View source for Airport Transit System

{{Short description|People mover system at O'Hare International Airport}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{About|a people mover in Chicago|similar systems|List of airport people mover systems}}
{{Infobox rail line
| name                            = Airport Transit System
| logo                            = Airport Transit System (logo).png
| logo_width                      = 60px
| image                           = Airport Transit System Bombardier Innovia.jpg
| image_width                     = 
| caption                         = A Bombardier Innovia APM 256 undergoing testing in May 2021
| type                            = [[People mover]]
| system                          = 
| status                          = 
| locale                          = [[O'Hare International Airport]], [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]]
| start                           = Airline Terminal #1 (westbound)
| end                             = Consolidated Rental Car Facility
| stations                        = 5
| daily_ridership                 = 
| website                         = {{official|https://www.flychicago.com/ohare/ServicesAmenities/services/Pages/ATS.aspx}}
| open                            = {{start date|1993|5|6}}<ref name="May 6, 1993">{{cite news|last=Fornek|first=Scott|title=Moving Experience Ready at O'Hare|work=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|page=4|date=May 6, 1993|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4168646.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140611063442/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4168646.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 11, 2014|accessdate=January 16, 2010}}</ref>
| close                           = {{start date|2019|1|8}}<ref name=until-the-fall>{{Cite web|last=Wisniewski|first=Mary|date=December 31, 2018|title=O'Hare 'people mover' will shut down completely until the fall|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-biz-biz-people-mover-closure-20181231-story.html|url-status=live|access-date=May 13, 2021|website=Chicago Tribune|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108134529/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-biz-biz-people-mover-closure-20181231-story.html |archive-date=2020-11-08 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Martin|first=Kye|date=2019-11-04|title=Reopening of 'People Mover' at O'Hare Airport Delayed Again|url=https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/reopening-of-ohares-people-mover-delayed-again/2079182/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-05-14|website=NBC Chicago|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514033700/https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/reopening-of-ohares-people-mover-delayed-again/2079182/ |archive-date=2021-05-14 }}</ref>
| reopen                          = {{start date|2021|11|3}}<ref name=":3" />
| owner                           = Chicago Department of Aviation
| operator                        = Chicago Department of Aviation
| character                       = Elevated
| stock                           = Bombardier [[Innovia APM 256]]
| linelength_mi                   = 3
| tracklength                     = 
| tracks                          = 2
| gauge                           = {{track gauge|1880mm}}
| electrification                 = {{750 V DC|conductor=third rail}}
| speed_mph                       = 50
| elevation                       = 
| map                             = {{switcher
|{{maplink-road |from=Airport Transit System.map}} Airport Transit System highlighted in dark blue <hr>
|Show interactive map
|{{Airport Transit System|inline=1}}
|Show BSicon diagram map
}}
}}

The '''Airport Transit System''' ('''ATS''') is an automated [[people mover]] system at [[Chicago]] [[O'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.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=Freishtat|first=Sarah|date=November 2, 2021|title=After years of delays, O'Hare's 'people mover' to reopen Wednesday on a limited schedule|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-ohare-people-mover-reopening-20211102-6djlu5nuirdfvlp3jft7zfjqlm-story.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-11-02|website=Chicago Tribune|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211102171506/https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-ohare-people-mover-reopening-20211102-6djlu5nuirdfvlp3jft7zfjqlm-story.html |archive-date=2021-11-02 }}</ref>

