It Has Begun...Macy's Herald Square Wooden Escalator Replacement Progress - New York, NY

All of the wooden escalators in this store are set to be gone by 2027. This is a fact. I have spoken to a few Schindler mechanics who are part of this job (which is one of the biggest contracted jobs in the entire city) and they are indeed in the process of replacing every single wooden escalator. The reasons are just what you expect them to be: they are unsafe, very expensive to maintain, and replacement parts are very hard to find. It has been said by some that these are historically protected and that Macy's has fought to keep these escalators (since they are the last of their kind in the United States). I'm not sure how much of that is actually true, but time has run out for these. According to one specific mechanic I talked to, they are only keeping two wooden escalators and they will be "put on display" when the project is fully complete, whatever that means. It's heartbreaking to see history go, but all good things truly do come to an end at some point. Since my last visit to this store in July 2023, 2 wooden escalators have been ripped out and replaced with brand new Schindler 9700 installations, with two more in the process. Slowly but surly, they are getting to all of them. Come enjoy these while you still can!

[@dmvelevatorsandmore]

That's absolutely depressing. RIP wooden escalators

[@idl3k_elev]

Never rode a wooden escalator before. It's really sad to hear this but at least the store will keep the last remaining two units for display which is good for historical reason.
A similar situation also happened in our domestic department store in Indonesia, where they had replaced almost all of their old 1960s Hitachi escalators (the very first escalators in Indonesia) into Schindler and keeping only one surviving unit for display only, thus preserving the country's first escalator from 1964 which I really appreciate that.

[@TheEscalatorChannel1]

Is that the place that has an old single file running in the middle of two new escalators?

[@idl3k_elev]

@@TheEscalatorChannel1 Yep

[@EscalatorsAnywhere]

Oh no - I’d always thought it would be nice to go here if I went to NYC. I’m sure I read something a couple of years ago saying Macy’s wanted to preserve them, but things must have changed.
There are still some left in Europe. I’ve filmed some long, fast ones in Budapest and they have some in Belgium and I believe still in the Netherlands too (Maastunnel), though slightly modded.

[@escalatorfinder]

There are some wooden escalators in Belgium at the St Anna tunnel still in operation and those may be the only ones in the world when these are all gone

[@PNWElevatorAviation]

This is why I'm goin there in a month & 2 days

[@hotwheelscarstracksracing6576]

So sad to see, but if they want to keep the store open and have safe escalators, they have to be replaced and I agree with the replacement project. Just like Macy’s in SF, the same thing is happening.

[@attipekkajames]

Really nice job. The new escalator looks very good and safe. But I originally hope they replaced wooden escalators with Kone Transitmaster 120. But I still like the Schindler ones.

[@TheEscalatorChannel1]

No surprise that they're Schindlers, since Macy's has a contract with them

[@chrispearson2847]

They should put at least a couple wood escalators on display at the Smithsonian or other museum devoted to invention and discovery.

[@cathbeck6643]

These wooden escalators was the museum ones

[@Clock-tr6eg]

Did you ask why they replacing them?

[@Clock-tr6eg]

Are they still going to be Otis?

[@attipekkajames]

What happenes to the removed escalator? Two units put on display but what happenes to the other ones?

[@Clock-tr6eg]

Are they going to replace the ones with the metal step treads back from the 50s

[@TheEscalatorChannel1]

Most likely, but if I had to guess, those would probably go last

[@wacoscarwashchannelelevato3926]

nooo i think wooden Escalators are cool