Moving Walkways

Escalators and their "cousins," moving walkways, are powered by constant-speed alternating current motors and move at approximately 12 feet (0.30.6 m) per second. The maximum angle of inclination of an escalator to the horizontal floor level is 30 degrees with a standard rise up to about 60 feet (18 m).

Modern escalators have single-piece aluminum or steel steps that moves on a system of tracks in a continuous loop. Escalators are typically used in pairs with one going up and the other going down, however in some places - especially European stores and metro stations - there are no escalators going down, the escalators only go up. Some modern escalators have transparent side panels that reveal their gearings.

Escalators are required to have moving handrails that keep pace with the movement of the steps. The direction of movement (up or down) can be permanently the same, or be controlled by personnel according to the time of day, or automatically be controlled by whoever arrives first, whether at the bottom or at the top (the system is programmed so that the direction is not reversed while a passenger is on the escalator).