AeroTrain delayed again, to at least November (unofficially)
Oct 5, 2009, 9:32 am
#1
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AeroTrain delayed again, to at least November (unofficially)
While waiting in the security line at IAD on Friday, I overheard a security guard talking to some other passengers in the line. He mentioned the AeroTrain and its requirement of 30 day trouble-free operation for formal acceptance and operation, which I had heard before in this forum. He then added that "yesterday, they had another problem, there was some water spilled that might not have been the train, but they had to stop the system to investigate so that counts and resets the cycle." He also added that they've never gotten beyond day 17 without a problem.
Assuming his information was correct, the day with the fault was October 1st, the cycle started on October 2nd, and so the system will be done with testing no earlier than November 1st.
At this rate, who knows if it will open in 2009?
Assuming his information was correct, the day with the fault was October 1st, the cycle started on October 2nd, and so the system will be done with testing no earlier than November 1st.
At this rate, who knows if it will open in 2009?
Oct 11, 2009, 3:30 pm
#4
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I was through IAD yesterday and it looked like they weren't even close to being ready.
Forgetting about the "30 day test run", I'm seeing a lot of ladders and construction materials. Maybe a lot of that stuff is out because now they have 30 days more.. but it seems that even if it passed the 30 day test, they still wouldn't be ready.
*Edit: Thought I'd ask this here......
When I was at IAD, I was in B concourse at 10:30pm. Do you think it would be quicker to get on the mobile lounge, wait for people to get on, drop the mobile lounge down, drive to the main terminal, rise the lounge up... OR.. walk the other way and use the underground walkway? I normally get dropped off around B73.. so the lounge door is close, but in my mind I feel the walkway is quicker. Thoughts?
Forgetting about the "30 day test run", I'm seeing a lot of ladders and construction materials. Maybe a lot of that stuff is out because now they have 30 days more.. but it seems that even if it passed the 30 day test, they still wouldn't be ready.
*Edit: Thought I'd ask this here......
When I was at IAD, I was in B concourse at 10:30pm. Do you think it would be quicker to get on the mobile lounge, wait for people to get on, drop the mobile lounge down, drive to the main terminal, rise the lounge up... OR.. walk the other way and use the underground walkway? I normally get dropped off around B73.. so the lounge door is close, but in my mind I feel the walkway is quicker. Thoughts?
Oct 11, 2009, 5:44 pm
#5
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I seldom expect public works projects to be anywhere near on schedule. Just MHO.
That said, I saw some huge projects in Hong Kong got done sometimes even ahead of schedule & below budget.
As far as the lounge vs walkway, I always use the lounge, therefore offer no opinion about a comparison.
That said, I saw some huge projects in Hong Kong got done sometimes even ahead of schedule & below budget.
As far as the lounge vs walkway, I always use the lounge, therefore offer no opinion about a comparison.
Oct 11, 2009, 5:48 pm
#6
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When I was at IAD, I was in B concourse at 10:30pm. Do you think it would be quicker to get on the mobile lounge, wait for people to get on, drop the mobile lounge down, drive to the main terminal, rise the lounge up... OR.. walk the other way and use the underground walkway? I normally get dropped off around B73.. so the lounge door is close, but in my mind I feel the walkway is quicker. Thoughts?
From B73 it is perhaps 2 minutes walk to the Mobile Lounge at the west end of the B Concourse. The drive takes no more than 4-5 minutes, including the "up-and-down" part. So unless the lounge isn't going to leave for more than 10 minutes, the lounge is almost always going to be faster. At 10:30pm the lounges still should be operating no more than 8 minutes apart, I believe.
Oct 11, 2009, 6:03 pm
#7
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From B73 it is at least 15 minutes walking (back through the B Concourse to the Underground Walkway, and then through the walkway) to get to the Main Terminal.
From B73 it is perhaps 2 minutes walk to the Mobile Lounge at the west end of the B Concourse. The drive takes no more than 4-5 minutes, including the "up-and-down" part. So unless the lounge isn't going to leave for more than 10 minutes, the lounge is almost always going to be faster. At 10:30pm the lounges still should be operating no more than 8 minutes apart, I believe.
From B73 it is perhaps 2 minutes walk to the Mobile Lounge at the west end of the B Concourse. The drive takes no more than 4-5 minutes, including the "up-and-down" part. So unless the lounge isn't going to leave for more than 10 minutes, the lounge is almost always going to be faster. At 10:30pm the lounges still should be operating no more than 8 minutes apart, I believe.
As far as you're aware, is the underground walkway even an option? TSA doesn't close this and force people to use the mobile lounge? I know there is a person at a desk down there (at least during 'core' operating hours).
Oct 12, 2009, 3:44 pm
#8
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I am not aware of the TSA (or IAD staff) closing the moving walkway to A/B at any point during the day, though the latest I've used it is around 11pm.
Oct 13, 2009, 6:01 am
#9
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Oct 22, 2009, 1:56 pm
#10
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Looks like it's questionable whether AeroTrain will even open this year:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...102202492.html
The articles references "A December start date," but it's not clear if they just mean a 'before 2010' start date. "Testing delays" is also pretty vague.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...102202492.html
The articles references "A December start date," but it's not clear if they just mean a 'before 2010' start date. "Testing delays" is also pretty vague.
Oct 22, 2009, 8:25 pm
#11
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I looked for it the other day and didn't see anything moving, pretty sure I waited long enough that at least one if not both sides should have had an arrival.
Absolutely no surprise here from my perspective. IAD construction is as poor as always, it's just usually the passenger who needs to deal with the resulting issues (broken escalators, moving walkways, dripping cielings, etc). With the train, they have to fix it before we are allowed on - I like it!
Absolutely no surprise here from my perspective. IAD construction is as poor as always, it's just usually the passenger who needs to deal with the resulting issues (broken escalators, moving walkways, dripping cielings, etc). With the train, they have to fix it before we are allowed on - I like it!
Oct 24, 2009, 9:06 pm
#13
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BEHOLD... fellow FlyerTalkers.. I have conducted part one of the experiment; Walkway v. Mobile Lounge.
I decided to try walking from Gate B73 to the underground walkway and back up to where the mobile lounges drop people off. From the B73 gate area to the drop off area in the main terminal; 7 minutes and 15 seconds.. and that was walking a little fast.
Conclusion: Do not try this at home. My feet hurt.
I decided to try walking from Gate B73 to the underground walkway and back up to where the mobile lounges drop people off. From the B73 gate area to the drop off area in the main terminal; 7 minutes and 15 seconds.. and that was walking a little fast.
Conclusion: Do not try this at home. My feet hurt.
Oct 25, 2009, 7:28 am
#14
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