The original Otis Elevator machine carried millions of guests to the Chimney level from the public opening on May 15, 1949 through the next 68 years. Its installation was completed on December 23, 1948 at a cost of $54,230.62, not including the shaft and tunnel. This Otis-manufactured 72 double-wrap traction gearless machine weighed 12000 pounds and used five ½ inch steel hoist cables, each about 610 feet long, to let the car travel from the tunnel to the Sky Lounge. The system had a capacity of 3500 pounds, and the car moved at 500 feet per minute, an impressive speed for this unusual application. The machine was modernized during the winter of 1987/88 and again in 2011/12, and it continued operating until an S64-F Aircrane helicopter removed it from the shaft on June 30, 2017 and it was replaced with a new Otis 15T gearless elevator machine.