Lifts and escalators

[ModernRailways]

I have been on many escalators where the handrail moves slightly faster than the steps. I wonder whether it is intentional, to encourage some to walk forward whist on the steps which slightly increases throughput and reduces average transit time.

All of the escalators at Monument Metro station, here in Newcastle do that. I'm guessing it's an installation failure and unintentional going by the speed differences. I can't imagine it's considered safe since you need to readjust your hand since it would be pulling you up otherwise.

 

[kevjs]

Did the afformentioned issue result in their closure or is the cenre or escalaters being refurbished?

Centre is being redeveloped - who of the second floor and to the west of the main escalators is now closed aside from access to the loos.

 

[Shimbleshanks]

I think the prime example of escalators being considered as part of a public transport network is in Hong Kong with its Mid-Levels Escalator system.
http://www.hongkongextras.com/_midlevels_escalators.html

This is now apparently handling 55,000 passengers a day and operates a 'contraflow' system in the peak periods.

I have also come across what could be called 'public transport' lifts in places like Lisbon and Valletta on Malta. The criteria here being that the lifts in question are not contained within a building but operate street-to-street. Some of them charge (or used to charge) fares too with a turnstyle type arrangement. One or two lifts at seaside resorts in the UK could also come into that category.

 

[Shimbleshanks]

I'd like to try the Hammetschwand-Lift in Lucerne:
http://www.buergenstock.ch/en/current-opening-hours/hammetschwand-lift

That would certainly qualify as a public transport lift in my book as it charges a fare - and a pretty stiff one at that. I presume the £10 return charge is to deter the hoi polloi from cluttering up the grounds of the very posh hotel that owns it.

 

[richard1976]

What about this lift in Genoa, Italy that can go both horizontal and vertical

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A739p5HkRZ8

 

[Shimbleshanks]

We have one of those in M&S.

I want to go on the Ascensore Castello d'Albertis-Montegalletto in Genoa.

Me too. That's the lift that turns itself into a train (well, railcar) when it gets to the bottom (and vice versa). I wonder whether the extra technical complexity is worth the small convenience to passengers of not having to get out of a lift and into a separate train.

 

[AlterEgo]

What about this lift in Genoa, Italy that can go both horizontal and vertical

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A739p5HkRZ8

Wow. How quaint.

 

[Shimbleshanks]

The Montparnasse fast travelator was brilliant. So glad that all the family got the chance to try it as an adjunct to a trip to Disneyland. More fun that some of the rides there, free and no queues. What was not to like? I know that children were theoretically banned but we still managed it.

ThyssenKrupp seem also to be having another go at the concept, at slightly more modest speeds, at Toronto airport, Gijon and Shanghai.

https://www.ft.com/content/25ba220a-59c3-11e4-9787-00144feab7de

 

[LiftFan]

I think it's pretty obvious I *may* be a fan of lifts and escalators... I love the old unmodded ones but there are some modern ones which are interesting although my favourite one I've ridden was a 1974 Pickerings without inner doors

 

[Blindtraveler]

Sounds good lol. What are your favourite current ones?

 

[A Challenge]

Here are the surviving examples of Paternosters (or some of them!)

 

[LiftFan]

Last Saturday whilst in London I revisited the millemium funicular and turned out to get there at the same time as a random parade of furries walking across the bridge. Funny how the public have them the same look as they gave us crowding the D stock the day before...

 

[AM9]

Here are the surviving examples of Paternosters (or some of them!)

I assume that the pranks I've seen on Paternosters are fairly well known, e.g.:
Persuading newcomers that the cars completing the loop invert at the top and bottom of that loop. I remember it being an 'initiation ceremony' for newcomers where somebody would demonstrate riding beyond the top floor coming back down doing a hand-stand. The 'victim' would then forced into the cell to ride over the top. Harmless, but it sure upset some of them until they knew what happened.

 

[Dai Corner]

How about the Ebbw Vale lift ?

Definitely public transport as it's free to use and on the public highway at each end and railway related as it's on the way from Town station and the town centre. One Ebbw Vale resident of my acquaintance jokingly described it as being mainly used by fat lazy students to get from their college at the bottom to McDonalds at the top.

 

[Mikey C]

How about the Ebbw Vale lift ?

Definitely public transport as it's free to use and on the public highway at each end and railway related as it's on the way from Town station and the town centre. One Ebbw Vale resident of my acquaintance jokingly described it as being mainly used by fat lazy students to get from their college at the bottom to McDonalds at the top.

If someone ever creates a "Pathetic Funiculars" site (akin to the Pathetic Motorways one http://pathetic.org.uk/) that will definitely be in it!

 

[jon0844]

I never really thought much about them, but reading this thread is turning me into a fan too!

 

[stut]

That's not a patch on the Himachal Tourism Lift in Shimla (India):

https://9968c6ef49dc043599a5-e151928c3d69a5a4a2d07a8bf3efa90a.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/715176-2.jpg

At the other end of the scale is Lausanne. Take a funicular from Ouchy to the city, and turn it into one end of a metro system, albeit one end with station with alarming platform gradients!

