Moving Stairs

Here's an old escalator from the Chicago Initial Subway System.  According to the back of this nice linen card, "Reversible escalators are to operate between train platforms and mezzanine stations of Chicago 8-3/4 mile, two route, initial subways.  Other equipment is to include streamlined all-metal cars, rubber-insulated tracks and fluorescent lighting."  The Chicago subway opened in the early 30's, and it looks quite pristine as compared to today.

Escalators come in lots of varieties.  While looking for more information about the stairs above, I stumbled upon a great article about escalators in the WebUrbanist site, which is one of my favorite sites altogether!  Take a look here: http://weburbanist.com/2010/06/20/attracting-stairs-10-extremely-elevating-escalators/ and you'll see the longest, the shortest, and the highest, as well as escalators that curve and ones that are built for bicycles!

The Office

In honor of the final episode of "The Office" tonight, here's an advertising postcard from offices-past.  Our executive is using his "Easier to Use" Soundscriber, the dictaphone with the unique green disks.  Read all about it here, while saying goodbye to the gang at Dunder-Mifflin  tonight!

Mad Men Ditto Machine

Here's a joyous secretary thrilled with the copies coming from her RoNEo Duplicator.  According to the back of the card, they are" world-famous for their Beauty of Design, Efficiency and Simplicity of Operation and Overall Economy.  RoNEo is CLEAN to operate and the only Duplicator to reproduce continuous tone photographs.  Try RoNEo for complete Satisfaction."

I couldn't find any contemporary information about this machine, other than it a brand in the UK going back to the early 1900's.  However, I did find a reverent, interesting video of a similar A. B. Dick machine in action.  The video falls just a tad short of fetishing the duplicating machine, from the removal of the dust cover, application of the purple fluid and the climactic arrival of the aromatic copies in the output tray.  Enjoy:    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pM5nEp48dsw

TV TV

Different hotels, but cool TV's!  The TV Motel at the top is halfway between Montreal and Quebec City, which I guess means in the middle of "nulle part"  (That's French for "nowhere).  The bottom view is the interior of a room at the Rondee Motor Hotel in Sedona, Arizona.  Great TV on the credenza, only bested by the awesome 1960's lighting fixture hanging above it (and the avacado green telephone next to it).