Spotted a perfectly maintained Otis traction machine from the 60s at the old courthouse in Tacoma

It was so clean and original, it made me wonder if anyone else has worked on one that old that still runs daily.

3 comments

3 Comments

A traction machine from the 60s still running daily? That's wild. Paul_stone29 talking about a 50s freight elevator that never quit makes you wonder how much better they built things back then. Did they use some kind of magic metal we don't have anymore? It's almost hard to believe something that old can still be the most reliable part of a building.

paul_stone291mo ago

Reminds me of the old freight elevator at a warehouse I used to deliver to. That thing was a clanking, groaning monster from maybe the 50s, but it never once failed on my watch. The foreman swore they'd have to tear the building down around it before it quit.

allen.william8d ago

Totally believe it. My old apartment building had this ancient elevator that sounded like a train wreck but ran smoother than any modern one I've used. They really don't make them like that anymore (which is a shame, honestly).