Sign up free →
General Hitachi ID

As I spent more time in Southeast Asia, this week visiting my colleagues in Jakarta, I…

Published August 22, 2026 Last Updated September 5, 2026 linkedin verified
At a Glance

A former VT professional spotted an old, non-operational Hitachi escalator in Jakarta, Indonesia, reflecting on its historical significance and the evolution of engineering.

Full intelligence

As I spent more time in Southeast Asia, this week visiting my colleagues in Jakarta, I used my downtime exploring the local area and came across this old Hitachi beauty-Indonesia’s first ever escalator!

I may not be in the VT game any more but moving from one engineering industry to another, I’m always pleased to see examples preserved and remembered.

Whilst the old girl isn’t in operation, it’s amazing to think there’s mechanical plant from the same era still operating in VT and nutrition engineering.

It’s the right thing to upgrade, for efficiency, safety in moving people or putting food on our tables, but it’s nice to see an escalator being given a little recognition for its decades of work!

Sadly I seemed to be the only one who cared 🤓.

Related hub: Hitachi intelligence hub

Original source: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mark-mcleod-75787739_as-i-spent-more-time-in-southeast-asia-this-activity-7496817389452398592-3M-w