Keighley firm O&K Escal-ators is building on its presence in the USA with a bite of the Big Apple!

The American Metros market continues to open up for O&K, with its PS-X range of heavy duty machines, aimed specifically at the passenger transportation sector, in which the company is looking to establish a major worldwide presence.

Following successful installations in America's capital Washington, the company is now working on a further contract gained in New York.

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority chose O&K, the UK's leading escalator and autowalk manufacturer, to replace two ageing machines with three new ones at the 19th Street entrance to DuPont Circle, one of the city's major stations.

O&K, the only company able to meet all requirements of the project, designed, manufactured and supplied the three heavy duty 26-metre height rise machines, which are now fully operational.

This success was followed by orders from New York City Transit Authority, for whom O&K is undertaking major refurbishment programmes at the Main Street and 161st Street stations.

At Main Street, three 13-metre height rise PS-X machines are required as part of a station extension project. One machine has already been installed, with the remaining two awaiting installation.

Two replacement 9.5 metre height rise machines are required at 161st Street, which is the main station for crowds using public transport to attend the ball game at nearby Yankee Stadium.

Successful tests have been carried out with the client and the machines are now packed and ready for shipping. Installation is required in time for the start of next year's baseball season.

Ron Wanless, O&K's Sales and Technical Director, said: "Metros, rapid transit and underground systems are continually looking to enhance the levels of reliability and efficiency of their systems, particularly those within station environs, where escalators are used to facilitate fast, effective movements to and from platform levels.

"In most cases, this ongoing requirement is set against a backdrop of ageing equipment and limited financial res-ources.

"In order to maintain station efficiency, operators are constantly being faced with the need to upgrade existing escalator installations, through either major machine refurbishment or replacement programmes. In the latter case, more and more operators are increasing carrying capacity by introducing additional escalators on existing installations.

"As we move towards the next millennium, passenger rail transport operators around the world continue to seek ways to effectively accommodate ever-increasing passenger numbers.

"We will seek to take advantage of any opportunities in this respect with our developing PS-X range of machines."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.