# An Elevator Issue **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 25, 2010, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-elevator-issue/533774 "2010-03-25T17:52:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-elevator-issue/533774/1 "2010-03-25T17:52:07Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Kiber](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kiber/32/317_2.png) [@Kiber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiber)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-elevator-issue/533774/2 "2010-03-25T18:01:48Z")
Sounds to me like the elevator you ride is a [double decker](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double-deck_elevator). 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. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-elevator-issue/533774/3 "2010-03-25T18:08:33Z")
> [@Kiber](#): > > Sounds to me like the elevator you ride is a [double decker](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double-deck_elevator). 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. Thanks! In fact, my building (First Canadian Place) is specifically listed in your cite. 🙂 I sorta figured something like this was the answer. This must be some kind of record for fast answers to obscure questions. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-elevator-issue/533774/4 "2010-03-25T18:57:18Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-elevator-issue/533774/5 "2010-03-25T18:59:51Z")
Have you tried knocking on the floor, to see if anyone knocks back? Will you now? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-elevator-issue/533774/6 "2010-03-25T19:44:29Z")
> [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](#): > > 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. That would be freaky indeed. So is there a trap door in the floor of the top unit? ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2010, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-elevator-issue/533774/7 "2010-03-25T19:57:40Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Have you tried knocking on the floor, to see if anyone knocks back? Will you now? 🙂 😃 I think the ceiling on these things is a trifle too high for that, unless you are armed with a broom handle, but it’s a great notion.