Metro awards contract to replace escalators at 32 stations

Metro escalators are the link that brings customers in and out of stations every day, and a new contract to replace 130 escalators will continue an aggressive, decade-long program to replace and restore the oldest and least reliable escalators in the system. The $179 million, seven-year contract, awarded to KONE, includes the installation of heavy duty, transit grade escalators at 32 stations beginning in May 2021. The new escalators will incorporate the latest safety features, including LED lighting.

The escalators at Capitol South do not have a canopy to protect them from weather and as a result, they break down frequently.

https://www.wmata.com/about/news/New-es ... ations.cfm

Based on the list in the WMATA press release this contract will replace all of the remaining Westinghouse modular escalators and escalators by other manufactures when these stations were originally built.

Some of the escalators by other manufactures being replaced are half the age of the Westinghouse escalator being replaced. This shows how robust the Westinghouse modular escalator design was compared to escalator designed by other manufactures.

What is really sad is when Schindler acquired the elevator and escalator division from Westinghouse they did not continue the development and marketing of the Westinghouse modular escalator design. The neat features of the Westinghouse modular escalator design is the escalator regardless of length is basically the same and most if not all of the controls and power equipment used on the shorter escalators are interchangeable with the same equipment on the longer escalators.

Sand Box John wrote:Based on the list in the WMATA press release this contract will replace all of the remaining Westinghouse modular escalators and escalators by other manufactures when these stations were originally built.

Some of the escalators by other manufactures being replaced are half the age of the Westinghouse escalator being replaced. This shows how robust the Westinghouse modular escalator design was compared to escalator designed by other manufactures.

What is really sad is when Schindler acquired the elevator and escalator division from Westinghouse they did not continue the development and marketing of the Westinghouse modular escalator design. The neat features of the Westinghouse modular escalator design is the escalator regardless of length is basically the same and most if not all of the controls and power equipment used on the shorter escalators are interchangeable with the same equipment on the longer escalators.

Actually Schindler has their product called the Schindler 9700 Escalator. This is a modular escalator design that can adjust the length, number of landing steps, drives, chains, trusses to meet the customer needs. However, the controls and power equipment is designed to be interchangeable between the longer and shorter length escalators. The 9700 Escalator is what WMATA used when Schindler had completed some of the escalator replacements such as Foggy Bottom-GWU.

The interesting thing is Schindler sued WMATA over the contract awarded to KONE.
https://casetext.com/case/schindler-ele ... sit-auth-1

tommyboy6181 wrote: ↑Sun Feb 28, 2021 10:27 am The interesting thing is Schindler sued WMATA over the contract awarded to KONE.
https://casetext.com/case/schindler-ele ... sit-auth-1

Sued, lost the whole lot, is appealing, but can't even get an temp injunction.