Historic 1913 Manually Controlled Otis Freight elevator @ The Starks Building in Louisville KY

[@HobbyOrganist]

Back in the 80s I often ran the Otis freight elevator in the 9 story building I worked in, in NYC, it was manually operated and the building had 2 sub basements. I remember one summer I was running the elevator during vacation week when the regular operator was on vacation, one of the tenants brought in a huge heavy machine on a pallet jack or the like. I don't remember what kind of machine, it had something to do with one of the clothing factories. Well the first wheel or two of the pallet jack or dollies it was on went over the threshhold and into the elevator and it was so heavy the car went down maybe an inch as it took on the weight. That inch drop was enough to upset the machine which was barely balanced, and over that sucker fell and slammed against the rear wall of the car! The machine had oil in it as I remember, and the oil was spilling out all over the steel floor, man what a mess that was. I don't remember how they got the machine back upright but I seem to rememebr it took a bunch of guys to do it. Going up in the car with that machine later you could feel how heavy it was, real sluggish getting started and slow going up and soon as you took the controller from UP to stop the car stopped instantly instead of slightly coasting. Then I had to level the damn car to the landing, geez that was tricky enough normally, with all that weight a "bump" on the controller to go DOWN would drop the car maybe 6-8 inches. The weight makes a big difference in these manually operated elevators. The same building had an original 1894 water operated freight elevator that went from the sub basement to the ground floor, it didn't have a wall mounted controller, instead, it had a cable through a corner of the car going to the pump switch that you had to lift up or pull down on to run, it had a couple of "floats" on the cable attached with screws that when they touched the floor or ceiling (too large to fit through the cables' pass-through hole) it would pull on the cable to turn the switch off and stop the car. It had a TINY pump in the sub basement and a steel water tank with an open top that was about a 5 foot cube full of water. A large cylinder under the car going into the ground inside a larger cylinder was where the piston was, It was slow as hell but very cool.

[@HobbyOrganist]

+upanddownadventures it was at 611-621 Broadway, NYC, the building had since been renovated, I'm sure all of the elevators have been changed.

[@ryguyrepairs]

This is how I started loving your videos Andrew

[@BuildingToursForLife1660-4]

EPIC Elevator y'all this elevator is definitely a treasure and a treat!

[@Amity-Blight410]

@DieselDucy That is definitely a 1913 manually-controlled freight elevator, Andrew. That is truly one of the coolest elevators that you’ve ever ridden in your life. ☺️☺️☺️

[@DieselDucy]

Yep and the building is vacant now .

[@Amity-Blight410]

@@DieselDucy I acknowledge that, Andrew. ☺️☺️☺️

[@WillPhoneman]

That was awesome! Didn't realize those style elevators still existed in all original shape. That phone is a "554", very durable.

[@serpberp]

I WATCH DISEL DUCY ALL THE TIMES. BEAUTIFUL VIDEO

[@2ndflash]

So what would happen if a person did not pay attention and NOT stop the elevator. Would it crash against the top? or bottom? or does it have an automatic stop mechanism at the top and bottom of the floors?

[@EWPA14]

Most have limit switches, but some will start right away, while others will need reset in the shaft or machine room.

[@georgef551]

Must've been nearly the whole thing, because I remember most of everything throughout. It is an amazing lift. Wish Massachusetts had some stuff like that.

[@DiegoSierraGames]

1:45 How does he pull like that?

[@DieselDucy]

it is quick.

[@Amity-Blight410]

@@DieselDucy I agree with you, Andrew. Truly. ☺️☺️☺️

[@kansasthunderman1]

With the two gates at a right angle, it looks like a "side post" car. That means the car frame (and guide rails on the shaft wall) are 45 degrees to the platform. Today's enclosed elevators are artistically "sterile" and I really like those old fashioned elevators where you can see the cables & sheaves, rails, counterweight, etc.

