Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Automated People Mover
Encyclopedia
The Plane Train 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, with a ridership of 64,000,000 people in 2002. The APM was designed to quickly transport passengers between Atlanta Airport's Main Terminal and the six airside concourses, which include major hubs for both Delta Air Lines
and AirTran Airways
.
Originally not having an official name, on August 10, 2010, the automated people mover was named "The Plane Train."
, and originally used a fleet of Adtranz C-100
vehicles.
In September 1994, the Atlanta Airport opened Concourse E, the international terminal. Concourse E was constructed in preparation for the 1996 Summer Olympics
, which were held in Atlanta. As part of the addition of Concourse E, the APM was extended to the new concourse, and trains were extended from three cars to four.
In 2002, Bombardier Transportation
(who had just recently acquired Adtranz
) replaced the system's original C-100 vehicles with all new Bombardier Innovia APM 100 vehicles. There are currently 49 Innovia APM 100 vehicles operating in the system's fleet.
The Plane Train, commonly called the concourse shuttle, is located within the secure area of the airport. The system consists of seven stations, one at each of Concourses A, B, C, D, and E, and two in the Main Terminal - one at Concourse T which is also the station for departing passengers heading to Concourses A-E, and one for arriving passengers heading to Baggage Claim and Ground Transportation. The APM uses two tunnels that run beneath the centers of the concourse buildings, with one tunnel for each direction.
The Baggage Claim station, Concourse T station, and Concourse E station (which was added in 1994) each have an island platform
between the two tunnels, while stations at Concourses A, B, C, and D each have separate platforms servicing each tunnel. LCD displays announce the destination of the trains arriving at each platform, and the time of arrival for the next train. Each door on the platform also has a set of red lights that flash alternately to warn that the doors are closing.
Inside the trains, LED displays deliver station information in eight languages. Also, 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'." The one exception to this is Concourse D, which is identified by "David" rather than "Delta" to avoid confusion with Delta Air Lines
, which operates its main hub at the Atlanta Airport. For the same reason, the Air Traffic Control Tower at Atlanta regularly uses "Dixie" as the spoken form of the letter D. Concourse D is primarily used for airlines other than Delta
(Delta also uses Concourse D for some of its flights). The female voice also states other lines, such as," Please hold on, this train is stopping," or, "Please hold on, this train is departing."
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 Olympics
. When the new Innovia APM 100 vehicles were introduced in 2002, a different male voice was introduced. The current female voice was introduced in 2006, along with the use of the NATO Phonetic Alphabet
(with the exception of 'D' as noted above).
While a female voice is used inside the trains, the male voice from 1996-2002 is still used in the stations to alert passengers when the doors close, by stating, "Careful. Doors are closing and will not reopen. Please wait for the next train," after a chime plays.
's 2009 release Forget and Not Slow Down
.
People mover
A people mover or automated people mover is a fully automated, grade-separated mass transit system.The term is generally used only to describe systems serving relatively small areas such as airports, downtown districts or theme parks, but is sometimes applied to considerably more complex automated...
system operating in the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport , known locally as Atlanta Airport, Hartsfield Airport, and Hartsfield–Jackson, is located seven miles south of the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States...
(ATL). The system is the world's most heavily traveled APM system, with a ridership of 64,000,000 people in 2002. The APM was designed to quickly transport passengers between Atlanta Airport's Main Terminal and the six airside concourses, which include major hubs for both Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
and AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of the Dallas, Texas-based Southwest Airlines, is an American low-cost airline headquartered in Orlando, Florida. AirTran operates over 650 daily flights , primarily in the eastern and midwestern United States...
.
Originally not having an official name, on August 10, 2010, the automated people mover was named "The Plane Train."
History
The Plane Train opened along with the current airport terminal on September 21, 1980. The system was jointly built by Westinghouse and AdtranzAdtranz
ABB Daimler-Benz Transportation , commonly known under its brand Adtranz, was a multi-national rail transport equipment manufacturer with facilities concentrated in Europe and the USA....
