(2x) 1931 OTIS (1st mod. ~2000 Millar) (2nd mod. 2015 OTIS) tr. elev. @ Empire State Bldg., NYC, US

Filmed on 20.2.2024.
These are elevators T1 and T2 at Empire State Building office building. The right elevator is T1 and the left elevator is T2. These two elevators are elevators O also known as observatory main elevators. Elevators T1 and T2 were marked as O-1 and O-2 before the second modernization. 79th floor and floors 81 to 85 are for staff and they have to show their badge on the badge scanner for going to these floors. 80th floor has observatory lobby with photo shop and access to elevators down to exit through Empire State Building gift shop. 86th floor has main observation deck with access to elevator up to top observation deck. These elevators were originally made by OTIS in 1931, first modernized by Millar in around 2000 and later again by OTIS in 2015. Millar modernized outside buttons, indicators and interior and added directional lanterns. Cab buttons and indicators were modernized twice. The original elevators had gates and swing doors before the first modernization when automatic doors were installed. Outer doors have Empire State Building 3D perspective with shining top decorations on dim background. The elevators were also manually controlled before the first modernization but after that they are automatically controlled when deadman switches were removed and buttons were installed in the cabs. The elevators are now also automated from 80th floor to 86th floor and vice versa since the second modernization. LCD display screens were installed in the cabs later in the first modernization. The LCD display screens weren’t working when I visited there but they used to show for example time of clock, weather and advertisements. Two TFT-LCD indicators were added in the cabs later in the second modernization. The TFT-LCD indicators show current floor, direction and sometimes ReGen logo. The elevators have lamp indicators outside. Announcements by narrator were added later in the first modernization. The elevators say ”The Heart of New York City” in different languages such as English, French, Spanish, Italian and Chinese when going from 79th floor to 86th floor. The elevators welcome guests to the 86th observation deck in English and then tell guests to exit left on 86th floor in different languages such as French, Chinese, German, Italian, Spanish, Portugese, Korean, Japanese and English when going from 80th floor to 86th floor. The elevators say ”We hope you enjoyed the experience!” in different languages such as English, Spanish, Italian and Chinese when going from 86th floor to 80th floor. The announcements have also varied over time but they are generally advertizing Empire State Building. The elevators have no data about original installation year nor modernization years. All floors were open before the second modernization because the elevators were operated by staff back then but now they are automated. Even though 79th floor was open for public and the elevators were automated to go from 79th floor to 86th floor and vice versa when the spire of Empire State Building was under renovation.
Video of elevator O-2 (nowadays T2) before the second modernization was filmed by Antonio Castellon: • Empire State Building ...
Video of this second time modernized elevator T2 with access from 79th floor was filmed by Rainbow Runner: • ElevaTOUR: Empire Stat...
Thank you for filming it!
Location: Empire State Building, Midtown South, New York City, United States
Original brand/2nd modernizer: OTIS
1st modernizer: Millar
Type: OTIS GeN2 traction, ReGen, Micro-Motion III fixtures with TFT-LCD indicators and LCD display in the cabs, EPCO SSL fixtures outside
Year installed: 1931
Year of 1st modernization: around 2000 (exactly unknown)
Year of 2nd modernization: 2015
Floors served: 8 ((79), 80, (81, 82, 83, 84, 85), 86)
Capacity: 18 persons or 3000 lbs (1360.77711 kg)
(Serial (right (T1)): 1P-19030)
Serial (left (T2)): 1P-19031