Possibly re-making Airtrans (or at least a similar thing with the infrastructure) (transporting, hotel)

[CA2000]

Here's something I bet some of you might get a chuckle at the very least at.

I've been looking a lot at docs about the Airtrans system in DFW a lot lately and it got me thinking about if there might be still be use for the system - even with Skylink operating as it is. Obviously the destroyed parts would need to be restored, but I'm wondering if maybe an 'alternate' transportation system might be possible along with transporting cargo / trash throughout the airport like how it was originally meant to be. We definitely have better technology now so it would be more or less a matter of finding something compatible... but perhaps we could design them to look like the originals.

What do you all think?

[cordata]

Transporting trash through DFW... that's about all that AirTrans would possibly be good for. I spent a lot of time on AirTrans, believe me, it is not something worth resurrecting.

[CA2000]

Originally Posted by cordata

Transporting trash through DFW... that's about all that AirTrans would possibly be good for. I spent a lot of time on AirTrans, believe me, it is not something worth resurrecting.

Oh? What about mail or supplies?

[ChristieP]

Originally Posted by cordata

Transporting trash through DFW... that's about all that AirTrans would possibly be good for. I spent a lot of time on AirTrans, believe me, it is not something worth resurrecting.

Having been stuck on that thing between terminals, I agree 100%. The SkyLink is a huge improvement!

IIRC, the AirTrans system was sold to some third-world Country after it was removed from DFW.

[ParaguaneroSwag]

IAH still has both the old system and new Skyway. Wonder why DFW didn’t decide to keep both like IAH

[ChristieP]

Because the AirTrans system was inadequate for DFW Airport's needs. The Skylink was built on the secured side, which allowed passengers to move between terminals without having to re-clear security.

Wikipedia has a good article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vought_Airtrans

[ParaguaneroSwag]

Originally Posted by ChristieP

Because the AirTrans used 1970s technology and there was no point in upgrading it because the system was inadequate for DFW Airport's needs. The Skylink was built on the secured side, which allowed passengers to move between terminals without having to re-clear security.

Wikipedia has a good article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vought_Airtrans

The Subway/inter-terminal train at IAH is a great system for IAH employees, but for passengers it doesn’t do much…

Well actually, as we speak, it’s doing wonders for avoiding traffic while the Terminal D expansion construction is in place. But on a usual year, it’s mostly for employees. Which is certainly an important function, just not something you’d think they’d continually invest for .

[CA2000]

Originally Posted by ChristieP

Having been stuck on that thing between terminals, I agree 100%. The SkyLink is a huge improvement!

IIRC, the AirTrans system was sold to some third-world Country after it was removed from DFW.

Oh? What was it? I remember most of the cars getting scrapped aside from some lucky ones that got put in museums (the least they could do to respect what's arguably a huge milestone for airports in general)

[CA2000]

Originally Posted by ChristieP

Because the AirTrans system was inadequate for DFW Airport's needs. The Skylink was built on the secured side, which allowed passengers to move between terminals without having to re-clear security.

Wikipedia has a good article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vought_Airtrans

If you're worried about security, I'm pretty sure you could hypothetically fit a metal detector etc in the booths of the parking lot stations along with the hotel one (assuming it could be re-worked... I think it was the only one without an elevator)

[cordata]

AirTrans was inclusive of an air-side secure system the American Airlines "TrAAm" (later called the "TrAAin"). This at least felt like it worked a lot better than the land-side version. There was the nightmare scenario of the announcement in the car: "Due to a security issue this car will travel to a secure location for inspection."


AirTrans was in theory sophisticated in the sense that you had three separate things running on the same infrastructure: Land side, air-side and employee. The Wikipedia article talks about cargo but I think that was before my time. That article by the way is excellent... far more excellent than AirTrans deserves.