AeroTrain (Washington Dulles International Airport)

AeroTrain is a 3.78 mi underground automated people mover system at Washington Dulles International Airport, in Dulles, Virginia, United States.

Description
The AeroTrain transports passengers between the Main Terminal Building and Concourses A, B, and C. From the Main Terminal Station, trains travel to Concourse A and Concourse C in one direction, and to Concourse B in the other direction. The track map for AeroTrain is shaped like a fishhook, with the Main Terminal Station at the bottom. The AeroTrain runs four trains consisting of three cars from 5:00 AM to around 3:00 PM, after which seven three-car trains run from 3:00 PM until 11:00 PM. From midnight to 5 AM, there are usually two three-car trains – although there is only a single three-car train.

There is supposed to be a maximum headway of two minutes between trains. The trains transport passengers to the concourses in about two minutes, at 40–42 mph; the mobile lounges travel about 15 mph.

The AeroTrain is equipped with Thales SelTrac Communications-based train control (CBTC) moving block signaling system. The AeroTrain utilizes 29 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Crystal Mover vehicles as its rolling stock.

History
The AeroTrain system was scheduled to open in fall 2009, but was delayed until 2010 in order to complete reliability tests. It opened to Dulles employees on January 20, 2010, and to passengers on January 26, 2010. The system mostly replaced the mobile lounges which transport passengers from the concourses to the Main Terminal. The system cost about $1.4 billion, and the project also included the construction of a new security screening mezzanine.

Since the existing Concourse C/D (built in 1985 and renovated in 2006 to extend its life for 8-10 more years) is a temporary concourse, the Concourse C station has been built at the site of the future permanent Concourse C/D, and is connected to the existing concourse by an underground walkway.

Future
There are plans for future expansion of the system. The AeroTrain can be expanded to include stations for the future Concourse D, two stations for an additional midfield Concourse (Concourses E and F), and a South Terminal.

Once fully built out, the trains will run in a two-way loop around the airside of the airport.