Otis Escalators
1950s-1960s
These usually say "OTIS ESCALATOR" on their landing plates, the pattern of which are distinctive.
Notable installations
30 Rockefeller Center, Manhattan, New York, NY
First Interstate Bank, Casper, WY
Crestwood Court, St Louis, MO (demolished)
Eastland Center, Harper Woods, MI
The Qube (Chase Tower), Detroit, MI
Detroit Public Library, Detroit, MI
Broadmoor Hotel, Colorado Springs, CO
United States Bureau of Engraving & Printing, Washington, DC
Golds Building, Lincoln, NE
Sheraton Prudential Center, Boston, MA
Macy's, Boulevard Mall, Las Vegas, NV
Macy's, Cherry Hill Mall, Cherry Hill, NJ
Macy's, Monmouth Mall, Eatontown, NJ
Macy's Men, Westfield Valley Fair, San Jose, CA
Westmount Square, Montreal, QC
Queen Elizabeth Hotel, Montreal, QC
Circus Circus Hotel & Casino, Reno, NV
Rarity Rating: 8/10
Escal-Aire
Escal-Aire is an extremely rare model from the mid-late 1960s. They appear similar to the 1970s curved-end models, but their plates say "Escal-Aire" and they have a few subtle differences from the 1970s-80s curved-end Otises. They also seem to be quieter than the later curved-end units.
Known installations
Vancouver International Airport
Crown Center, Kansas City, MO (no Escal-Aire label)
Bloomingdales, Westfield Century City, Los Angeles, CA
Greenbriar Mall, Atlanta, GA
Macy's, Greenbriar Mall, Atlanta, GA
Macy's, Coddingtown Mall, Santa Rosa, CA
Macy's, Great Northern Mall, North Olmsted, OH
Hilton Union Square, San Francisco, CA
TD Bank Tower, Toronto, ON
Stock Exchange Building, Montreal, QC
Hudson's Bay, Montreal, QC
Hyatt Regency, San Francisco, CA
Rarity Rating: 9/10
Curved-end
Otis's escalators after Escal-Aire, from the early 1970s to the early 1980s, have curved handrail inlets similar to those of Escal-Aire. These are relatively common despite their age. Early examples of this type (pre-1975) have landing plates with a pattern similar to Escal-Aire, while later models have a more basic pattern similar to modern Otis escalators.
Notable installations
Renaissance Center, Detroit, MI
Twelve Oaks Mall, Novi, MI
The Westin Peachtree Plaza, Atlanta, GA
Fairlane Town Center, Dearborn, MI
Woodbridge Center, Woodbridge, NJ
General Motors Technical Center, Warren, MI
Oakland Mall, Troy, MI
The Seas with Nemo and Friends, EPCOT, Walt Disney World
Sheraton Centre Hotel, Montreal, QC
Sears, Friendly Center, Greensboro, NC
Belk, SouthPark Mall, Charlotte, NC
Neiman Marcus, Fashion Island, Newport Beach, CA
Hilton Anatole, Dallas, TX
Crown Center, Kansas City, MO
Quaker Bridge Mall, Lawrenceville, NJ
JCPenney, Westland Shopping Center, Westland, MI
JCPenney, Great Northern Mall, North Olmsted, OH
Macy's, Franklin Park Mall, Toledo, OH
Macy's, Town Center at Boca Raton, Boca Raton, FL
The Nugget, Sparks, NV
Rarity Rating: 2/10
Older lower landing
Flat ends
This type replaced the curved-end type and was made throughout most of the 1980s and into the mid-1990s.
Notable installations
Most Detroit People Mover stations, Detroit, MI
Renaissance Center, Detroit, MI
Metropolis at Metrotown, Burnaby, BC
Hynes Convention Center, Boston, MA
Belk, SouthPark Mall, Charlotte, NC
University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB
Albuquerque Convention Center, Albuquerque, NM
Marriott Marquis, Atlanta, GA
Tower City Center, Cleveland, OH
Crystal Gateway Marriott, Arlington, VA
Lenox Square Mall, Atlanta, GA
Four Seasons Town Center, Greensboro, NC
Crown Center, Kansas City, MO
Saks Fifth Avenue, Chicago, IL
Intercontinental Hotel, Kansas City, MO
Danbury Fair Mall, Danbury, CT
Frankenstein Parking Garage, Universal Studios Hollywood
Kenwood Towne Centre, Kenwood, OH
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City, NJ
Marriott Marquis, San Diego, CA
Von Maur, Laurel Park Place, Livonia, MI
Rarity Rating: 3/10
Flat end moving walkways
Known installations - horizontal
Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport Terminal 1
Newark Liberty International Airport
San Francisco International Airport Terminal 3
Known installations - inclined
Metropolis at Metrotown, Burnaby, BC
Newer curved ends
These escalators appear similar to NCE, but the ends are more curved, and more of a gunmetal gray color, and they have the older wide "OTIS" logo. This type was likely made from 1991-1995 and is quite rare.
