TOS Turbolift

[Just a Bill]

Since this thread was recently re-opened, and I've been doing a bunch of turbolift research over the past couple of weeks, I'll chime in on the two-year-old subtopic of women being shown in a moving lift and/or holding the handles. In addition to Uhura in Mirror, Mirror and the titular Mudd's Women (already mentioned by others), we have Janice in The Conscience of the King.

Operating the handles is generally rare for the women, but when McCoy takes Mira to sickbay in The Lights of Zetar, her body language and proximity to the wall while still facing it suggest to me that she's reaching to take a handle just as the doors are closing. (It's at the extreme right of the frame and you kind of have to watch video to see it.)

Control handles notwithstanding, there are plenty of times when a female enters or exits the lift alone, implying that she is the person "driving" it. As just two examples, here are Chapel in Operation—Annihilate! (the men are already on the bridge before she arrives) and a random crewmember in the What Are Little Girls Made Of? teaser.

Among the randos, probably the recordholder for solo female frequent flyers would likely be the unnamed yeoman played by Jeannie Malone in something like 40 episodes. She shows up on the bridge a lot, and has operated the lift by herself more than once. Off the top of my head I can only remember A Piece of the Action and Plato's Stepchildren; here she is in the latter.

In The Way to Eden, Chekov's old girlfriend Irina both arrives and departs on her own.

Other possibilities one could investigate would include Dr. Wallace in The Deadly Years and Areel Shaw in Court Martial, both in the closing moments of their episodes.

 

[Koloth TOS]

There are some more scenes with women in the turbolift, for example Marlena Moreau and the Romulan Commander. I wonder how Marlena managed to grab a handle with some stuff in both hands... (see pic, courtesy TrecCore).

And there are Spock and the Romulan Commander in the moving turbolift with no hands at the handles during their way down to the quarters assigned to her. (Again TrecCore).

 

[Christopher]

There are some more scenes with women in the turbolift, for example Marlena Moreau and the Romulan Commander. I wonder how Marlena managed to grab a handle with some stuff in both hands... (see pic, courtesy TrecCore).

Is holding the handle really essential, or can the turbolift be operated with verbal commands alone? I always figured that the handles were as much for retaining balance in the fast-moving lift, like the straps in a subway car, as for controlling it, although of course they did clearly have a control function.

 

[Koloth TOS]

Is holding the handle really essential, or can the turbolift be operated with verbal commands alone? I always figured that the handles were as much for retaining balance in the fast-moving lift, like the straps in a subway car, as for controlling it, although of course they did clearly have a control function.

Might be, I even remember a scene were Kirk or somebody (or is it Spock with the Romulan Commander) is entering the lift ordering "deck 5". However, there are scenes where the actors are turning the handels to start or stop the lift, e. g. Kirk and Spock together to stop the lift from falling down and switch to "manual control".

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[Christopher]

Might be, I even remember a scene were Kirk or somebody (or is it Spock with the Romulan Commander) is entering the lift ordering "deck 5". However, there are scenes where the actors are turning the handels to start or stop the lift, e. g. Kirk and Spock together to stop the lift from falling down and switch to "manual control".

Yes, as I said, it's self-evident that the handles are manual controls. What I'm saying is that the lifts can probably be operated either manually or by voice alone. Using the handles is preferred because it gives the riders a handhold to keep their balance, but voice control can be used if a rider's hands aren't free, or if they're nonhumanoid and don't have hands. (We saw Nomad use the turbolift, didn't we?)

 

[Koloth TOS]

Yes, as I said, it's self-evident that the handles are manual controls. What I'm saying is that the lifts can probably be operated either manually or by voice alone. Using the handles is preferred because it gives the riders a handhold to keep their balance, but voice control can be used if a rider's hands aren't free, or if they're nonhumanoid and don't have hands. (We saw Nomad use the turbolift, didn't we?)

Didn't Spock have his hands free when being with the Romulan lady in the turbolift? I always thought that he had his hands backwards, neither grabbing the handle ... nor the lady.

 

[Mytran]

Didn't Spock have his hands free when being with the Romulan lady in the turbolift? I always thought that he had his hands backwards, neither grabbing the handle ... nor the lady.

The 2 offscreen guards probably activated it for him

 

[TIN_MAN]

I always just assumed the lifts were voice activated but the handles were throttles to make the lift go faster or slower as desired.

 

[Christopher]

I always just assumed the lifts were voice activated but the handles were throttles to make the lift go faster or slower as desired.

I may have had that impression too, but I don't think it really makes sense, since you've got multiple turbolifts moving through the same shafts, and no way for someone inside a lift to see whether there's another lift car in front of them or behind them. So manual speed control would pretty much guarantee collisions.

