DENVER — Hold on, please! The first of Denver International Airport's newest train cars are approaching the station.
Built by Alstom in Pittsburgh, the new additions are expected to improve on the existing underground train to the concourses.
"[They will] be more energy efficient, [use] updated electronics, and [have] improved HVAC functionality. They're about the same size as our current vehicles, but they'll allow us to move more passengers because we'll be capable of running more trains," said Courtney Law, Director of Communications at DIA.
A total of 26 new train cars are expected to arrive throughout next year. They aren't ready for showtime just yet, since they still need to be tested by staff. According to the airport, passengers will see them in service starting next summer.
“Passenger traffic at DEN is expected to reach more than 78 million by the end of this year alone, and 100 million annual passengers are expected within the next three to five years. We are preparing for the future in a variety of ways, including renovating the Great Hall, adding gates to concourses, and adding capacity to the train to the gates,” airport CEO Phil Washington said.
To get here has been a struggle. Since the original order back in 2018, the project has seen multiple delays. The trains were supposed to be delivered in May 2022, but the delivery was pushed back multiple times due to "supply chain issues".
A total of 31 train cars exist in the airport's fleet currently. Sixteen of them are as old as the airport and have been long due for a replacement. DIA estimates these cars to have traveled more than 1.4 million miles in their lifetimes.
Denver International Airport unveils new concourse train cars
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