Oct 6 2010
Schindler Elevator Corporation is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a contract with an initial value of $24 million with options for up to a total value of $70 million by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Capital Construction Company (MTACC) to provide and install elevators and escalators for the East Side Access project, which will connect the Long Island Railroad (LIRR) to Grand Central Terminal (GCT).
The East Side Access project, slated for completion in 2016, will create a faster commute from Long Island to the east side of Manhattan. Currently, the only Manhattan service that the LIRR operates is to Penn Station. The creation of the new LIRR terminal underneath GCT will increase train capacity to and from Manhattan and will create a direct trip from Long Island to East Midtown Manhattan.
Schindler’s contract for the project includes options for the installation and maintenance of up to:
- 22 elevators, including eight traction and 14 hydraulic units
- 47 escalators, 17 of which will be 91.5 feet high and over six stories tall.
All of the elevators and escalators will be manufactured in the United States and comply with the Buy America requirements of the contract. Schindler and the MTACC have agreed to sign a contract in five phases from engineering to long-term maintenance.
Sustainability features
The equipment being installed will be among the “greenest” in the LIRR system and will help contribute to the overall energy efficiency of Grand Central Terminal.
The Schindler 9700® escalators to be used for the East Side Access project utilize standard high-efficiency motors and regenerative drives which can return energy back into the building’s electrical system, thus reducing the overall carbon footprint of the project. Additionally, optional intermittent operation features can save over half of the total energy usage of the machine by operating at crawl speed when there is no passenger on the escalator. All of the Schindler elevators and escalators feature remote monitoring 24 hours a day, for faster callback response and continuous operational analysis. The first delivery of Schindler products is expected during the fourth quarter of 2011.
“We are very excited to work with the MTA to supply Schindler elevators and escalators for the LIRR’s new terminal on the East Side of Manhattan,” said Jakob Zueger, chief executive officer, Schindler Americas. “Schindler was ultimately chosen for this project because we offered the best technical proposal and best value. The contract is the product of the hard work of the MTACC and Schindler teams and represents Schindler’s commitment to innovative products that deliver safe, reliable and comfortable mobility.”
Source: http://www.us.schindler.com/