Inside the AirTrain Station Jamaica
AirTrain JFK is a 3-line, 8.1 miles (13.0 km)-long people mover system and elevated railway in New York City providing service to John F. Kennedy International Airport. It is operated by Bombardier Transportation under contract to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which also operates the airport and AirTrain Newark.
[edit] Routes and stations
AirTrain connects the airport terminals and parking areas with Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and New York City Subway lines at the Jamaica and Howard Beach stations in Queens. The system consists of three overlapping routes:
- The All Terminals loop is an airport terminal circulator serving the six terminal stations (Terminal 1, Terminals 2 / 3, Terminal 4, Terminal 5, Terminal 7, and Terminal 8), but operates in the opposite direction, making a clockwise loop. Connections to the Q3, Q10 and B15 Local Buses are available at Terminal 4.
All AirTrain JFK stations are fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and wheelchair accessible.
[edit] Station guide
| Station |
Lines |
Connections |
| Howard Beach Station |
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| Lefferts Boulevard |
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| Federal Circle |
- Howard Beach Route
- Jamaica Station Route
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| Jamaica Station |
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- New York City Subway: (E J Z trains at Sutphin Boulevard – Archer Avenue – JFK station)
- Long Island Rail Road (at Jamaica LIRR station)
- NYCTA Bus and MTA Bus: Q6, Q8, Q9, Q20A, Q20B, Q24, Q25, Q30, Q31, Q34, Q40, Q41, Q43, Q44, Q60, and Q65
|
| Terminal 1 |
- All Terminals Loop
- Howard Beach Route
- Jamaica Station Route
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| Terminals 2/3 |
- All Terminals Loop
- Howard Beach Route
- Jamaica Station Route
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| Terminal 4 |
- All Terminals Loop
- Howard Beach Route
- Jamaica Station Route
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| Terminal 5 |
- All Terminals Loop
- Howard Beach Route
- Jamaica Station Route
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| Terminal 7 |
- All Terminals Loop
- Howard Beach Route
- Jamaica Station Route
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| Terminal 8 |
- All Terminals Loop
- Howard Beach Route
- Jamaica Station Route
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|
With the exception of Terminal 4, all AirTrain stations are outside the terminal buildings and sit on the other side of the terminal roadway from each building and are connected to their respective stations through elevated walkways over the roadway. The Terminal 4 station was built inside the terminal as it opened after AirTrain JFK.
[edit] Using AirTrain JFK
AirTrain JFK is free within the terminal area and to the hotel and car rental shuttle buses at Federal Circle. Entering or leaving the system at the Jamaica or Howard Beach stations costs $5.
The fare must be paid by MetroCard, which can be purchased from vending machines at Jamaica and Howard Beach with cash, credit card, or ATM card. The only reduced fee MetroCard for AirTrain JFK is the $40 Unlimited Ride one. There are two types of this card. One is valid for one calendar month and the other is valid for thirty days after first use. The JFK-AirTrain 10-Trip MetroCard costs $25 and is good for ten JFK Air-Train trips until midnight six months after first use. One trip is deducted for each use and is only accepted on AirTrain JFK.
[edit] History
Two-car AirTrain seen from Terminal 4
An AirTrain at Federal Circle viewed from a car window
There have been long desires for rail connection to JFK Airport, which suffers from traffic congestion on its access roads. However, efforts to build a system were slow and the current AirTrain JFK is much smaller than the original plan. The line was to begin in Midtown Manhattan at the foot of the Queensboro Bridge and cross the East River via the side roads, formerly used by trolley cars, on the lower level. It would then use the Sunnyside Yards as a right-of-way towards LaGuardia Airport. From there, the AirTrain would connect to the LIRR's former Rockaway Beach Branch, head south to Howard Beach, and then to JFK Airport.[citation needed]
Another suggestion would have bypassed the LIRR line and instead followed the Grand Central Parkway and Van Wyck Expressway south towards Jamaica, with a station connecting to the IRT Flushing Line. Ultimately, only the portions linking Jamaica and Howard Beach to JFK Airport were approved and built.
Construction of the AirTrain system began in 1998 and service was to begin at the end 2002, but was delayed by the derailment of a test train on September 27, 2002, which resulted in the death of the 23-year-old operator Kelvin DeBourgh, Jr.[1] The system finally opened on December 17, 2003.
The $1.9 billion AirTrain system faced criticism from southeast Queens residents who feared the project could become a boondoggle, especially after DeBourgh's death. The Port Authority responded to residents' concerns by imposing strict rules regarding disruptive or loud construction activity and implementing a streamlined damage claim process which quickly compensated homeowners who suffered damage to their homes as a result of construction.[citation needed]
The AirTrain is financed in part by a federal Passenger Facility Charge revenue (collected as a $4.50 fee on virtually all outbound flight segments), which can be used only for airport-related improvements. The use of this funding required FAA approval. Several airlines challenged the use of the PFC funds for this project and hired a consultant to organize opposition. They also appealed the funding decision in court along with a small number Ozone Park residents.
The airlines subsequently withdrew from the lawsuit following negotiations with the Port Authority while the residents continued the legal battle, but lost in court. The Port Authority also contributed $100 million toward the renovation of Jamaica with the state of New York paying for the rest of the $387 million project. The purpose of this renovation was, in part, to facilitate AirTrain connections. The state also spent $75 million to renovate the Howard Beach station, which brought it into ADA compliance and facilitated passengers transfers to and from AirTrain. AirTrain JFK, which is operated by Bombardier as a contractor to the Port Authority, does not receive subsidies from the state or city for its operating costs, which is one of the reasons cited for its relatively high fare.[citation needed]
The proposed Lower Manhattan – Jamaica/JFK Transportation Project would use the LIRR's Atlantic Branch to Downtown Brooklyn and a new tunnel to Lower Manhattan. This would provide faster service to JFK via a one-seat ride and Long Island Rail Road service to Lower Manhattan via a transfer at Jamaica. Under this proposal, baggage could be checked in Manhattan and transferred directly to planes at the airport.
[edit] Rolling stock
AirTrain JFK uses the same Advanced Rapid Transit (formerly Intermediate Capacity Transit System) technology from Bombardier as the SkyTrain in Vancouver, British Columbia and the Kelana Jaya Line in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It draws power from a third rail and a linear induction motor pushes magnetically against an aluminum strip in the center of the track. The computerized trains are automated and operate without conductors or motormen. The 32 individual vehicles are of the Mark II variant.
The recorded announcements on AirTrain JFK are by New York City traffic reporter Bernie Wagenblast.[2]
[edit] Ridership
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This section may need to be updated. Please update this section to reflect recent events or newly available information, and remove this template when finished. Please see the talk page for more information. (March 2012) |
| Year |
Passengers per year |
| 2004 |
2,606,422 |
| 2005 |
3,411,762 |
| 2006 |
3,937,041 |
| 2007 |
4,393,449 |
| 2008 |
5,058,711 |
| 2009 |
5,301,801 |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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