[@mannyistheman2221]

Hey Andrew, THIS IS EXCELLENT!!!! I am really impressed with this video! Well preserved this elevator and it runs great!!! The Stark Building seems really nice and they were nice to let you ride their historic elevators! They have OTIS AUTOTRONICS and that freight! I watched with delight and wish I could have helped with that video! The single speed manual elevators are notoriusly hard to operate especially when it comes to leveling.

[@skinnylee2]

Nice! Been anticipating for this video for a long time!

[@alexistrinquet7419]

Holly S****! it is the nicest elevator I seen!

[@PostTower]

this lift is a treasure, totally amazing find

[@metroelevators4619]

This is such a beauty!

[@TheTheo58]

It was moving pretty fast for a fright/service elevator, wonder it was a gear-less traction machine, despite being a low rise building. Or a higher FPM geared machine with 1:1 roping. Very nice elevator, still in service 99 years later.

[@22408aaron]

In the elevator community, we just use names like "the crank" even though it really is just a switch. And that elevator appears to be single speed so even if you turn it a little, it will still go full speed.

[@blueauraretriever]

Also Beno has filmed a bunch of gated elevators from pre-1914

[@blueauraretriever]

***** beno's in a country where it's legal to eff around elevators in america its not legal *Hey DieselDucy your amazing keep up the good work*

[@ag6371]

Mrmattandmrchay filmed one from 1905 and one from the 1920s-30s with manual buttons instead of a crank

[@AmazeGames]

omg how do you find so cool elevators.its like you know were they are

[@M72_Transit_And_More]

This elevator ia amazing!

[@GLOATINGMAPLE01]

Will you do an update video to see what these elevators look like after 12 years

[@DieselDucy]

The building is a abandoned

[@GLOATINGMAPLE01]

@@DieselDucy so they shut it down is it still standing or did they demolish it

[@olivereltoro]

Wonderful old elevator

[@ryguyrepairs]

An Elevator I've always wanted to ride

[@Dana_Danarosana]

Wow!! Beautiful!!

[@LawnBunny777]

Hello. Did you realize those "close door" buttons are just put there to give a semblance of control to the passenger. They are just dummy buttons and do nothing.

[@vatorhunters]

1:45 epic startup

[@bpmagruder]

I hope to visit this building someday! I live near here!

[@JohnPiperBoots]

WOW awesome elevator ! Thanks for sharing ! :D

[@SamSitar]

ham549 and rode an elevator with UP and DOWN buttons. hold them to move the elevator. release to stop.

[@MrDiemme]

Fantastic elevator!

[@Jomesteer]

0:13 its 1913 or u typed wrong that u ment at 1914

[@ElevatingPirate]

Wow. That's just awesome... fast too.

[@EthanBruha]

That is one awesome elevator!

[@MagnoliaStateElevators]

Now THAT is a work of art :)

[@blueauraretriever]

The oldest elevator I have ridden (the one in my school) has gotten modernized in the 1980s.

[@thewildeeper]

Aren't you glad you went in this building?!

[@ariefekhwanskts9605]

Wait hold on, you said in the video is 1914, but the title you said 1913.. This is weird. If I said it wrong, sorry for misunderstanding.

[@megafanwind2007]

Oh crap AMAZING

[@mr.blueskies7223]

If your gonna do another episode of "The Diesel Ducy Show", do you think you can do a episode at this building while the elevators are still there (Or is this video from before the building was renovated).

[@DieselDucy]

I need to do more dieselducy shows.

[@FloridianElevators]

The building is closed to the public and all but 2 of the elevators (1 passenger and the Manual freighter) are turned off. The building was supposed to be converted into apartments and a hotel but COVID screwed everything up

[@crazyliftladyChile]

Wow, what a nice lift! ^_^

[@SummerADDE_Elevators]

Just Amazing! I really wish to visit USA Sometimes within the next 5 years, maybe :)

[@ppoutine]

That is amazing.

[@Dana_Danarosana]

This is amazing!! BTW, to those who have left the mean comments... many of us enjoy Andrew's videos and would appreciate if you would just stop, please. There... not yelling obscenities or stooping to your level... just waste your worthless time another way & leave us to enjoy these videos w/o your ignorant trash talk. Thank you.

