Escalator handrail gears are made 2% larger than required to extend their service life (via Bright Side). But as the equipment is used, friction wears down the rollers, so that it actually becomes smaller. Over time, the handrail's speed also decreases.
In fact, you can basically tell the age of the escalator based on how the handrails move. Ideally, a new escalator needs both the handrails and stairs to move together. However, because of how escalators are now made, brand-new escalators actually have handrails that move much faster than the steps. You'll know an escalator is mid-life when both handrails and steps synchronize. But if the handrail falls behind? That escalator is old. The Washington City Paper reports that some escalator manufacturers have built-in sensors to prevent de-synchronization.
So why can't these everyday things just be maintained, and the rollers changed once it breaks down? Well, escalator maintenance can be difficult, which is probably why the aforementioned companies decided to just put in sensors, so escalator specialists don't have to take the escalator apart just to fix something. Escalators are fascinating machines, and honestly, it's quite fascinating how humanity got such a treat at the same time as at least one American monarchy was falling, making for one heck of a bizarre historical coincidence. So the next time you ride an escalator, try to see if you can guess how old it is, just by putting your hand on the handrail.
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