== History ==
=== Planning and construction ===
[[File:19960524 03 O'Hare Airport (5437782448).jpg | thumb | 220x124px | right | A Former VAL256 ATS Train In 1996]]
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.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/oharedevelopment00chic|title=O'Hare Development Program|date=1982|publisher=City of Chicago|location=Chicago, Illinois|pages=10}}</ref> The City of Chicago first awarded the contract for the people mover system to [[Westinghouse Electric Corporation|Westinghouse Electric]], the second lowest bidder, in 1985.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Frantz|first=Douglas|date=1985-05-21|title=City Takes Step Back on People Mover Bid|work=Chicago Tribune|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1985-05-21-8502010264-story.html|access-date=2021-05-13}}</ref> After simplifying their initial proposal in response to concerns from City, the contract was re-awarded to low bidder [[Matra]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Baquet|first=Dean|date=1985-09-17|title='People Mover' Sweepstakes|work=Chicago Tribune|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1985-09-17-8503030052-story.html|access-date=2021-05-13|archive-date=April 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407104009/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1985-09-17-8503030052-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Ground was broken in 1987 by Mayor [[Harold Washington]], who died later that year. The system ultimately opened in May 1993.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|last=Washburn|first=Gary|date=1993-05-06|title=O'Hare Set to Really Move You|work=Chicago Tribune|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1993-05-06-9305060221-story.html|access-date=2021-05-13}}</ref>

=== Modernization and extension ===
As 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 Bombardier [[Innovia APM 256]] vehicles, upgrading the previous infrastructure, and extending the line {{Convert|2000|ft|m}} to the new Multi-Modal Facility on the east side of [[U.S. Route 12 in Illinois|U.S. 12]]–[[U.S. Route 45 in Illinois|45]] ([[Mannheim Road]]).<ref name=":1">{{cite web|title=Bombardier to Supply INNOVIA Automated People Mover System to Chicago O'Hare International Airport|url=https://www.bombardier.com/en/media/newsList/details.bombardier-transportation20150505bombardiertosupplyinnoviaautoma.bombardiercom.html|website=bombardier.com|publisher=Bombardier Transportation|accessdate=1 April 2018|archive-date=April 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180401213803/https://www.bombardier.com/en/media/newsList/details.bombardier-transportation20150505bombardiertosupplyinnoviaautoma.bombardiercom.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last=Wisniewski|first=Mary|date=2018-05-24|title=Get ready for buses at O'Hare this year as 'people mover' gets rehab|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-biz-ohare-people-mover-getting-around-20180518-story.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-05-14|website=Chicago Tribune|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180524210459/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-biz-ohare-people-mover-getting-around-20180518-story.html |archive-date=2018-05-24 }}</ref> 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 was converted to airport employee parking concurrent with the opening of the Multi-Modal Facility. 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.<ref name=until-the-fall/><ref>{{Cite web|last=Martin|first=Kye|date=2019-11-04|title=Reopening of 'People Mover' at O'Hare Airport Delayed Again|url=https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/reopening-of-ohares-people-mover-delayed-again/2079182/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-05-14|website=NBC Chicago|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514033700/https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/reopening-of-ohares-people-mover-delayed-again/2079182/ |archive-date=2021-05-14 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Bradley|first=Ben|date=2021-05-19|title='It's a disgrace, frankly': The O'Hare trains to nowhere|url=https://wgntv.com/news/wgn-investigates/its-a-disgrace-frankly-the-ohare-trains-to-nowhere/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-10-05|website=WGN-TV|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210520075254/https://wgntv.com/news/wgn-investigates/its-a-disgrace-frankly-the-ohare-trains-to-nowhere/ |archive-date=2021-05-20 }}</ref> Originally, the ATS was to reopen by Fall of 2019, but this was delayed several times due in part to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], contract disputes, and reliability. The Chicago Department of Aviation reopened the system in November 2021 with a limited schedule.<ref name=":3" /> The system returned to 24 hour service in April 2022.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Freishtat |first=Sarah |date=2022-04-18 |title=After years of construction, O'Hare 'people mover' resumes 24-hour service |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-ohare-people-mover-24-hour-service-20220418-f5lhmfwx3fbq3osukbr4dcmxwq-story.html |access-date=2022-04-19 |website=Chicago Tribune |archive-date=April 19, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220419035240/https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-ohare-people-mover-24-hour-service-20220418-f5lhmfwx3fbq3osukbr4dcmxwq-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Service ==
The Airport Transit System operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.<ref name=":4" /> 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.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Elliott|first1=Dennis M.|last2=Norton|first2=Jack|date=1999|title=An introduction to airport APM systems|url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/atr.5670330105|journal=Journal of Advanced Transportation|language=en|volume=33|issue=1|pages=35–50|doi=10.1002/atr.5670330105|issn=2042-3195|access-date=May 14, 2021|archive-date=May 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514061745/https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/atr.5670330105|url-status=live|url-access=subscription}}</ref> The entire system uses [[platform screen doors]], preventing people from leaving the platform, falling on the tracks or tampering with restricted areas.{{Citation needed|date=May 2021}}

