Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Shindler Lifts

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Posted by Greg Mueller (Member # 17) on 12-21-2002, 05:52 PM:

While in Australia, one of the Hotels we stayed in had an elevator made by a company called "Shindler Lifts". It was the slowest elevator we have ever seen. We took to using the stairs rather than wait for the elevator.

Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 12-21-2002, 07:45 PM:

There has been a Schindler elevator in the past few theaters I've worked at. Slower than molasses in winter. I assume because they were hydraulic models rather than cabled lifts. Stairs are easily quicker.

Insert obligatory "Schindler's Lift" pun here.

Posted by Gerard S. Cohen (Member # 994) on 12-21-2002, 07:52 PM:

Schindler's List / Lift
Reminds me that after photographing the bronze memorial plaque at the foot of the tree planted at the entrance to Yad VaShem in Jerusalem, commemorating Schindler's saving so many souls from the Nazis, I noticed the same name on the elevator in my hotel. Though I took a pic of that too for my scrapbook, I afterward learned that the Schindler company installed elevators in Europe as well, like the late Otis Co. in the US, and manufactured many types of machinery.
Probably no connection to the protagonist in Spielberg's film.
Incidentally, the elevator in the Jerusalem hotel must have been a bit newer, for it ran well.

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 12-21-2002, 07:59 PM:

"...the late Otis Co. in the US..."

Looks like Otis Elevator is still very much in business.

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 12-21-2002, 09:14 PM:

There is also a kind of escalator called "Schindler," which I assume is made by the elevator people.

Otis elevators seem to be very common in larger buildings, while other makes seem to be more popular in smaller ones. I don't have any surveys that prove this...just idle observation. Can anyone explain why this might be?

Posted by Don Sneed (Member # 955) on 12-21-2002, 09:47 PM:

I can relate to the rather slow Schindler lifts...stairs is much faster, of course going down the stairs is much easier than going up, I have theatres and hotels that use either Schindler & Dover, in a race (a slow race) Dover would just barely win....give me an Otis anyday...

Posted by Matthew Bailey (Member # 601) on 12-21-2002, 10:05 PM:

Any theatres with elevator access to a projection booth,could have a capacity of 2500 pounds or more. Would such elevators be capable of carrying one or more DP70's or other heavy booth equipment?

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 12-22-2002, 04:08 AM:

Not a problem with the DP-70, except that you might want to send the elevator up and you take the stairs. We moved in 5 booths worth of equipment with the buildings hydraulic elevator in Aspen CO last Summer with no mishaps. 2 up and three down. The Super highlites barely fit into the thing. It wasn't a Schindler or Otis unit though....can't remember the name. It wasn't slow about either unless it had sat a while and the controller went to sleep. I always wanted one of the Otis Elevators from the Sears Tower for my house....thats one amazing piece of engineering. I bet that roll of cable is huge!!
Mark

Posted by Greg Mueller (Member # 17) on 12-22-2002, 12:35 PM:

The full dress DP70 is a mere 1050 pounds. So you could haul two at once and go along for the ride

Posted by Gerard S. Cohen (Member # 994) on 12-22-2002, 01:02 PM:

David,
Thanks for the correction. Glad to know Otis is still in business, though now part of UTC. The elevator in the apartment building where I used to live had a much-admired Otis control panel of antique, ornate brass. When it was removed, the super thought it was because Otis went out of business. Wish I could have rescued that piece of sculptured metal! The replacement, of stainless steel, is drab by comparison and confuses me with its huge Braille inscriptions.

The Schindler lift in Jerusalem had a special feature that either shut it down on the Sabbath, or permitted it to operate automatically
(I forget which) to accommodate the strictures of orthodox observers who would not profane the holy day by operating a machine.

I found in Italy and some other countries in Europe, signs asking users to ride up, but to walk down, I suppose to avoid congestion and conserve electricity. Perhaps slow elevators help encourage walking.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 12-22-2002, 04:04 PM:

Ah Greg.....now you riuned the DP-70 weight for all those that thought it weighs a ton!! [Wink]

Actually the elevator in Aspen didn't like the Super Highlite/Simplex combination as it stopped a little below the floor level and kinda boinged at stop. As long as I kept my 1200 lbs weight out of the car it stopped level. This was a hydraulic job......still can't remember the name of it though......might have been a Dover......
Mark

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 12-22-2002, 04:32 PM:

Hey, Greg!

What on earth (!) were you doing in Australia? [Wink]

Hope all went as well as you had hoped. Where are the photos?

Merry Christmas

John

Posted by Greg Mueller (Member # 17) on 12-22-2002, 06:24 PM:

John
I was just trying to figure how I could send you a vhs tape, but you guys use PAL over there and all I can record is either digital or VHS NTSC. I'm not sure that the digital would play right either. I'm looking for someone with a PAL recorder locally. [dlp]

While in Oz I got to meet up with John and tour his theater, I've never seen a cleaner more orderly theater. Truely film done right, to the Nth degree.
Keep an eye on sheila for me [Cool]

Posted by David Favel (Member # 1125) on 12-22-2002, 09:24 PM:

I wouldn't worry as most T.V's have been NTSC compatible for a few years now

Posted by Greg Mueller (Member # 17) on 12-23-2002, 10:07 AM:

Cool
Thanks David

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 12-23-2002, 11:56 AM:

It is not sufficient if just the TV is NTSC compatible! The tape speed of the two systems is different too. However, it should not be too difficult to find a VCR which can play both systems. Most film fans I know have VCRs which can be switched from PAL to NTSC so they can watch American or Japanese videos.

Posted by Matthew Bailey (Member # 601) on 12-23-2002, 12:18 PM:

Come to think of it, I've seen vintage/antique Otis items on Ebay.

Posted by David Favel (Member # 1125) on 12-23-2002, 02:11 PM:

O.K. I will add that 2 of my 3 vhs machines are NTSC compatable. Really it should be no big deal to send over your tapes.

Posted by Chris Markiewicz (Member # 1415) on 12-23-2002, 02:49 PM:

Gerald,
A resort hotel I worked in a few years ago used to rent the entire hotel to a large temple from LA over Passover. They would reprogram all their elevators so that they would cycle up and down automatically, stopping at every floor.
Chris