OFFICIALS RETHINKING STALLED-ESCALATOR POLICY
OFFICIALS RETHINKING STALLED-ESCALATOR POLICY
A recent situation in which both downward escalators in a Seattle light-rail station stalled has Sound Transit officials rethinking a policy that bans using stopped escalators as stairs, The Seattle Times reports. In an incident at the UW Station on March 16, the escalators that take passengers from the mezzanine to the train platform stalled for more than 3 hr., until technicians could arrive and repair the problem. The station has no stairs, and security guards blocked the escalators, meaning passengers' only option was a long wait for an elevator. Officials are considering allowing use of stalled escalators as stairs if they can be secured where they won't suddenly start moving and if transit workers are onsite to help the elderly and people with luggage. Another option would be to allow use of emergency stairs, which are normally closed to general use.
HONG KONG COUPLE HURT WHEN ELEVATOR RACES OUT OF CONTROL
Hong Kong authorities have ordered the inspection of 300 elevators after a man and woman were hurt in an accident, Hong Kong Free Press reports. The couple were injured on April 8 when the elevator in their high-rise building suddenly raced upward and smashed into the top of the shaft, EJ Insight reported. Authorities said the two had gotten onto the elevator to ride to their 15th-floor home. Video footage showed another man getting off at a lower floor, and the elevator then shot upward at "abnormally high" speed, hitting the top of the shaft in the 46-story building. The couple were taken to Princess Margaret Hospital, where they were listed in serious condition with head and neck injuries. Authorities stressed that this type of accident is rare but ordered the inspections to reassure the public.
KONE INAUGURATES OFFICE IN PANJIM, INDIA
KONE India has opened a new, expanded area office in the city of Panjim. The company said the office will provide customers "with an excellent experience for all their equipment needs" in all areas of its business, including sales, installation, service, spare parts and modernization, and said it is easily accessible from nearby towns. Speaking during an inauguration ceremony, KONE India Managing Director Amit Gossain said, “We are committed to expanding our reach in India," adding that the location "will help us move closer to our customers and build a stronger [connection] with them.”
WMATA TESTS COLOR-CODED ESCALATOR HANDRAILS
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has begun testing color-coded escalator handrails to help direct Metro riders to the different lines, Washingtonian.com reports. The test, being conducted at the Fort Totten station, was undertaken based on a staffer's suggestion, WMATA said. The escalator handrails, in green, yellow and red, correspond with the lines available at the station, which are accessed at different platforms. WMATA characterized the test as a "cost-neutral" project, because the handrails are replaced regularly anyway, and the price difference for colored handrails is "negligible."
51-STORY CONDO TOWER PLANNED IN DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN
Renderings of a proposed Downtown Brooklyn condominium building show a 51-story skyscraper that New York YIMBY says “may well become a defining tower” on the New York City (NYC) borough’s skyline. The 591-ft.-tall building, planned on the footprint of a former Macy’s store at 11 Hoyt Street, will have 590,000 sq. ft. for its 481 condo units, with another 23,250 sq. ft. devoted to commercial space in the cellar and on the ground floor. There will be more than 50,000 sq. ft. of resident amenities, including a pool, a squash court, a game room, a children's area and an exercise room. The building will be Chicago-based architectural firm Studio Gang’s first NYC skyscraper.
