(kus) Standing escalators are annoying, regardless of whether they need to be completely modernized for reasons of age or defects need to be repaired at short notice. The former is simply necessary, as the wear and tear of continuous operation limits the life expectancy of the equipment. The latter cannot be avoided if the plants are to be kept "in good shape" and thus operational in the long term.
The next work of this kind will be on the two escalators that connect the B level and the Römerberg exit at the Dom/Römer station. From 10 July onwards, the step chains and step rollers of the upward-bound staircase (No. 02) will first be replaced. The reason is normal wear and tear of the assemblies. Once this work is completed, the escalator is scheduled to be back in service on July 14.
After that, work will begin on the gearbox of the downbound staircase No. 01. Here, Verkehrsgesellschaft Frankfurt (VGF) cannot accurately predict the duration of overhaul and repair, as the exact extent of the known gearbox damage can only be made after this component has been exposed. A simple - and quick - replacement of the complete unit is not possible, as it is no longer available from the manufacturer.
Basically, during the work on each staircase, the other should remain in operation, however, temporarily both escalators can be in place at the same time, as within the escalator construction the mechanics of the two units are very close together. Temporarily, the station can thus only be reached via the stone stairs at the Römerberg and Dom exits; the other escalators in the station are in operation.
Background:
The two escalators are two of 269 installations operated by VGF in its 27 underground stations in Frankfurt. They span a floor height of 12.6 metres and travel a distance of 27.4 metres. This makes them the longest escalators in the VGF underground network. The Dom/Römer station was opened on 26 May 1974, and the last comparable maintenance on the two escalators took place in 2004.
