Your comment about lifts with doors that open on opposite sides on different levels is interesting. It makes total sense, but I have never seen it that way. Another group that definitely values lifts is people taking bicycles with them. Carrying a bicycle up or down a flight of stairs sucks, and moving them on escalators is possible, but usually not allowed.
Will never forget an observation I had in Montreal while using the Metro. I got on the metro at Berri-UQAM and saw a wheelchair user on the platform, not much surprised due to elevators connecting the place. Though seeing him again get off the same stop I did, I think it was Lucien L’Allier, he got on the escalator and grabbed on to dear life with both hands holding the moving elements, I think a person was behind him holding the chair. Was surprised to find out the Skytrain and the O-train is the only accessible metro train system in Canada
Another issue is wayfinding - the NYC subway has accessibility on a quarter of the stations (in theory), but in a lot of them it's almost impossible to find the elevators (the MTA may be actively trying to hide them). There's also no warning when an elevator is out of service and no easy way to check, which means stations can be surprise inaccessible.
Responding to Abdullah current IBX plans have an elevator to street level, but no escalators at almost every station. Tthe IBX plans do not include elevators or escalators to other lines.
As has already been noted in other comments, it will be great when all of the metro stations here in Montreal also have the elevators, but indeed it is an expensive and prolonged process and with the CAQ not putting transit as a priority, that doesn't help.
And finally the REM station at Edouard Montpetit is only accessible by elevator with four high capacity elevators. I look forward to checking these out, hopefully in 2024.
I have very mixed feelings about accessibility measures. Yesterday, I checked a brand new elevator at a NYC Transit station. Clean, bright, windows, doors on both sides, but slow & small (60 sq. ft. & claimed capacity of 13 persons (probably about 3 with a wheelchair). For many reasons, wheelchair users are rare on NYC Transit and that is likely to continue. Too few accessible stations and, most importantly, too crowded.
More & better escalators would be welcome. They not only are good for many persons of limited mobility and nice for everyone, but can speed up travel. Sadly, they seem to be out of order frequently here and are not included in new station plans, like those for the Interborough Express.
Unfortunately, I have to tell you that transit in Berlin currently absolutely sucks. Staff shortages, only partly to a large portion of staff being out sick at the same time, mean cancelled trips everywhere. The bus schedules have already been thinned quite a bit to make it more probable that an advertised bus will actually show up, which wasn't a given in the last couple of weeks.
In addition to all this, the S-Bahn system will probably be shut down by a strike of the union representing train drivers beginning on or shortly after January 8th, increasing the pressure on the rest of the Berlin transit system. (Actually, all types of railways will be affected. U-Bahn trains won't be as they are trams, not railway trains, and their drivers are represented by a different union with a different collective contract system.)
Your comment about lifts with doors that open on opposite sides on different levels is interesting. It makes total sense, but I have never seen it that way. Another group that definitely values lifts is people taking bicycles with them. Carrying a bicycle up or down a flight of stairs sucks, and moving them on escalators is possible, but usually not allowed.
Will never forget an observation I had in Montreal while using the Metro. I got on the metro at Berri-UQAM and saw a wheelchair user on the platform, not much surprised due to elevators connecting the place. Though seeing him again get off the same stop I did, I think it was Lucien L’Allier, he got on the escalator and grabbed on to dear life with both hands holding the moving elements, I think a person was behind him holding the chair. Was surprised to find out the Skytrain and the O-train is the only accessible metro train system in Canada
Another issue is wayfinding - the NYC subway has accessibility on a quarter of the stations (in theory), but in a lot of them it's almost impossible to find the elevators (the MTA may be actively trying to hide them). There's also no warning when an elevator is out of service and no easy way to check, which means stations can be surprise inaccessible.
Responding to Abdullah current IBX plans have an elevator to street level, but no escalators at almost every station. Tthe IBX plans do not include elevators or escalators to other lines.
I am so pleased that all of the REM stations will have elevators, and they even give the status of them on this site: https://rem.info/en/travelling/network-status
As has already been noted in other comments, it will be great when all of the metro stations here in Montreal also have the elevators, but indeed it is an expensive and prolonged process and with the CAQ not putting transit as a priority, that doesn't help.
And finally the REM station at Edouard Montpetit is only accessible by elevator with four high capacity elevators. I look forward to checking these out, hopefully in 2024.
I have very mixed feelings about accessibility measures. Yesterday, I checked a brand new elevator at a NYC Transit station. Clean, bright, windows, doors on both sides, but slow & small (60 sq. ft. & claimed capacity of 13 persons (probably about 3 with a wheelchair). For many reasons, wheelchair users are rare on NYC Transit and that is likely to continue. Too few accessible stations and, most importantly, too crowded.
More & better escalators would be welcome. They not only are good for many persons of limited mobility and nice for everyone, but can speed up travel. Sadly, they seem to be out of order frequently here and are not included in new station plans, like those for the Interborough Express.
There's the strange set-up in Broadview station (Christie too) where you have to walk up FOUR STEPS before you can get on the escalator!
Unfortunately, I have to tell you that transit in Berlin currently absolutely sucks. Staff shortages, only partly to a large portion of staff being out sick at the same time, mean cancelled trips everywhere. The bus schedules have already been thinned quite a bit to make it more probable that an advertised bus will actually show up, which wasn't a given in the last couple of weeks.
In addition to all this, the S-Bahn system will probably be shut down by a strike of the union representing train drivers beginning on or shortly after January 8th, increasing the pressure on the rest of the Berlin transit system. (Actually, all types of railways will be affected. U-Bahn trains won't be as they are trams, not railway trains, and their drivers are represented by a different union with a different collective contract system.)
Strong piece and I'm glad you talked about the importance of maintenance! Even a temporary outage is a huge issue