Excerpt
Chapter 1: What’s an Elevator, Anyway?
If you’ve ever lugged a backpack full of books up three flights of stairs, you already know one big difference between elevators and stairs: effort. Stairs make you do all the work. Your legs have to push your whole body weight up, step by step, one level at a time. That can be tiring, especially if you're carrying something, running late, or heading to the tenth floor. Elevators? They do the heavy lifting for you. Literally.
But it’s not just about who’s doing the work. Elevators, stairs, and escalators all help people move between different floors in a building, but the way they do it—and where and when they’re best to use—are totally different.
Let’s start with stairs. Stairs are about as low-tech as you can get. They don’t need electricity. They don’t need buttons or motors. They just sit there, waiting for your feet. You climb them one step at a time. In fact, if there’s an emergency like a fire or power outage, stairs are often the safest—and sometimes only—way out. That’s why every building has them, even ones with dozens of floors and super-fast elevators.
Stairs are always available. But that doesn’t mean they’re easy. If you’ve got a stroller, a wheelchair, or even just a twisted ankle, stairs can be a total pain—or completely impossible. That’s where elevators start to shine.
Now, escalators are a bit different. They look like stairs, but they move like a slow conveyor belt. You step on and stand still while the steps glide upward or downward. Some people treat them like stairs and walk up anyway, but you don’t have to. They’re great for places where people are moving all the time—like malls, airports, or subway stations—because there’s no waiting. You hop on and go. No doors to open, no waiting for the “ding.” Just step and ride.
But escalators have limits. They usually only go between two floors at a time. And they need a lot of space. They’re long, wide, and open. You’ll almost never see an escalator in a super tall building. Ever try finding an escalator that goes from the ground floor to the 20th? Doesn’t happen. That’s an elevator’s job.
Elevators can travel much farther, and they’re completely closed off. You ride inside a box—a car, technically—that's pulled or pushed by a machine. When you step inside, you’re not exposed to the rest of the building the way you are on stairs or escalators. The doors shut, and it feels like your own little room is zooming up or down. That can be kind of exciting or kind of weird, depending on how much you trust machines. But elevators are built to be incredibly safe and super strong.
One big difference that’s easy to forget is how elevators decide where to go. With stairs or escalators, you decide. You walk or ride until you reach the right floor. An elevator needs instructions. You press a button to tell it where to stop. If someone else in the elevator pressed a different button, the car might stop at their floor first. In that way, elevators feel a little bit like a shared ride service. You all get in, tell it where you want to go, and it plans the route. Not always the shortest one, but the one that works for everyone inside.
There’s also the “invisible” difference: how they’re powered. Stairs don’t need anything but your muscles. Escalators are powered by motors that turn gears to keep the stairs moving in a loop. Elevators are much more complicated. Depending on the type, they might use giant ropes and pulleys, a hydraulic piston, or even magnets to move. It’s like the difference between riding a bicycle, taking a moving walkway, or flying in a small jet.
Elevators can also carry way more than just people. A big one can lift stretchers in a hospital, move furniture in a hotel, or haul huge boxes in a warehouse. Some elevators are so big they can fit cars. Try dragging a couch up the stairs sometime and you’ll immediately wish you had one of those.
And speaking of wishes, elevators are often the only way some people can get around. If someone uses a wheelchair or crutches, stairs and escalators just aren’t an option. Elevators make it possible for buildings to be fair and welcoming to everyone. That’s not just helpful—it’s essential. It’s also the law in many places. Accessibility matters.
There’s also the quiet part. Ever notice how loud it can be when lots of people stomp up and down stairs? Elevators are surprisingly silent, even though they’re doing something huge—lifting tons of weight through the air. They hum and glide, and most of the work happens in the machine room you’ll never see. Even escalators make more noise with their constant churning.
If you’ve ever lugged a backpack full of books up three flights of stairs, you already know one big difference between elevators and stairs: effort. Stairs make you do all the work. Your legs have to push your whole body weight up, step by step, one level at a time. That can be tiring, especially if you're carrying something, running late, or heading to the tenth floor. Elevators? They do the heavy lifting for you. Literally.
But it’s not just about who’s doing the work. Elevators, stairs, and escalators all help people move between different floors in a building, but the way they do it—and where and when they’re best to use—are totally different.
Let’s start with stairs. Stairs are about as low-tech as you can get. They don’t need electricity. They don’t need buttons or motors. They just sit there, waiting for your feet. You climb them one step at a time. In fact, if there’s an emergency like a fire or power outage, stairs are often the safest—and sometimes only—way out. That’s why every building has them, even ones with dozens of floors and super-fast elevators.
Stairs are always available. But that doesn’t mean they’re easy. If you’ve got a stroller, a wheelchair, or even just a twisted ankle, stairs can be a total pain—or completely impossible. That’s where elevators start to shine.
Now, escalators are a bit different. They look like stairs, but they move like a slow conveyor belt. You step on and stand still while the steps glide upward or downward. Some people treat them like stairs and walk up anyway, but you don’t have to. They’re great for places where people are moving all the time—like malls, airports, or subway stations—because there’s no waiting. You hop on and go. No doors to open, no waiting for the “ding.” Just step and ride.
But escalators have limits. They usually only go between two floors at a time. And they need a lot of space. They’re long, wide, and open. You’ll almost never see an escalator in a super tall building. Ever try finding an escalator that goes from the ground floor to the 20th? Doesn’t happen. That’s an elevator’s job.
Elevators can travel much farther, and they’re completely closed off. You ride inside a box—a car, technically—that's pulled or pushed by a machine. When you step inside, you’re not exposed to the rest of the building the way you are on stairs or escalators. The doors shut, and it feels like your own little room is zooming up or down. That can be kind of exciting or kind of weird, depending on how much you trust machines. But elevators are built to be incredibly safe and super strong.
One big difference that’s easy to forget is how elevators decide where to go. With stairs or escalators, you decide. You walk or ride until you reach the right floor. An elevator needs instructions. You press a button to tell it where to stop. If someone else in the elevator pressed a different button, the car might stop at their floor first. In that way, elevators feel a little bit like a shared ride service. You all get in, tell it where you want to go, and it plans the route. Not always the shortest one, but the one that works for everyone inside.
There’s also the “invisible” difference: how they’re powered. Stairs don’t need anything but your muscles. Escalators are powered by motors that turn gears to keep the stairs moving in a loop. Elevators are much more complicated. Depending on the type, they might use giant ropes and pulleys, a hydraulic piston, or even magnets to move. It’s like the difference between riding a bicycle, taking a moving walkway, or flying in a small jet.
Elevators can also carry way more than just people. A big one can lift stretchers in a hospital, move furniture in a hotel, or haul huge boxes in a warehouse. Some elevators are so big they can fit cars. Try dragging a couch up the stairs sometime and you’ll immediately wish you had one of those.
And speaking of wishes, elevators are often the only way some people can get around. If someone uses a wheelchair or crutches, stairs and escalators just aren’t an option. Elevators make it possible for buildings to be fair and welcoming to everyone. That’s not just helpful—it’s essential. It’s also the law in many places. Accessibility matters.
There’s also the quiet part. Ever notice how loud it can be when lots of people stomp up and down stairs? Elevators are surprisingly silent, even though they’re doing something huge—lifting tons of weight through the air. They hum and glide, and most of the work happens in the machine room you’ll never see. Even escalators make more noise with their constant churning.