Renovation planned for Carlsbad Cavern elevators

From the Carlsbad Current-Argus: Carlsbad Caverns National Park is doing some renovation in the name of safety. On Sept. 13, a contract to replace most of the steel support beams in the Caverns' primary elevator hoistway will commence. According to a press release, the maintenance is required due to peeling lead-based paint and damage caused by corrosion on the 55-year-old steel framework. "This is a very necessary project that will improve employee safety for the elevator mechanics and significantly prolong the useful life of the primary elevator system," said park Superintendent John Benjamin. "We regret that it will affect visitor use on busy days. We have scheduled the work for the time of the year with the lowest visitation, and we have made extensive contingency plans to lessen the adverse effects of the project." The elevator system at the park provides transportation for visitors and cargo to and from the main cavern, located 754 feet below the Visitor Center. The system includes four elevators: a primary set that carry 16 passengers each and a secondary set that carry eight passengers each. Many factors, such as the difficulty of accessing the hoistway, the presence of lead-based paint and the interest in public safety, raised the recommendation to reinforce the structure with galvanized beams, from a team of National Park Service and industry experts. Read more

Renovation planned for Carlsbad Cavern elevators