Though the 35 new "sleep-mode" escalators to save $2000/year per escalator) at select subway stations were supposed to start working yesterday, only some were actually working. Some were working with sleep mode functionality, but others weren't. CityRoom found out only 22 "were working as intended," due to technical glitches, and detailed how some of the working ones were confusing, like to the man who started walking down a sleeping up escalator: "As he walked down, the escalator suddenly activated, bringing him back toward the station. He did not turn around, but instead tried to race against the escalator, toward the bottom." Roosevelt Island 360 has more details about the escalators' effect on RI (and video). more ›

The MTA's problems with current escalators aside, the agency has just introduced new escalators that go into a "sleep mode" when they aren't being used. The pilot program includes escalators at 34th Street-Herald Square, Roosevelt Island; Jamaica-Van Wyck and Parsons/Archer. MTA hopes to save almost $2,000 (per each escalator) in energy costs annually. While some riders are wary, one found the glass half full, telling NY1, "It's much better than them not working at all! If in fact it goes really slow when I'm not on it and actually works when I'm on it, so much the better." more ›