MODDED! Northern (mb. Nidec/MCE) traction elevators at the Nat'l Museum of Natural History in DC

(📹 6/21/2025) Well, this was a big shocker...

I was totally not expecting these to get a modernization anytime soon. I came here when this was in MIP state back in May, and the main elevator was crazy busy, so us visitors got to see what the basement and fourth floors are like. This is a night time retake of these since these get crazy busy during the day. These got modded by Nidec/MCE (according to the car tops on these) with Innovation fixtures. The mod looks completely indistinguishable on the inside and the outside from a casual person, but elevator enthusiasts will know what the old HOPs were like. It's a pretty tasteful mod in my opinion. These got new GAL door equipment, Hollister & Whitney basement traction machines, MCE controllers, etc.

These are the elevators prior to the mod:    • [MODDED] Epic & scenic Northern traction e...  

Filming equipment:
Camera: Samsung Galaxy S24
Resolution of original video: 1080p
FPS: 60

Some elevator info:

Review of the elevator(s):
Cab: Awesome
Fixture/button choice: Decent
Chimes: Decent
Voice Annunciator: n/a
Ride quality: Fine
Condition: Fine
Speed choice: Fine
Leveling speed: Fine
Motor: None
Fun factor: Epic

Overall score: Epic

Filming strategy:
Risk of getting caught: low
Filming difficulty: easy-medium
Notes: gets busy

Other notes:
Improvements needed: nothing really
Additional notes: n/a

Manufacturing info:
Manufactured by: Northern in the late 1990's
1st modernization by: Nidec/MCE in 2025
Original elevator model: n/a
1st modernization model: n/a

Elevator infrastructure:
Propulsion: Geared basement traction
Motor drive type: AC - VVVF
Capacity: 3000 lbs (1360 kgs)
Speed: 250 fpm (1.75 m/s)
Floors traveled: 5/6
Opening count: 4/5
Floors served: B-2, 4 (left car), G-2, 4 (right car)
Quantity of elevators: 2

Controllers:
Elevator control type: Microprocessor
Elevator control brand: MCE
Cars in controller group: 2

Elevator fixtures (current):
Buttons (hall): Innovation Prestige - PB45
Buttons (car): Innovation Prestige - PB45
Position indicators (hall): CE Electronics 16 segment
Position Indicators (car): CE Electronics 16 segment

Elevator fixtures (former):
Buttons (hall): EPCO Circleline
Buttons (car): EPCO WNR Signature
Position indicators (hall): EMotive dot matrix
Position Indicators (car): EMotive dot matrix

Emergency communications:
Emergency phone: Built in
Phone ADA compliant: Yes

Elevator doors:
Door configuration: Center opening
Door operator: GAL MOVFR-II harmonic
Door sensors: Multi-beam

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Elevators and escalators I've filmed:
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