, and originally used a fleet of Adtranz C-100
Adtranz C-100
The C-100 is an automated people mover rolling stock first developed by Westinghouse Transportation Systems . It is the predecessor of the Bombardier CX-100, which is found at many airports today...
vehicles.
In September 1994, the Atlanta Airport opened Concourse E, the international terminal. Concourse E was constructed in preparation for the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
, which were held in Atlanta. As part of the addition of Concourse E, the APM was extended to the new concourse, and trains were extended from three cars to four.
In 2002, Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Canadian firm, Bombardier Inc. Bombardier Transportation is one of the world's largest companies in the rail-equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its headquarters are in Berlin, Germany....
(who had just recently acquired Adtranz
Adtranz
ABB Daimler-Benz Transportation , commonly known under its brand Adtranz, was a multi-national rail transport equipment manufacturer with facilities concentrated in Europe and the USA....
) replaced the system's original C-100 vehicles with all new Bombardier Innovia APM 100 vehicles. There are currently 49 Innovia APM 100 vehicles operating in the system's fleet.
Layout and Operation
The Baggage Claim station, Concourse T station, and Concourse E station (which was added in 1994) each have an island platform
Island platform
An island platform is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway interchange...
between the two tunnels, while stations at Concourses A, B, C, and D each have separate platforms servicing each tunnel. LCD displays announce the destination of the trains arriving at each platform, and the time of arrival for the next train. Each door on the platform also has a set of red lights that flash alternately to warn that the doors are closing.
Inside the trains, LED displays deliver station information in eight languages. Also, 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'." The one exception to this is Concourse D, which is identified by "David" rather than "Delta" to avoid confusion with Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
, which operates its main hub at the Atlanta Airport. For the same reason, the Air Traffic Control Tower at Atlanta regularly uses "Dixie" as the spoken form of the letter D. Concourse D is primarily used for airlines other than Delta
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
(Delta also uses Concourse D for some of its flights). The female voice also states other lines, such as," Please hold on, this train is stopping," or, "Please hold on, this train is departing."
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 Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
. When the new Innovia APM 100 vehicles were introduced in 2002, a different male voice was introduced. The current female voice was introduced in 2006, along with the use of the NATO Phonetic Alphabet
NATO phonetic alphabet
The NATO phonetic alphabet, more accurately known as the NATO spelling alphabet and also called the ICAO phonetic or spelling alphabet, the ITU phonetic alphabet, and the international radiotelephony spelling alphabet, is the most widely used spelling alphabet...
(with the exception of 'D' as noted above).
While a female voice is used inside the trains, the male voice from 1996-2002 is still used in the stations to alert passengers when the doors close, by stating, "Careful. Doors are closing and will not reopen. Please wait for the next train," after a chime plays.
Future
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International AirportHartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International AirportHartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport , known locally as Atlanta Airport, Hartsfield Airport, and Hartsfield–Jackson, is located seven miles south of the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States...
is currently in the process of adding a second concourse and terminal for international flights, also known as the East International terminal or, formally, the Maynard Holbrook Jackson, Jr. International Terminal. The current APM will be extended beyond Concourse E to connect to the new Jackson Terminal. The new terminal is scheduled to be open in April 2012.
- An additional APM line is also being considered, connecting the main terminal to the proposed South Gate Complex, consisting of 70 gates. Since the South Gate Complex is currently only a proposal, no construction has taken place and details of the APM's configuration and whether it would be behind or outside of the security perimeter are unknown.
In Popular Culture
The message announcing the Concourse B station was sampled at the beginning of the title track to Relient KRelient K
Relient K is an American rock band formed in 1998 in Canton, Ohio by Matt Thiessen, Brian Pittman, and Matt Hoopes during the band's junior year in high school and their time at Malone University...
's 2009 release Forget and Not Slow Down
Forget and Not Slow Down
Forget and Not Slow Down is the sixth full-length studio album by American rock band Relient K, released on October 6, 2009. It is the band's first album since the departure of longtime drummer Dave Douglas at the end of 2007. Ethan Luck was his replacement as the drummer for the band. The album is...
.
See also
- ATL Skytrain - An elevated automated people mover completed in 2009 located outside the airport's secure zone.