D
xKBFe FLUG
Int'l Concourse E
exBHF exFLUG
Int'l Concourse F (future)
exKBFe
Jackson Int'l Terminal (future)

The Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Automated People Mover is an automated people mover system operating in the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). The system is the world's most heavily traveled APM system in seeing over 64 million riders in 2002.[1] The APM was designed to quickly transport passengers between Atlanta Airport's Main Terminal and the six airside concourses, considering Delta Air Lines operates its largest hub on five of the concourses, and AirTran Airways also operates its largest hub on two of the concourses.

Contents

[edit] History

The APM opened along with the current airport terminal on September 21, 1980. The system was jointly built by Westinghouse and Adtranz (who was later acquired by Bombardier Transportation), and originally used a fleet of C-100 vehicles. In September of 1994, Concourse E opened, and the APM's extension to the new concourse also opened.

The Denver International Airport Automated Guideway Transit System, which was built in 1994, was designed almost identically to the Atlanta Airport APM, since the layout of Denver International Airport is modeled after the Atlanta Airport.

In the early 2000's, the original C-100 vehicles were replaced with all new Bombardier CX-100 vehicles, which are also used on many airport transit systems worldwide. There are currently 49 CX-100 vehicles operating in the system's fleet. It should be noted that the San Francisco Airport uses the same vehicle as this airport (Bombardier CX-100). The Atlanta International Airport Automated People Mover does not allow the use of Luggage Carts, whereas the San Francisco AirTrain permits such usage.[2]

[edit] Layout and Operation

The APM is located within secure areas of the airport. The system consists of seven stations serving each Concourse (Concourses T, A, B, C, D and E), and the Main Terminal (serving Baggage Claim and Ground Transportation). The APM uses two tunnels that travel underneath the aircraft taxiways, with one tunnel for each direction.

Each station is equipped with platform edge doors. LCD televisions, which are located above the doors, display the destination of the trains arriving at each platform, the time of arrival for the next train, and even current weather conditions. Before a train departs, the LCD screens flash "Doors Closing," two red lights above each door flash alternately, a chime sounds, and a recorded voice states, "Careful, doors are closing and will not re-open. Please wait for the next train."

When a train is not occupying a station, the wind generated by the trains moving in the tunnels will often cause a whistling noise in the stations as the wind rushes past the platform doors.

[edit] The Voice

Inside the trains, a pre-recorded female voice announces station information and warns passengers of the train's movements. The voice uses the NATO phonetic alphabet to identify each concourse station. For example, the message announcing Concourse B says: "The next station is Concourse B. Concourse B, as in 'Bravo'." However, the one exception to this is Concourse D. The train uses "David" to identify Concourse D rather than the correct "Delta." The reason for this is to avoid confusion with Delta Air Lines, which operates its main hub at the Atlanta Airport. Another reason for using "David" is the fact that Concourse D is primarily used for airlines other than Delta.

Prior to 1995, the trains featured a computerized male voice. The original voice was later replaced with a recorded male voice when Concourse E opened in preparation for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games. The current female voice was introduced in 2006, along with the use of the NATO Phonetic Alphabet.

While a female voice is used inside the trains, the previous male voice is still used in the stations to alert passengers when the doors close.

[edit] Future

 This article or section contains information about a planned or expected public transportation infrastructure.
It may contain information of a speculative nature and the content may change dramatically as the construction and/or completion of the infrastructure approaches, and more information becomes available.
  • A second APM line is under construction to connect the main terminal to the Consolidated Rental Car Facility (CONRAC) and to the Gateway Center of the Georgia International Convention Center. The new APM will feature a 1.5 mile-long elevated trackway, and it will travel from the main terminal, cross over Interstate 85 and connect to the new stations. Unlike the current APM, the new system will be elevated and outside the secure area of the airport. It is located adjacent to the MARTA station at the west end of the North and South Terminals. The new APM will use Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Crystal Mover vehicles as its rolling stock. [4]
  • A third APM line is also being considered, connecting the main terminal to the proposed South Gate Complex, consisting of 70 gates. Since it is currently only a proposal, construction of neither the terminal nor the APM line has begun. No sources have stated its configuration or if it will be behind or outside of the secured area. If it is built, it will be completed after the completion of the Maynard Holbrook Jackson, Jr. International Terminal.

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Transportation Mall/People Mover", Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Retrieved on 2007-07-06. 
  2. ^ "Automated People Mover System - Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, USA", Bombardier Transportation Official Website. Retrieved on 2008-01-13. 
  3. ^ Ramos, Rachel Tobin. "Hartsfield project costs soar to $9B", Atlanta Business Chronicle, September 21, 2007. 
  4. ^ "CONRAC Automated People Mover (APM) System", Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, 2007-12-26. 

[edit] External links


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Currently operating people mover systems at airports in North America
Atlanta · Chicago O'Hare · Cincinnati · Dallas-Fort Worth · Denver · Detroit · Houston Bush Intercontinental (TerminaLink · Inter-Terminal Train)  · Las Vegas · Mexico City · Miami · Minneapolis-St. Paul · New York JFK · Newark · Orlando · Pittsburgh · San Francisco · Seattle-Tacoma · Tampa · Toronto · Washington Dulles