Something that has been nagging away at me at work, and I have no idea how to research it.
I work in a big office tower (1st Canadian Place, Toronto). Every day, I get on an elevator. I always get on the elevator on the first floor, because my office is on an even-numbered floor - for odd numbered floors, you have to get on in the basement.
On the ride up, the elevator very often stops inbetween floors and a light on the control panel goes on which says “servicing other floor”. Then, the elevator starts up again.
What is bothering me is why. I suppose that two elevators could be sharing a shaft - the even and the odd - but other big buildings have a similar system of evens and odds without the “servicing other floors” thing. When I worked in Commerce Court West, the elevator never stopped between floors.
Any engineers out there know the answer? I have no idea even where to look.
Sounds to me like the elevator you ride is a double decker. When it is “servicing other floors” - it’s allowing people in the part below you to get on-off at whatever floor. They should get the same message when you get off at your floor.
I used to work in a building (Denver’s Republic Plaza) that had a double-decker elevator.
One day, leaving work, I ran for the elevator, which was full, just as the doors were closing. I pushed the button, hoping I’d caught it in time for the doors to reopen and admit me, and I think someone in the car pushed the “open” button as well.
So the doors closed, then immediately reopened and I thought, “Made it!”–then as the doors continued to open I realized the car was EMPTY. It was as if all those people had just disappeared! Of course, they were in the bottom car, and I was in the top car. Lotsa fun, those elevators. Can do magic tricks.