[@georgef551]

You uploaded this one before.....

[@thetotallynotrandomkidsfor9203]

Is it traction

[@doverimpulse]

today (february 1 2013) is grand central's 100th anniversary

[@ac83052]

Did you just randomly get in and "drive" it or did the operator give permission?

[@SummerADDE_Elevators]

I would love to... Just see if I can get any jobs around after I´ve ended the school this summer :) then the traveling future might be Bright from my side.

[@CoolestGamerSE]

LOL almost that the elevator from 1913 and it's almost to 1912 which the titanic sunk

[@ryanreidy7026]

almost like the service elevator in the Gulf Tower

[@supertechnocat8253]

Sadly. All of the Passenger elevators, escalators, and the Freight elevator have been since ripped out and COMPLETELY Replaced. RIP OTIS Elevators.

[@Clement-xy9iv]

really? The Otis autotronic also?

[@JimLiElevators]

NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Well there goes the awesome pieces of beauties going to the dump! :(

[@FloridianElevators]

Alex Lentell How do you know? I heard the place is becoming a hotel, apartments, condos and more.

[@blueauraretriever]

Floridian Elevators I hope the lifts are being replaced by ThyssenKrupp

[@Ih8kone]

¡Madre de dios! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

[@Super_Charged4life]

Wat happends if I spin the crank really fast

[@Clement-xy9iv]

It's single speed, so its full speed or nothing. So if you push the crank very fast, you just go the the only one speed (full) and you can also break the crank, and the elevator will crash because it won't stop.

[@Bandbadventures22]

I love it but is 99 actually. He said 1914

[@MagnoliaStateElevators]

dat generator at 1:44

[@gabrielkenny2054]

The Year That Woodrow Wilson became President

[@red142100]

cool

[@georgef551]

Sure does. Thought it already was a dedicated video. Guess not. :)

[@1000TProductions]

interesting video! :)

[@kimkapetanakos8801]

2018 video

[@exoticcar5482]

now this better not be modernized. i just HATE modernizations so much. originality all the way.

[@Clement-xy9iv]

Please, I'd love you to retake theses beauties, please.

[@OPG2711]

They're gone...

[@FloridianElevators]

OPM1961 Proof?

[@FloridianElevators]

I was just here today. They aren't gone yet, but will be soon...

[@warszawskiwindziarz8969]

Prowadziłem kiedyś manualną windą ale raz niewychamowałem i pjeprzneło o sufit xD

[@chookhaysenn]

100 year old? That's interesting!

[@mikedegnan7489]

Looks like the elevator at towers of terror at Disney world

[@Rasendori5.0]

I'm only 13 and I like your vids

[@Abeeshnechikkat]

hi

[@ag6371]

This is driven by a slip ring motor

[@DieselDucy]

AWESOME!

[@skinnylee2]

Kentucky. United States. You probably know...

[@shaunsandhu9151]

you're right it is 100 years old 1913-2013 LOL

[@brandonkingducy]

thsts a old elevator

[@Clement-xy9iv]

Really? No one already know...

[@rynndash]

DeselDusy DeselDusy DeselDusy DeselDusy DeselDusy DeselDusy DeselDusy DeselDusy DeselDusy DeselDusy DeselDusy DeselDusy DeselDusy DeselDusy DeselDusy DeselDusy DeselDusy DeselDusy DeselDusy DeselDusy DeselDusy DeselDusy DeselDusy DeselDusy DeselDusy DeselDusy I Think that’s what we heard 😂

[@JulioEliasGarzaCantu]

Yes all years 100 actually after so much 200th this accident the end other new

[@Marcel-bg4st]

Geiel

[@bmur56]

Otis!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-)

[@myfirstgameisbahadoor3352]

Pososslslos

[@JoshCraver9000]

HEY! Be nice to him, and stop using profanity!!!

[@mohamadrafa7606]

JoshCraver9000 shut up! You bully!!!!