Talk:Escalator/Archive 1

message: I think that this article should be split as i do not think escalators and travelators are the same thing. What do other people think? Simply south 17:24, 19 May 2007 (UTC)
replies: text:  I agree that there should be two different articles.  This has come up before, and there is enough information on both so that they can stand alone as the "Escalators" and "Moving Walks/Trav-O-Lators/Travelators/Moving Sidewalks" entries.  I think a disambiguation page would help, too.  Thoughts?  Anyone?
--BFDhD 23:29, 19 May 2007 (UTC)
replies: text:  There's an inherent difference between an escalator and a travelator which becomes obvious when they're stopped.  A stopped travelator (moving walk etc) looks like a long piece of metal flooring.  A stopped escalator looks remarkably similar to a metal staircase (albeit with varying step height at the very top and bottom).  Split Escalators from Travelators, although I also agree a disambiguation page would be helpful.  Perhaps also mention in both that an escalator can have longish flat sections as well, and that a travelator can still take people up/down if inclined.
--Peeky44 11:35, 21 May 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Escalators and travelators 

message: I have added some link to video clips of the Parisian high speed moving walkway and a self starting escalator in Essen, Germany. These are in mpg format and hosted on my own website, but to avoid bandwidth issues they feature very small image sizes. I would be happy to uplift versions with larger images sizes, but Wikipedia wants them in a file format which I do not know how to create. Citytransport.info 15:02, 30 January 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Video clips 

message: I have seen this comment but am not sure enough of the source to put it on the main page 
"In 1898, Harrods installed the city's first escalator, complete with attendants waiting at the next floor with glasses of brandy for customers overcome by the experience.
"
Harrods ids the famous UK store
::It was in a department store history book . . . I'll get back to you!
BFDhD 20:32, 30 May 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: See reference - Lancaster, Bill. The Department Store: a Social History. London: Leicester University Press, 1995: 50.  (#11, under "Early European manufacturers: Hallé, Hocquardt, and Piat") --BFDhD 19:55, 31 July 2007 (UTC)
thread_title: History

message: The picture shown of the Washington Metro escalator is certainly not that of Rosslyn Station, which the caption formerly said (I updated it).  It might be from Wheaton, but could be one of several other similar long escalators on the red line (e.g. Woodley Park, Cleveland Park, etc.) - difficult to tell as the designs are quite similar.  However Rossyln's esclator shaft is notably different, having four units instead of three, and having a glass elevator shaft in between the two pairs.
202.172.106.195 06:41, 22 December 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Washington Metro picture caption 

message: Thanks for adding the image.  Question about caption choice: current caption reads, "On the upper floors of Macy's in New York City, some narrow wooden escalators are still in operation."  Otis L-type escalators (the ones with wood treads) run on floors 1 through 9 (and to the "Cellar") of Macy's Herald Square store on 34th Street.  These escalators date from 1927.  Older (1922 - 1923) Otis escalators (including the one in the newly-posted image) run in the "cross-bank," to floors 1-9, as well.  The steps are die-cast metal from a 1990s retrofit.  (In fact, there are 40 escalators in the entire Macy's Herald Square store.)  So, what do you mean by "upper floors" and why not include an image of them?  Would you be OK with a change of the caption to reflect the material I have listed here?
--BFDhD 18:34, 17 May 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: I have made the changes, but would like the image author's feedback.  The change is temporary, unless approved.BFDhD 19:40, 10 June 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: Yes, that revised caption is perfectly fine by me; mine was somewhat ad hoc.  Thanks! --Xiaphias 06:40, 20 June 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: Excellent!  Nice working with you!--BFDhD 20:53, 20 June 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Image caption on Macy's cross-bank escalator 

message: I removed two links (one completely broken; it was missing ".com") to the top of the links list for "advertising on escalators" -- these were in fact advertising spam (AFAICT) for companies who sell that as a service.  Todd Vierling 18:12, 18 June 2007 (UTC)
thread_title:  Removed advertising links 