Notable installations
Mall of America, Bloomington, MN
Carew Tower, Cincinnati, OH
Southdale Center, Edina, MN
Koury Convention Center, Greensboro, NC
Rarity Rating: 10/10
Pre-NCE
These escalators appear similar to NCE, but have the older wide "OTIS" logo. This type was likely made from 1996-2000 and is quite rare. It's possible that these are an early version of NCE, or that they're just flat-end models with NCE-style inlet covers added.
Notable installations
Kansas City Marriott, Kansas City, MO
Ameristar Casino, Kansas City, MO
Midland Center for the Arts, Midland, MI
Solomon Pond Mall, Marlborough, MA
Rarity Rating: 7/10
NCE
NCE is the only escalator model currently produced by Otis for North America. It is known to have existed since 2000. NCE can easily be identified by its inlets, angled up at the ends of the skirts.
Notable installations
Detroit Metro Airport McNamara Terminal
National Museum of African American History & Culture, Washington, DC
Marriott Marquis, Atlanta, GA
Marriott Marquis, Chicago, IL
Marriott Marquis, Houston, TX
Alliance Bank Tower, Phoenix, AZ
Kenwood Towne Centre, Cincinnati, OH
Kenwood Collection, Cincinnati, OH
IKEA, Columbus, OH
Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, CT
Utah Valley Convention Center, Provo, UT
Harrah's/The LINQ Las Vegas Monorail Station, Paradise, NV
Wilshire Grand Center, Los Angeles, CA
Koury Convention Center, Greensboro, NC
H&M, Woodfield Mall, Schaumburg, IL
Tanger Outlets at Foxwoods Casino, Mashantucket, CT
Ross Park Mall, Ross Township, PA
Renaissance Center, Detroit, MI
Whole Foods Market, Arlington, VA
Gardner-White Furniture, Canton, MI
Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX
Omni Hotel, Fort Worth, TX
Kimpton Sawyer Hotel, Sacramento, CA
Hudson's Bay, Montreal, QC
Hyatt Regency, Portland, OR
Lime Garage, Disney Springs, Lake Buena Vista, FL
NextStep
NextStep is a very rare model with numerous safety features. It was introduced in 2003, and produced through 2005.
Known installations
Hartford Marriott, Hartford, CT
Foxwoods Casino, Mashantucket, CT
JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort, Tuscon, AZ
Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, NV
Rarity Rating: 10/10
SCE
This model appears to be the same as the Korean-market Sigma SCE, and was offered by Otis from around 2005-2009. It's unknown whether these were actually made by Sigma, or if called SCE by Otis.
Known installations
HMG Medical Plaza, Kingsport, TN
Northlake Mall, Charlotte, NC (3 sets)
Founders Hall, Charlotte, NC
Metropolitan, Charlotte, NC
Sheraton, Phoenix, AZ
Elara by Hilton Grand Vacations, Las Vegas, NV
Rarity Rating: 10/10
"NPE"
This rare Otis model (presumably designed for transit applications) is an escalator with skirt ends and inlets that appear similar to NPT. This model was definitely made in 2004, but we're not sure when it was introduced or if it's still made. We assume it's called NPE, because it combines the design of the NCE and NPT. There is only one known escalator of this model in North America:
Renaissance Center Detroit People Mover Station, Detroit, MI
NAEG Rarity Rating: 10/10
NCT
NCT is Otis's moving walk intended for commercial applications. It has the same handrail inlets as NCE.
Notable installations
Charlotte Douglas International Airport
NPT
NPT is Otis's moving walk intended for heavy-duty applications.
Notable installations
Detroit Metro Airport McNamara Terminal & Parking Garage
Portland International Airport
Greektown Casino, Detroit, MI
Trav-O-Lator
For decades, Otis has used the name "Trav-O-Lator" when referring to moving walkways. Some older units (likely from the late 1960s-early 1970s) bear landing plates plates that read "OTIS TRAV-O-LATOR," similar in appearance to those of Escal-Aire. These are extremely rare.
Known installations
Ala Moana Center, Honolulu, HI
Documents
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Otis NCE brochure (2009)
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Otis NCE brochure (2012)