FREAKIN' EPIC MOTORS: 1986 ATLAS Classe A Traction Elevators - FirstBank Building - MG, BR

Описание: A set of two ATLAS Classe A commercial traction elevators from 1986, in an office tower. These are very epic, and in perfect shape even after 30 years, and a treat to any enthusiast who likes epic motors.

About the elevators, they are very well mantained and cared for, as seen by how preserved they are visually and mechanically.
This is a setup that I personally don't come across a lot: Mirrored cabs, with two-speed doors, mostly used in smaller buildings with only 2 cars in a pair. The interiors are plain, with white plywood finish finish for the walls, the floors have custom carpeting, and the ceiling has the lexan panel design, with a grilled one below the fan. No mirrors on the back of the cabs, a little unusual for commercial elevators like these. I'm not a huge fan of the all white walls as it looks cheap and outdated, or like a service elevator, but in here, it doesn't look so bad.
These cabs are very clean, was hard to find dirt, scratches, dents, they are looking impeccable.
Fixtures are your typical commercial version 1st gen Classe A from the mid-late 1980s, and also in perfect condition. No damaged parts, nearly all of the microbulbs in the buttons and indicators still work, all of them very responsive, most bells still chime properly, even some lanterns are lighting up. Only on some floors they are missing the plastic arrows for whatever reason.

One implementation that I couldn't show in the video but is very cool, is the emergency intercom: it's a modern hands-free system, all hidden behind the COPs, the speaker and mic are out of view. That explains the empty phone boxes. Now, you just press the alarm button in the panel and it activates the call to a phone in the front desk. The concierge guy was very nice with me and told about that feature, even showed it in operation. He also said that these elevators are very reliable, rarely break down, that's why the owners are choosing to keep them original instead of outright modernizing (as long as it's possible). Way to go!

Performance of both cars is great. They are efficient and the ride is very comfortable. The ride they give is very smooth, as well as their stars and stops. There is no jolts or bumps when stopping, they slow down to leveling speed very smoothly, it's a softer impact. Really good for their model. They're very stable in the shaft, overall the ride is perfect in the two cars, above average in comparison to most Classe As. Running as good as they look. Build quality is great like any other Classe A, bulky, strong, thick... these were built like a tank, made to last many decades.
The motors in these two things are the real attraction, they sound awesome... if not for the loud ass fans drowning out all the sound. Yea, the fans used in Classe As are annoyingly loud. Both motors make a lot of noise in operation, although the second car is a little quieter. The first elevator in the video makes the whistle when it stops, heard in various other low-rise CAs that use this same machine. The best way to experience them, is when a car is stopped at a floor near the top with the fan turned off and the other starts moving, it's pretty audible. I got out on floor 8 to capture the sound of the machine room from near the top, and it's amazing, listening to the motors starting up and the scream when stopping... The relays are damn loud too, can be heard clearly near the top. I could listen to these elevators operating for hours! Another epic sound here is the long buzz the first car makes after closing the door, it is DC current flowing somewhere on the door operator system. I'm not sure what exactly it's for there and how it works, but I THINK it's for the capacitor that manages the door timing. That operator noise is another signature of the Classe A era, I've seen many with this buzz, but never one THIS loud and for so long, to hear it sounding through the cab... epic!
Maintenance is done by Atlas Schindler, and they are doing a stellar job at preserving them too.
I'm very happy to see elevators this epic and this good being preserved so well, I take my hat off!



Specifications:
Manufacturer: ATLAS Villares
Maintainer: Atlas Schindler
Model: Classe A
Fixtures: Classe A (1st gen)
Type: Passenger Commercial
Hoisting: Traction
Doors: 2-speed sliding
Capacity: 700 kg/10 persons (apx. 1500 lbs.)
In Service: 1986
Floors Served: 10 (SS - T* -1/8)
Operation: Relay-contolled, AC-driven motor
Rating: 10/10 - Nice example of excellent preservation of a set of older elevators, these are still looking and riding as good as in the 80s... plus they have epic motors, working chimes, these awesome fixtures, all of the best of the Classe A! Hard to find something wrong with them, the owners take real good care of their equipment, as it should be. Plus, the staff here was really nice with me.


Shot: December 30, 2021
Camera: Samsung Galaxy A52
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