An elevator that actually goes sideways
Tom ScottCited 7× on HN, 2017–2021
explainer · general · evergreen · 2017–2021 on HN
Tom Scott visits ThyssenKrupp's test tower in Rottweil to see the Multi, a rope-free elevator that uses linear motors to move cabins sideways as well as vertically.
HN links it whenever ThyssenKrupp's Multi or paternoster lifts come up, as the clearest look at the working test tower.
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7 comments from Hacker News
There is also a Tom Scott video about the test tower for the Thyssen Multi, with some more details ▶ this video It will be interesting to see how it will be used. You really need someone bold enough to design a building around high capacity, 2d elevators. And if the elevators don't work out you have severe problems using the building ... Selling this has to be an uphill battle until it's proven in a few locations.
The "new paternoster" is quite a different beast. Tom Scott did a video on it: ▶ this video I live close to the tower and was really positively surprised how it turned out. Often, an architect's "vision" is far from what it ends up looking, but since this tower got its cladding, it looks spectacular - especially when the sun is low in the early morning or evening hours.
Tom Scott did a video[1] on it last summer. They have a working version in a test tower in Germany, but have not installed it in an actual for-public-use building yet and I'm unsure if testing phases have been completed [1]: ▶ this video
Off-topic, who is the narrator? I think I've heard him on another German "corporate presentation" video, and I can hear a slight German accent... And back on-topic, googling to find the details instead of just a flashy video, here's Tom Scott on MULTI: ▶ this video
It's explained in another video. Those "tracks" are linear motors, with periodic electro magnetic coils. Looks like it will be crazily expensive. ▶ this video
It is actually in production, here's the working test version in a tower they built just for it, by Tom Scott: ▶ this video And it has it's first production project in the OVG East Side Tower Berlin (though not yet finished building)
Here's a tour of the system in their test tower by Tom Scott: ▶ this video And it has it's first production project in the OVG East Side Tower Berlin (though not yet finished building)