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Interior of Skylink vehicle -
Skylink station -
Skylink pulling into station -
Skylink guideway above Terminal and unbuilt Terminal F
| File:Skylink.png | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Overview | |||
| Status | Operational | ||
| Owner | DFW Airport Board | ||
| Locale | Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport serving the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex | ||
| Stations | 10 | ||
| Service | |||
| Type | People mover | ||
| Operator(s) | DFW Airport Board | ||
| Rolling stock | 64 Bombardier Innovia vehicles | ||
| History | |||
| Opened | May 21, 2005 | ||
| Technical | |||
| Line length | 4.8 mi (7.7 km) | ||
| Character | Elevated | ||
| Operating speed | 37 mph (60 km/h) | ||
| |||
Skylink is an automated people mover system in operating at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). It is an application of the Bombardier Innovia system manufactured by Bombardier Transportation, and is the world's largest airport train system.[1]
Skylink was developed as a replacement for the Airtrans APM, the airport's original people mover system that connected airport facilities and parking lots. As DFW became a large connecting hub for flights, Airtrans (which was slow and followed a uni-directional loop) was inefficient in moving passengers.[2]
The system was opened in Spring 2005 and is completely automated. Skylink trains run every two minutes and travel at speeds up to 35–37 mph (56–60 km/h).[3][4][5]
The longest trip between farthest stations is 9 minutes with an average 5 minute journey. This allows most passengers to make a connection from any one flight to another in around seven minutes, not including walking time to and from the stations.[6]
The concrete and steel guideway for Skylink was constructed above the terminals on 375 columns in a 4.8 mile long bi-directional loop. The inner track travels clockwise and the outer track travels counter-clockwise. Each terminal contains 2 stations which are accessed on the secure side. Unlike the Airtrans APM, Skylink only connects terminals and does not travel to the airport's parking lots or rental car facility. The stations contain four sets of doors on each platform, although only the front 2 are in operation until future demand warrants expansion.
The Skylink system uses Bombardier Innovia technology acquired from Bombardier Transportation. The Innovia technology is also in use at London Heathrow International Airport's T5 terminal.[3] The Innovia system in DFW uses five miles (eight kilometers) of two-lane, bi-directional, elevated guideway, which connects all ten stations together. Two more future stations can be constructed if a sixth terminal is created. Sixty-four Skylink trains are in service at DFW.
