Escalator and the Elevator.

Moving walkways/stairs and the Lift.

It is perhaps a strange subject to start a New Year with, but both the escalator and elevator have now been around over over 120 years. Essentially developed for the mining industry by James Borgardes in the U.S.A. He first displayed his steam model at the world trade fair in New York in 1853. E. G. Otis introduced his department store lift in 1857 and he was the first to show in Europe at the Paris exhibition in 1867.

Meanwhile it was J. W. Reno who invented the continuous moving stairs, in a new york department store in1896-97. It was the first to appear in Europe in the 1900 Paris, Exhibition. 

The Lift/Elevator made it essential in the construction of the Skyscraper and so it remains today, around the world.

Meanwhile many airports and train stations have developed moving walkways, these take the weight of carrying your cases long distances between terminals. These being a fixed machine, are still a form of transportation.