 

[stut]

Or indeed the rather cute little funicular metro of Laon:

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/342/20237057869_5e222ddae8_b.jpg

 

[jonathan01n]

I live in 17th floor in a flat in Hong Kong, so Yes a lift is the most commonly used Transport in Hong Kong.

 

[Mag_seven]

Are there any "operator" lifts left in the UK - you know the one where a (normally) elderly gent sits on a stool operating the lift for you?

 

[LiftFan]

Not seen any around - I do believe those days are long gone now that fully automated lifts and CCTV monitering are both in operation it means everyone knows how to use the lift and can't ride up and down all day with no-one noticing.

 

[stut]

I haven't seen any for ages. I do miss the Tyne Bridge ones!

You do get "operated" lifts, which I find quite unsettling. This is where you have no control over the lift, you have to rely on a remote operator. Some expensive hotels have these, as well as some hospitals.

 

[simple simon]

Many years ago I recall visiting Porsecheplatz station in Essen Germany where one of the access routes featured a bank of four escalators.

What was unusual however was that these operated as 'express' and 'local'.

There were four outer escalators. Two of these linked the upper two levels whilst the other pair linked the lower two levels.

By way of contrast, the inner pair of escalators directly linked the top and bottom levels.

I just wish that I had taken a photo... this was the days before digital photography so I probably thought that the location would have been too dark to film.

When I did return with an intent to get some sort of image, no matter how good, I found that I was too late as the place was being rebuilt as an indoor shopping centre and the unique escalator layout was no more.

As an aside, the uppermost level was at an outdoor pedestrian area, the first level down was for the bus station (served by motor buses) and the second level down was an underground station which was served by trams and kerb guided trolleybuses.

Simon

 

[simple simon]

You do get "operated" lifts, which I find quite unsettling. This is where you have no control over the lift, you have to rely on a remote operator. Some expensive hotels have these, as well as some hospitals.

In 2016 I visited somewhere in the London Olympic Park area where the lifts did not have normal call buttons, instead you had to press a button for your destination floor.

This seemed most bizarre, although I suppose its safer from the point of view of making it 'less easy' for unwanted visitors to have free reign of all the floors within the building.

Simon

 

[Blindtraveler]

I wish this express and local system was used more. Not

Nearer to home and the lifts in my highr rise flats have been under refurbishment in the last months and this week we finally had both in service again.

Its a nasty cheep refurb though and should never have taken from last Sept til now

 

[Rick1984]

Are there any "operator" lifts left in the UK - you know the one where a (normally) elderly gent sits on a stool operating the lift for you?

As far as I know Shanklin Cliff lift on the IOW still does. A Glaswegian when I went on it no less!

 

[kevjs]

In 2016 I visited somewhere in the London Olympic Park area where the lifts did not have normal call buttons, instead you had to press a button for your destination floor.

Supposedly they are more efficient for moving people around - rather than all the lifts stopping at every floor all the people wanting floor 3 get in one lift, those wanting floor 7 get the next and so on....

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Many years ago I recall visiting Porsecheplatz station in Essen Germany where one of the access routes featured a bank of four escalators.

What was unusual however was that these operated as 'express' and 'local'.

There were four outer escalators. Two of these linked the upper two levels whilst the other pair linked the lower two levels.

By way of contrast, the inner pair of escalators directly linked the top and bottom levels.

I just wish that I had taken a photo... this was the days before digital photography so I probably thought that the location would have been too dark to film.

When I did return with an intent to get some sort of image, no matter how good, I found that I was too late as the place was being rebuilt as an indoor shopping centre and the unique escalator layout was no more.

As an aside, the uppermost level was at an outdoor pedestrian area, the first level down was for the bus station (served by motor buses) and the second level down was an underground station which was served by trams and kerb guided trolleybuses.

Simon

Is this them?

https://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=...12.0....0...1.1j2.64.img..2.0.0.0.OG_MmwTUyqU

( Link goes to Google Images search results for Porsecheplatz escalators" ) )

 

[Hadders]

In 2016 I visited somewhere in the London Olympic Park area where the lifts did not have normal call buttons, instead you had to press a button for your destination floor.

This seemed most bizarre, although I suppose its safer from the point of view of making it 'less easy' for unwanted visitors to have free reign of all the floors within the building.

Simon

This is becoming quite normal in many buildings. It's so that lift calling pattern can be dynamically matched to the demand.

Where I work your 'normal' floor is programmed into your access card. As you pass through the entry turnstile the display screen on the turnstile tells you which lift to go to.

 

[Dai Corner]

This is becoming quite normal in many buildings. It's so that lift calling pattern can be dynamically matched to the demand.

Where I work your 'normal' floor is programmed into your access card. As you pass through the entry turnstile the display screen on the turnstile tells you which lift to go to.

Lift manufacturers even employ mathematicians to design and program their products.

http://www.tested.com/science/math/451880-endless-challenges-programming-elevator-actions/

When Christy programs elevators, she has to take into account the size and weight of elevators and how many people can fit in them. Building owners want to install as few elevators as possible, since they take up a great deal of space. Passengers in various countries prefer different amounts of personal space. So, for example, more Japanese riders will crowd into elevators than Americans, but they want to know in advance which elevator they'll be getting into, so they can line up in front of the right set of doors.