Otis Signal Control was a signal operation elevator system introduced by Otis in 1924.
Overview
Otis Signal Control was the first signal operation elevator system. Otis Signal Control was a self-leveling elevator system. In the past, elevator speed was partly limited because of elevators requiring manual leveling, which became harder the faster the elevator is, even with 2 speeds, meaning elevators could go faster than ever at the time. Originally, this system was developed for low-speed, operatorless and foolproof service elevator in apartments. The first Signal Control elevator system installed in New York City was at the Standard Oil Building in 1925.
Notable installations
United States
California
- Board of Trade Building, Los Angeles, CA
- SB Spring Lofts, Los Angeles, CA
- Seven Forty South Olive, Los Angeles, CA
- 140 New Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA (since modernized 2 times by Otis Autotronic and again by Kone Polaris)
- 450 Sutter St, San Francisco, CA (modernized by Westinghouse circa 1970s)
- Hunter-Dulin Building, San Francisco, CA (modernized)
- Russ Building, San Francisco, CA (modernized)
- Shell Building, San Francisco, CA (modernized)
Illinois
- Tribune Tower, Chicago, IL (800 fpm)
- Palmolive Building, Chicago, IL
New York
- Buffalo City Hall, Buffalo, NY
- 40 Wall Street, New York City, NY
- 60 Wall Tower, New York City, NY (double deck)
- Chrysler Building, New York City, NY
- One Grand Central Place, New York City, NY
- Standard Oil Building, New York City, NY (the first Signal Control installations)
- Empire State Building, New York City, NY
- Helmsley Building, New York City, NY
- Newsweek Building, New York City, NY
- Woolworth Building, New York City, NY (modernized to Signal-Control in 1947)
Pennsylvania
- Oliver Building, Pittsburgh, PA (one since been modernized and one decommissioned)
- Macys (Kaufmanns), Pittsburgh, PA (since been removed)
Washington
- 1411 Fourth Avenue Building, Seattle, WA
- Olympic Tower, Seattle, WA
- Paulsen Building (Newer Wing), Spokane, WA
Other states
- United Shoe Machinery Corporation Building, Boston, MA
- Penobscot Building, Detroit, MI (modernized)
- Foshay Tower, Minneapolis, MN (modernized)
- Terminal Tower, Cleveland, OH (since replaced 2 times by Haughton in 1968 and again by Kone Alta in 2008)
- Industrial Trust Building, Providence, RI
- Tower Life Building, San Antonio, TX (likely only some of the 10 elevators were Signal-Control)
- Ring Building, Washington, DC
Other countries
- Royal York Hotel, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Otis-Fensom, only 10/17 elevators were Signal Control)
- Canada Building, Windsor, Ontario, Canada (Otis-Fensom)
- Harrods Knightsbridge, London, England
- Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, Vancouver B.C. Canada (since modernized)
Videos
AMAZING Vintage Otis Signal-Control Micro-Drive Manually-Controlled Traction Elevators
Vintage Otis Signal Control elevator at Buffalo City Hall, Buffalo, NY