message: This is probably never going to be mentioned in the article, but it's interesting how many people are happy just to stand still on an escalator while it transports them from A to B. However, if you were instead to walk up or down and then stand still for about 30 seconds once you reached the next floor up/down, you would basically be behaving no differently, though I'm sure you would get some strange looks. Why do people do this? Are they so uncoordinated that they can't walk normally, or do they feel they don't need to walk since the escalator is doing the work for them? Is standing still just a meme that has spread through the escalator using population? It really makes no sense... Richard001 08:03, 21 October 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: Interesting that you mention it Richard001, but the Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation actually recommends that people never (!) walk up an escalator, and that if it is stopped, it should be avoided altogether, never treated as a staircase.  The risers and treads are not the standard size of normal steps on a staircase, and it is technically unsafe for passengers to use the escalator steps as stair steps. I can't speak for all people, but some may be paying attention to the safety instructions posted on the escalator newels, some may be tired, and some may find it difficult to physically negotiate climbing "stairs" that are not the same height and depth as "regular" steps. Hope this clears things up, or at least helps.--BFDhD 21:19, 23 October 2007 (UTC)
replies: text: It is a standard convention on the London Underground that people wishing to stand still should do so on the right, those wishing to walk pass by on the left. Not all tourists understand this, and the system is often explained to them rather bluntly. There are some signs asking people to stand on the right. Strangely on other London escalators, e.g. in department stores, this convention does not seem to apply. On the extremely long escalators of the Pyongyang (North Korea) metro I noticed that some locals sat down in groups on the steps and settled down for a chat on the long ride.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by Rkidley (talk • contribs) 23:29, 11 April 2008 (UTC)
thread_title: Standing vs. walking on an escalator

message: This new addition of information is very confusing.  I have never heard of such a device, and fear the contributor may be confusing it with the escalator type that contains the motor within the truss.  Could someone please provide the following: 1. manufacturer of the escalator in question, 2. approximate date of escalator installation in question, 3. definition of "single truss escalator" (from a reputable source, with citation noted)?  Thanks!  --BFDhD (talk) 15:20, 5 March 2008 (UTC)
thread_title: "Single Truss Escalator?"

message: Several "anonymous" IP addresses keep trying to enter this text and a link to a certain author's "article," which appears to be self-promotion for someone named Jonathan Haeber and his blog.  Let's discuss it in terms of location/relevance/repetition in entry (his blog contains several factual inaccuracies, and repeats some information already here without proper citation), as well as in terms of Wiki policies involving neutral POV.  Moreover, the text in question could use some cleanup, did not fit in the section in which it was inserted, and discusses a so-called type ("industrial") that does not exist by that name (if at all) in vertical transportation/escalator terminology or application.  Here's the text, please comment by signing with four tildes (~).  Also, as in the previous discussion post, if anyone could please provide 1. manufacturer of the escalator "type" in question, and 2. definition of "industrial escalator" (from a reputable source, with citation noted), that would be great and very helpful to our discussion!    
::Escalators are best suited for commercial and civic use. The King's Cross Incident"King's Cross Fire, 1987" Exploring 20th Century London. is a perfect illustration as to why escalators aren't particularly well-suited for industrial applications. Any build-up of flammable fuels, cloth, dust, or scraps could easily lead to a devastating fire. This means costly maintenance and up-keep, which is not necessarily cost-effective in a factory environment. There are exceptions. In San Francisco, an escalator at Hunter's Point was used to convey personnel and equipment between the first and third floors. At the time of its construction in 1948, the Hunter's Point industrial escalator was touted to be "the world's tallest."Haeber, Jonathan. "Stairways to Heaven: Escalators in the Vernacular" Bearings. 16 May, 2007..
Thanks!  BFDhD (talk) 18:06, 20 April 2008 (UTC)
replies: text: I'm sorry you were so offended by the questions. Remember to keep your comments polite and avoid personal attacks, as noted in the banner at the top of this page.  Thanks.--BFDhD (talk) 14:44, 13 July 2008 (UTC)
thread_title: "Industrial" escalators?