Planning an APM to Conform to an Existing Guideway Infrastructure

The proposed Automated People Mover (APM) system at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, France (CDG) is to be installed on a combination of existing and new guideway infrastructure. Initially, the combined length of the system will be 6,000 m (19,680 ft). The system will utilize 1,550 m (5,084 ft) of existing open-air guideway and 2,700 m (8856 ft) of tunnel. Due to the relatively small size of the previous system and many of the old design features, the existing guideway will not be easy to replace by other APM technologies. This paper will discuss the implications of planning and designing a system that will predominately use an existing guideway structure. It will weigh the advantages and disadvantages of using the existing guideway at CDG versus demolition and new construction. Particular emphasis will be given to cost, system quality, and impact to the surrounding infrastructure. The decision process used to choose the proposed alignment will also be discussed.