Denver International Airport Automated Guideway Transit System

"Train Call" is an audio installation on the AGTS that includes a variety of short musical sound effects and jingles that precede the system's pre-recorded warning announcements, which are delivered by well known voice talent from the Denver area. Train Call was recorded by sound artist Jim Green, who is also known for recording the audio for the singing sinks in the restrooms at the Denver Art Museum, the "Laughing Escalators" at the Denver Convention Center, and the "Musical Warning Beacons" on the baggage carousels at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

Train Call features the voices of former Denver Broncos and Colorado Rockies announcer Alan Roach, and local KUSA-TV anchor Kim Christiansen.[2] Each individual announcement is preceded by its own unique sound effect. Electric guitar sound effects tend to accompany messages with Alan Roach's voice, while Kim Christiansen's voice is generally accompanied by Hammond organ sound effects. A piano sound effect accompanies the warning when the doors close regardless of which voice delivers it.[3] The station platforms are configured so that one voice delivers information for trains on one side of the platform, while the other voice delivers information for the other side. Both voices deliver messages alternately within the trains.

In addition to Roach and Christiansen, passengers are welcomed to Denver by the voice of Mayor Michael Hancock prior to arriving at the Terminal and Baggage Claim station. His welcome includes portions in both Spanish and English. Former mayors John Hickenlooper and Bill Vidal delivered the welcome message during their respective tenures as Mayor of Denver. The welcome greeting has been delivered by other notable locals during special events, such as in 2014 and 2016 when Denver Broncos advanced to the Super Bowl, where a recording by Champ Bailey was used, or a recording by skier Lindsey Vonn during the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Train Call is currently in its third edition, which debuted in 2018. The previous edition, which ran from 2007 to 2018, also included the voice of Alan Roach along with former KUSA-TV anchor Adele Arakawa (who coincidentally was also Kim Christiansen's predecessor as evening anchor).[4] The previous edition used the same sound effects as the current edition. Though, the original and previous edition only had only one voice deliver messages in a given train car with both voices split among the system's fleet.

The original edition of Train Call, which ran from the airports opening in 1995 until 2007 and also recorded by Jim Green, featured the voices of local radio broadcaster Pete Smythe and former KCNC-TV anchor Reynelda Muse, who is notable for being the first woman and first African American to anchor a television news program in Colorado.[5][6] A different set of sound effects accompanied the original voices which mostly came from bells and woodwind instruments and were based on western folk songs, such as "She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain" and "Home on the Range."[7] The original edition of Train Call was ultimately retired due to the need to update the outdated wording of the messages, with the most noticeable change being the reference to the concourse stations. The original audio announced "This train is approaching Concourse A," where it now says "We are approaching the station for all 'A' Gates." Station signage was also changed to reflect this. Some information regarding Baggage Claim monitors in the Terminal station also caused confusion and needed to be removed from the messages, since the monitors themselves were removed from the station years prior.

Kinetic Light Air Curtain

The northbound tunnel features a visual art installation known as the "Kinetic Light Air Curtain." Designed by Antonette Rosato and William Maxwell, the exhibit includes 5,280 propellers mounted on the wall. The propellers are accented with blue fluorescent light, and wind from the trains causes some of them to spin as they pass by. The number of propellers represents the number of feet Denver (the mile-high city) is located above sea level. Also, the total number of blades of all of the propellers combined represents the height of Colorado's tallest fourteener, Mount Elbert, which is 14,440 feet (4,400 m) tall. Contrary to common belief, the propellers do not generate any electricity for the trains or any part of the airport, and are strictly decorative.[8]

The southbound tunnel contains the exhibit "Deep Time, Deep Space: A Subterranean Journey." Designed by Leni Schwendinger, this art display primarily consists of over 5,000 feet (1,500 m) of colored reflective metal strips arranged into a variety of images. Various other items, sheet metal cut-outs of pick axes and hammers stand out from the tunnel walls to accent the scenes. The exhibit gradually transitions from displaying examples of older technology to newer space-age technology. The art is lighted by an advanced lighting system, which is activated by photoelectric sensors which detect passing trains. The overall work is inspired by Colorado's industrial and mining history.[9]

The train system is essential for the airport to function at its full capacity since it provides the only passenger access to Concourses B and C. In rare instances of the train system being out of service, shuttle buses have been used. While the system is highly reliable, one major system failure took place on April 26, 1998. A routing cable in the train tunnel was damaged by a loose wheel on one of the trains, cutting the entire system's power. The system was out of service for about seven hours. United Airlines, DIA's largest airline (who operates a large hub out of Concourse B), reported that about 30 percent of their flights and about 5,000 passengers were affected by the failure.[12] The day of the failure is now referred to as "Black Sunday" by airport personnel.[13]