DENVER — Delays are affecting Denver International Airport, but probably not in the way you think.
DIA planned on upgrading the cars on its internal train system years ago. Like plenty of other businesses, supply chain issues related to the pandemic changed the plans.
Thirty-one train cars are now in service, and 16 of them are original to the airport and due for replacement. DIA guesses these cars traveled 1.4 million miles in their lifetime.
The airport also wants to add 10 more cars that will be able to accommodate passengers as travel returns to pre-pandemic levels. DIA expects to rebound to 2019 numbers this year and reach 100 million annual passengers within the next decade.
Each of DIA's six trains uses four cars, but they can grow to seven. The additional 10 cars will allow for up to eight trains of four cars with hopes of eventually using six-car trains in the future. The additional cars mean that, eventually, the airport would have to add a fifth and sixth set of entrance doors for the trains.
DIA ordered the new cars, each costing $2.95 million, in 2018 with an expected delivery of May 2022. Because of supply delays, DIA now expects the first shipment of cars in February 2023. All cars should be in place by October of that year.
Until then, the old cars will remain in service (and 9NEWS anchor Kim Christiansen will continue to voice the train commands with local sports broadcaster Alan Roach).
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