It is a stop gap designed to cover for the even dumber system that had arriving international pax putting checked luggage back on a conveyer after customs - then going thru a security checkpoint just to return landside (on the tram) and recollect their bags.

They popped a hole in the floor by the trams to let the intl people board the trams with their luggage and leave the airport with less hassle. Unfortunately the efforts to segregate these arriving intl pax can result in significant hassle for everyone else while the TSA scans the tram cars to make sure everyone gets off at the landside area. They also hold people behind the makeshift wall in between the checkpoint and the trams while this circus plays out.

I thought they might at least install some sort of glass wall system in the tram area that might allow the intl pax to come up the stairs and board a dedicated (for that time period) tram to the landside area. A similar glass wall at landside could herd them out of the secure area. The other tram could be left to shuttle the domestic pax back and forth without participation in the circus. During non intl arrival times both trams could operate as they do now. But - I guess it's better to employee more TSA people and inconvenience the masses.

To validate this point for all of us MCO'ers - you will be happy to know that a similar set up will soon be in operation on Airside 1.