Plans have been revealed for a proposed fast-track train option to connect downtown Chicago with O’Hare International Airport via battery-powered trains running on shared tracks.
The O’Hare Flyer is a proposed passenger train that developers say will be capable of connecting travelers between downtown and the airport in approximately 15 minutes.
The project is a private endeavor (aren’t they all) with plans to be built without government subsidies or funding.
According to Metro Magazine, the project has been in development for more than five years, with an assembled team of designers, architects, engineers and urban planners (as well as marketing and public relations) working in the background to craft a plan to make the project a reality.
Officials for the project say the train will provide “concierge-level” service with clean trains, comfortable seats and luggage racks in every car.
It’ll pick up passengers near the Old Post Office in downtown Chicago and transport them to Terminal 2 at O’Hare. It’ll recharge between trips.
“O’Hare Flyer will connect our world class downtown with our world class airport in fifteen minutes,” said Founder and CEO Dave Lundy. “This is a first-of-its-kind express train in the U.S. and will give Chicago a safe, reliable, world-class rider experience on a fast, whisper-quiet battery-electric train.”
What is the O’Hare Flyer train?
If the project gets off the ground and is able to begin offering service as planned in the next half-decade, it will provide a desirable connection between one of the busiest airports in the world and one of the most economically and culturally important cities in the U.S.
O’Hare is about 17 miles northwest of downtown Chicago. It can take well over an hour to get their by car, or about 55 minutes by taking the CTA Blue Line.
Read More: Transit worker fatigue is national concern as San Francisco crash makes headlines
The O’Hare Flyer promises to live up to its name, whisking passengers between the two points in 15 minutes’ time.
High-speed trains, direct connections to the airport—if you’re well versed in the happenings of transit projects in California, you might feel a bit queasy.
California has, of course, attempted to build out a high-speed rail network that is currently significantly over budget with very little clarity for when it will begin operations. And yet, somehow, that might not be the most mismanaged transit project in the state.
An automated people mover project to connect the Los Angeles International Airport with a new LA Metro station less than 2.5 miles away itself is more than three years behind schedule and nearly $1 billion over budget.
But, luckily for Chicago travelers, the O’Hare Flyer doesn’t share much else with either of those two California projects.
The differences?
First, the O’Hare Flyer is privately developed and funded—at least, right now. Private funding can be more consistent and reliable than public funding, which often comes with strict parameters and guidelines that need to be met. Right now, the project isn’t at the whim of the Illinois legislature or the federal government for funding. Although we’ve seen this song and dance before with other ambitious transit projects that claimed to be going it alone (Brightline West, anyone?).
Second, these trains will be electric, which is beneficial for high-speed travel thanks to their quicker acceleration and regenerative braking, but a different type of electric. Both the California High-Speed Rail and the LAX People Mover will utilize overhead catenary systems for power generation. Meanwhile, the O’Hare Flyer is battery-powered and will recharge between trips. Construction crews won’t have to build those overhead lines to keep trains running.
Read More: Feds award millions to Amtrak for Chicago improvements
Finally, and most importantly, the new train-to-airport shuttle won’t have to build its own tracks. Instead, it will “borrow” the tracks already used by freight companies in the area. The company behind the project has already reached a semi-formal agreement with one of the owners and operators of a portion of the system, and remains in active talks with the others, according to Metro Magazine.
Of course, as we’ve seen with commuter rail across the country, that can present its own set of challenges. Freight companies almost always get priority over passenger rail, meaning the O’Hare Flyer might have to wait for a freight train to pass before resuming its journey to the airport, potentially putting an asterisk on the 15-minute claim.
In addition to ceding priority to the freight companies that own the rights of way, any repairs or upgrades that may potentially be needed would require some potentially tense negotiations between all affected parties.
Navigating multiple ROWs is tricky, as we’ve seen with the California High-Speed Rail, some Amtrak routes and Southern California’s Metrolink.
But sharing ROWs is also significantly cheaper than buying or building one from scratch.
The estimated cost of the O’Hare Flyer has been publicly stated as $2.25 billion, including the purchase of the trains themselves. But, as we’ve learned in recent years, projects like these often balloon in costs for myriad reasons—consider that initial estimate more of a goal than a price tag.
It’s unclear how much a ride on the train will cost if and when service begins. I would guess it’ll be in the range of $15 to $50, although it will have to be competitive with existing Blue Line service, which charges only $5.
Chicago O’Hare International Airport is currently in the middle of a major modernization project, including the construction of a massive new concourse and improvements to existing concourses.
The new Concourse D is scheduled to be open by 2028; construction an another new concourse, Concourse E, is expected to begin later this year
Chicago’s political and business leaders, airport officials and travelers would surely like a new transit option alongside the airport’s major expansion.
Will it work? We’ll see.
The track record for private industry trying to break through into the costly and slim-margin transit industry is spotty at best. But the folks behind the O’Hare Flyer seem to have the stomach for it.
The real question is: will it open before the LAX People Mover?
For more stories like this, follow Rabble News on Instagram and Facebook.
