Filmed March 21st, 2018.
Completed in 1914, and once the Tallest Building West of Chicago and NYC, the Smith Tower is Seattle's ORIGINAL Skyscraper!!!! And it features some ALMOST COMPLETELY ORIGINAL, 104 YEAR OLD Otis Elevators!!!!!! I say ALMOST COMPLETELY ORIGINAL as the Gates, DC Motors, Crank Controls, and Cabs are ORIGINAL, but the controller has been replaced (though they may have also kept the old one too) and they added EPCO COPs in 1997 making these no longer Fully Manual, now Partially Manual and Partially Automatic, but still requiring operators, and also the gates were motorized in 1981. The cranks are required to start the elevators, but you no longer have to hold them down, unless someone calls the elevator and you want to ignore their call and go intro express speed. the Gates and floor selections are now controlled by pushing buttons inside, however, there is also a Fully Manual mode that shuts off the COP and makes it so only the crank is used to operate the elevator, and prior to 1997 before the COPs were added, just the cranks were used to operate the elevators. I'm not sure if these have 2 controllers or if they use the 1 controller when in Fully Manual Mode, as an exhibit on 35 suggests these do still use Relays. However, while there is a Fully Manual Mode, they have mainly been partially manual and partially automatic since 1997, but still requiring operators to respond to calls displayed on the COP, formerly on a vase like thing above the crank and next to the COP, and to control the elevators. I believe Fujitec is the one who upgraded these in the 90s as they have Fujitec style chimes, although I'm not sure.
These were VERY FUN and AMAZING Elevators, they were in MINT CONDITION, they ran SUPER SMOOTHLY for their age and run like they are BRAND NEW, (YET THEY ARE 104 YEARS OLD!!!), definitely some of the FUN I've ridden, and also some of the OLDEST I've ridden, with the only surprassers being the Manual 1891 Otis at Henry B. Plant Hall in Tampa and a few Gated Otises in San Francisco. The noises the gates and motors make sound AWESOME too!! And plus, these are ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS!!!! Even though EPCO did get their paws on these in the 90s, these are otherwise COMPLETELY ORIGINAL, and still VERY EPIC, and are indeed one of the TALLEST KNOWN Gated/Manual Elevators on RU-vid with only a Freight Elevator in Pittsburgh beating these in height.
SADLY though, this is going to be my ONLY ride on these BEAUTIES, and I will say it was VERY WELL WORTH IT! And this may be the last video of the Almost Completely Original Elevators on RU-vid, as Thyssenkrupp is currently totally modernizing these elevators. Thyssenkrupp is replacing the COPs, putting new Glass Automatic doors in, New TAC32 Controllers and putting New Motors to replace the 104 Year Old DC Motors' on all elevators but Car #7 (which were in EXCELLENT Shape), and they all will be fully automated and will no longer have operators or be manually operated resulting in operators losing their jobs, except Car #7 which will still use operators and be manually operated for Historical and Touring Purposes, and will likely have it's original Otis motor retained, as the shaft equipment appeared to be intact, the roping looked different as the motors' positioning is different than the other elevator cars', but the equipment was intact and according to someone I emailed it was as of February, and they took Car #7 out of Service on January 22nd 2018 after putting Cars 1 and 2 back in service after fully automating and upgrading them. Car 7 will be back online with only a New COP, and possibly new doors, (though that is unknown), plus a new controller on May 22nd, 2018 . Once Car #7 is back in service, the remaining 4 Manual elevators will be fully automated and modernized. While I'm glad the cabs are staying along with the cranks and that they are for the most part keeping 1 the same, I'm really sad the old 104 Year Old Otis equipment is going, and feel bad for the operators.
Thankfully I got a ride on 2 of the ORIGINAL Otis Elevators, Cars #4 (last elevator I rode in video) and #6 (first elevator I rode in vid) and I GOT TO OPERATE THEM!!! Also, got the first take of a newly modded elevator here too. That being said, enjoy a FINAL RIDE of these AMAZING Elevators In their truly ANCIENT but AMAZING Condition!!! And also stay tuned for an Observatory/Building Tour too!!! Anyways, Here is a link to a video back when Car 7 was in service before it's ongoing (at the time this is uploaded) upgrade work was done: • Smith Tower: American ... and here's link with info regarding the automation/modernization project: www.google.com/amp/s/www.geek...
Installed in 1914, minor upgrades (as stated earlier in the description) done in 1981 and 1997, and all elevators are getting completely modded/automated (except Car 7) in 2018.
3 май 2018