The system's 36 cars are joined into 3-car trains, with each train able to carry up to 147 passengers.<ref name=":4" />

=== Stations ===
ATS 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 the [[O'Hare station|O'Hare]] terminal of the [[Chicago Transit Authority|CTA]]'s [[Blue Line (CTA)|Blue 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.<ref name=":4" />
 
Outside the terminal loop, the ATS travels east to Terminal 5, the airport's international terminal. It then turns north, crosses over [[Interstate 190 (Illinois)|the main access road]] and [[Blue Line (CTA)|Blue Line]], and crosses Mannheim Road to reach the consolidated rental car facility, which is the terminal for [[Pace (transit)|Pace]] bus routes 250, 330, and the [[Pace Pulse|Pulse]] Dempster Line. The facility also connects with the {{stl|Metra|O'Hare Transfer}} station on [[Metra]]'s [[North Central Service]], providing commuter rail service to [[Chicago Union Station]] inbound and {{stl|Metra|Antioch}} outbound during service hours. Currently, the Metra station is open on weekdays only. <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.flychicago.com/news/ORDVisitorsGuide2005.pdf |title=O'Hare International Airport Visitors Guide |date=October 2005 |accessdate=June 14, 2007 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070227054118/http://www.flychicago.com/news/pdf/ORDVisitorsGuide2005.pdf |archivedate=February 27, 2007 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

=== Fleet ===
[[File:O'Hare ATS (New Fleet) Interior.png|thumb|upright|Interior of newly operated Innovia APM256 Cars in 2021]]
The ATS originally used the [[France|French]]-based [[Véhicule Automatique Léger|VAL]] technology, which features fully automated, [[rubber-tyred metro|rubber-tired]] people mover cars that previously saw use on the [[Jacksonville Skyway]] until 1989. The system is capable of traveling at speeds of up to {{convert|50|mph|abbr=on}}, and now uses 12 3-car Bombardier [[Innovia APM 256]] trains, which replaced the previous 15 Matra VAL 256 vehicles.<ref name=gary>{{cite conference|conference=Proceedings of the 2000 ASME/IEEE Joint Railroad Conference, Newark, NJ, USA, 2000|title=A technology alternative to the VAL system on the O'Hare Airport Transit System (OATS)|last=Gary|first=Dennis|author2=Art Peterson|publisher=[[Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers|IEEE]] |doi=10.1109/RRCON.2000.870001|s2cid=109698833}} Paid subscription</ref>

As of 2023, the previous 15 VAL trains are sitting in a vacant lot on airport property near Irving Park Road and Taft Avenue.<ref>{{Citation |title=What Happened to the Old O’Hare ATS? |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51dBL0JVEj4 |access-date=2023-12-23 |language=en}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Commonscat-inline}}
* [https://www.flychicago.com/ohare/ServicesAmenities/services/Pages/transitupdate.aspx Official web page]
{{O&#39;Hare International Airport|state=expanded}}
{{North American airport people movers}}
{{Chicago Rail}}
{{Illinois public transit}}
{{Illinois railroads}}

[[Category:Airport people mover systems in the United States]]
[[Category:Transportation in Chicago]]
[[Category:VAL people movers]]
[[Category:O'Hare International Airport]]
[[Category:Railway lines opened in 1993]]
[[Category:Railway lines closed in 2019]]
[[Category:Railway lines opened in 2021]]
[[Category:1993 establishments in Illinois]]
[[Category:2019 disestablishments in Illinois]]
[[Category:2021 establishments in Illinois]]