O'Hare Flyer proposal marks latest plan for express transit between downtown Chicago, O'Hare

A new plan was announced Tuesday for express transportation between O'Hare International Airport and downtown Chicago.

Proposals for such a conveyance are nothing new — they date back to the administration of Mayor Richard M. Daley.

The latest proposal describes the O'Hare Flyer as the first airport express train in the U.S. Proponents said it would provide a 15-minute ride between downtown at the Loop on a "whisper-quiet" train on a dedicated track.

Dave Lundy, CEO of O'Hare Flyer, spoke with CBS News Chicago about the proposed plan to establish the privately funded, express rail line.

"It has been a dream of city planners for 30 years to do this," he said. "This will be a game changer for being able to tie O'Hare and downtown that close together."

The train would be designed for travelers and would provide concierge-level service and luggage racks in every car. Lundy says travelers will be able to check their luggage downtown and get it all the way to their destination and not just O'Hare.

The electric train would run on continuous rail and would recharge at a station downtown near the Old Post Office and at Terminal 2 at O'Hare.

The proposal has been under exploratory development.

"This is an important first for Chicago and for the country. O'Hare Flyer will build on Chicago's heritage as America's rail capital and center of innovation," O'Hare Flyer founder and chief engineering officer Mark Walbrun said in a news release. "By combining three existing but underused freight rights-of-way into a dedicated express rail service, we will create the best airport transportation experience in America – and one of the best in the world."

The train would start underground for the first mile and would run on existing right-of-way from CSX, Canadian National, and Union Pacific. The train has already reached agreement on terms, and CSX is moving ahead with the other carriers, according to the release.

The retired Mayor Daley often discussed the idea of creating high-speed train service between the Loop and O'Hare, and had planned to use the Block 37 shopping mall as the home for a downtown terminal.

Construction began in 2005 and halted in 2011, after running well over budget, despite being only half-finished. No tracks were ever laid in the station, said to be the size of a football field. CTA officials left it disconnected from the rest of the downtown subway system, unable to connect to either the Red or Blue Lines, which it sits between.

City officials later said the Block 37 superstation would not be considered for the downtown terminal for O'Hare express trains.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel revived the idea of an express conveyance between O'Hare and downtown, and engaged Elon Musk and his Boring Company for the plan.

Unveiled in 2018, Musk's initial plan called for using so-called hyperloop transportation technology to send autonomous electric vehicles known as skates to carry up to 16 people and their luggage on the 18-mile trip between Block 37 and O'Hare.

Musk promised to foot the $1 billion bill for a futuristic tunnel where self-driving pods would whisk travelers between the Loop and O'Hare in just 12 minutes.

The new system was to be called "The X," part of a common theme for Musk, who renamed Twitter "X" after purchasing it and uses the letter X in other names across his various ventures.

Critics raised plenty of doubts about Musk's plan, noting that his tunneling and hyperloop technology had not even been proven to work.

Modified Tesla cars later replaced the futuristic pods in Musk's plan. After Lori Lightfoot succeeded Rahm Emanuel as mayor in 2019, Musk's plan was killed off altogether.

DePaul University transportation expert Joe Schwieterman says the plan's use of private funding, existing rail lines and familiar battery-powered train cars makes this more achievable than previous efforts.

"This is a proposal grounded in reality, using off-the-shelf technology without a lot of impacts on other transportation," he said. "Not having something faster and more oriented to travelers has all been a real setback for having a great airport like O'Hare. So this would fill that niche."

An O'Hare express transit system has not been a public priority since then. Meanwhile, all along, some critics have pointed out that the Chicago Transit Authority Blue Line already connects O'Hare with downtown. Lundy acknowledged that and said that the Flyer would be cheaper than a rideshare fare.

Mayor Brandon Johnson, in a statement, said he looks forward to discussions over such investments in the city. 

Meanwhile, O'Hare Flyer hopes to begin service within the next five years.