Hydraulic Freight Elevator Modernization – Evanston, IL

We recently turned over the first of a multiple car modernization that was the heart and soul of the building, the freight car.  This elevator is in charge of food service, materials, construction, storage and all other heavy lifting.  Since freight elevators are a niche within a niche industry, I am always pretty stoked to get a chance to work on them and work with the different vendors that are only freight elevator suppliers.  After we completed and visited the building to do the final equipment review, I saw this freight car being used and abused nonstop by the building, food service, contractors and anyone in-between to get everything where it needed to go and it didn’t skip a beat.  Great work Colley field teams!

Existing elevator & project scope – The old elevator system was an Otis Elevator from 1962 with all original components; Otis Elevator controls, Otis Elevator freight doors, Otis Elevator hydraulic power unit.

New equipment providers

Controllers – Motion Control Engineering

Door operators – Peelle Doors wireless

Fixtures – Innovation Industries

Power unit – Quality Elevator w/Maxton UC4 control valve

Elevator controllers – The existing elevator controller was an Otis Elevator hydraulic controller from 1962.  The new elevator controller is a Motion Control Engineering hydraulic elevator controller.

[New MCE 2000 hydraulic elevator controller]

Freight door equipment – We replaced the existing Otis Elevator automatic freight doors with Peelle Company freight door equipment.

[Old Otis Elevator freight doors & hall station]

[New Peelle freight doors & Innovation Industries hall station]

[Old Otis basement freight door]

[New Peelle basement freight door]

Elevator fixtures – The old Otis Elevator hall and car stations where removed and we installed Innovation Industries fixtures.  We also installed an additional car station for the building as it is helpful to have 2 car stations on this walk through elevator. This helps multiple people, loading multiple loads at the same time, get in the elevator.

[Old Otis Elevator car station]

[New Innovation Industries car station]

Hydraulic power unit – The existing hydraulic power unit was the original Otis Elevator dry unit and was replaced with a Quality Elevator hydraulic power unit.

[New Quality Elevator hydraulic unit with Maxton UC 4 valve]

Machine room layout – The modernization let us lay out the machine room so you actually had room to work on the elevator and open up the room.

[Old elevator machine room]

[New machine room layout with MCE controller & Quality power unit]

Elevator electrical -  With this project we had a freight car with automatic doors, generator hook up and a shunt trip.

[New elevator electrical]

Experience – This elevator modernization's first look was in April 20’ when COVID was unknown and scary. We had a walk through with 15+ people in a sensitive building and a bunch of contractors, GC’s and building owners.  We were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to work with the building on this elevator, which will be the first of 5 modernizations over the next few years.  Over the last two years, we have worked with 2 GCs, an elevator consultant, building owner, and multiple other trades before we even began the project.  With all of these other people orbiting the project, some helpful some not so much, and COVID surrounding us we delivered a great end product for the building owner.

Team work– The sales person and the project team who finishes typically get the glory on a project.  In between the initial contract sale and the final acceptance are many other people who work on the project to make it successful.  From the truck driver to the engineer to the billing department to the assistance when needed, 14 Colley Elevator employees where involved in the project and we had tremendous team work on it.  Thank you everyone - without you we would not have had such a successful delivery!

 If you have any questions or would like additional information feel free to contact me at CraigZ@colleyelevator.com or 630-766-7230 ext. 107.