Learn more about the Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center located in Maryland.
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Inclined Elevator at Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center
by Bill MacLachlan
To help physically challenged students use the Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center (AEOEC), Diane Ferguson, the Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator for the Anne Arundel County Public School (AACPS) district, requested accessibility for the site. The district, which includes Annapolis, Maryland, and surrounding communities, owns the property on the Severn River in Millersville, Maryland. AACPS researched an outdoor inclined elevator system and agreed upon this as the way to achieve accessibility to the difficult hillside site.
Before the inclined lift was installed, teachers and staff had to physically haul students and their wheelchairs up and down a steep set of wooden stairs to the shore of Chesapeake Bay, where they conduct classes on the local environment. This mode of transportation was very dangerous as well as humiliating to the students. The project went out for public bid and Hill Hiker, Inc. was awarded the contract. The Inclined Elevator Transportation System
The Hill Hiker® Incline Elevator travels 70 feet at a 30° angle of incline with a 1000-pound capacity. The cab is fully enclosed, and the entire elevator car frame, track, track supports, and chassis are manufactured out of 304 stainless steel. The entire lift was sand blasted, acid washed and powder coated with marine-grade powder-coat paint. The hoisting mechanism for this lift is a 7.5-horsepower, three-phase brake motor, coupled to a 150:1 deep reduction worm-to-worm gearbox. The gearbox turns an 18-inch-diameter double-cable winding-drum drive system. A variable-speed inverter provides soft-start/soft slow down motor control for the elevator.
The call/send stations at the top and bottom of the hill are outfitted with a keyless security system, which eliminates random use of the elevator by unauthorized people. The fixed landing gates at the top and bottom of the hill are built with mechanical electrical safety interlocks, which are hard wired to the controller and activated by the park limit switch.
The car is prepared with wireless communication eliminating the need for a traveling cable. The car is also equipped with a mechanical electrical safety interlock, which is energized when the car is in motion. This lock is powered by a deep-cycle marine battery, which is charged through a solar panel and regulator mounted on the downhill side of the car.
The elevator utilizes a captured rail design, which eliminates the car from ever escaping the rail system. The car is equipped with Lexane® polycarbonate walls and moon roof, which is durable in all weather climates. The floor is made of a fibergrate with a non-skid surface and the flip-down bench seat for the teacher/attendant is made with a stainless-steel frame and Trex® lumber. The entire hoistway is protected with fencing to a height of 84 inches, with gates at both ends for maintenance access to the lift system.
This project was fully inspected by the State of Maryland Elevator Safety Division and is operational all year in any type of weather. AACPS staff and teachers reported the inclined elevator was a great help to them and added it had greatly improved the self esteem and enthusiasm of the students who need to use the lift to access the AEOEC.
Stephan Barry is the coordinator of Outdoor/Environmental Education at AEOEC. The project architect for AACPS was Jason Woelper, Dan Lerian of Lerian & Bradbury was the marine contractor and Rick Jones was the project coordinator. Hill Hiker, Inc., is based in Orono, Minnesota.
Source:
MacLachlan, Bill. “Inclined Elevator at Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center” Elevator World, May 2010, pp. 74-76.
