Quote:
Originally Posted by Steely Dan
how many US airports have these "train to the train" airport set-ups?
i ask because of the 5 midwest airports that have rail transit access, you can take the city's heavy or light rail transit directly into the airport itself.
so is this "train to the train" deal more of a coastal city airport issue?
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There is a geometry problem that this new rule can't fix. Airport terminals tend to be cul-de-sacs, surrounded by airfield on 3 sides with access from one side only. In the 1970s, most airports were on the edge of cities' developed areas, so terminating a transit line there made sense.
However, sprawl has now extended far beyond airports in must US cities. New rail lines often need to hit the airport on the way to somewhere else. Given the typical layout of airports, the only way to this is
A) build a long tunnel below the airfield or
B) put the "airport" station at some distance from the terminals where further extensions are possible, and use a spur or a shuttle to bring people the last mile into the terminal itself.
The astronomical cost of tunneling in the US means that new rail lines often go for Option B. I'm not sure the new FAA rule will lead to any real change. Tunneling is still expensive even when you're paying for it with PFCs from air travelers...