 

[Just a Bill]

My headcanon is that whether or not you hold the handle indicates your preference for ride characteristics:

• Voice-only is more convenient, and the cab's movement profile optimizes for comfort and safety.
• When handles are held, the movement profile optimizes for speed.

Perhaps the computer even estimates the number of passengers (by total weight, movement sensors in the plane of the doors, etc.) and increases the cab's maximum speed, acceleration/deceleration, maneuverability, and priority along a sliding scale, according to both metrics (holders vs. non-holders).

Maybe that's even one of the reasons that Spock's TEI prisoner escort to deck 2 takes so long: 2 or more occupants with 0 holders activates the maximum-safety profile, which means it (a) moves as slowly and gently as possible and (b) will yield right-of-way to every other cab on the ship that's on a faster profile.

This could also shed some light on the characters' different habits (Kirk almost always grabbing a handle while Spock often does not). Kirk is frequently in a hurry to get somewhere — sometimes even using the ladders as shortcuts — while Spock is often content to spend the ride doing contemplation, analysis... Spock solves problems wherever he is at the time, whether in a slow turbolift or in surgery donating blood to his father. Kirk needs to be physically where the action is, even when his presence is not required. Immediately upon beaming back from the Constellation, he literally runs to the bridge in spite of the fact that the outcome is already locked in and Spock is 100% capable at the conn. If he used a turbolift during that bridge run, I'll bet he grabbed two handles.

 

[Christopher]

If he used a turbolift during that bridge run

How could he not? That's the only way to get onto the bridge. Franz Joseph posited a gangway in a corridor around the bridge, but that was accessed through the secondary exit added in TAS, so there's no evidence that it was there as of "The Doomsday Machine."

 

[tharpdevenport]

Is holding the handle really essential, or can the turbolift be operated with verbal commands alone? I always figured that the handles were as much for retaining balance in the fast-moving lift, like the straps in a subway car, as for controlling it, although of course they did clearly have a control function.

Didn't we see in "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" when the crew went back in time, they were in a lift and ordered the deck, nothing happened, and another said they had to grip the handle?

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

Here's the scene you're thinking of:

Enterprise turbolift
BASHIR: Ready?  
O'BRIEN: Deck twenty one. Deck twenty one. I said, Deck twenty one.  
BASHIR: Maybe if you said please.  
O'BRIEN: What's wrong with this thing?  
BASHIR: Don't look at me. I don't know anything about this time period.
O'BRIEN: Maybe it's jammed. Help me get this wall panel off.  
WATLEY: Deck fifteen.
BASHIR: I won't tell anyone if you don't.

 

[David cgc]

My headcanon is that whether or not you hold the handle indicates your preference for ride characteristics:

• Voice-only is more convenient, and the cab's movement profile optimizes for comfort and safety.
• When handles are held, the movement profile optimizes for speed.

Perhaps the computer even estimates the number of passengers (by total weight, movement sensors in the plane of the doors, etc.) and increases the cab's maximum speed, acceleration/deceleration, maneuverability, and priority along a sliding scale, according to both metrics (holders vs. non-holders).

Maybe that's even one of the reasons that Spock's TEI prisoner escort to deck 2 takes so long: 2 or more occupants with 0 holders activates the maximum-safety profile, which means it (a) moves as slowly and gently as possible and (b) will yield right-of-way to every other cab on the ship that's on a faster profile.

This could also shed some light on the characters' different habits (Kirk almost always grabbing a handle while Spock often does not). Kirk is frequently in a hurry to get somewhere — sometimes even using the ladders as shortcuts — while Spock is often content to spend the ride doing contemplation, analysis... Spock solves problems wherever he is at the time, whether in a slow turbolift or in surgery donating blood to his father. Kirk needs to be physically where the action is, even when his presence is not required. Immediately upon beaming back from the Constellation, he literally runs to the bridge in spite of the fact that the outcome is already locked in and Spock is 100% capable at the conn. If he used a turbolift during that bridge run, I'll bet he grabbed two handles.

Reminds me of a detail DSC invented that I liked; sometimes characters would add "direct" after they told the turbolift where they were going. Presumably, that would keep it from making any stops on the way to pick up other crew.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

Maybe the strength you apply to the handle can indicate urgency, or it measures one's heart/respiration rate.

 

[tharpdevenport]

Here's the scene you're thinking of:

Yes, that's it. the TOS character grabbed the handle and gave the deck command, so that means you have to grab the handle.

 

[Mytran]

How could he not? That's the only way to get onto the bridge. Franz Joseph posited a gangway in a corridor around the bridge, but that was accessed through the secondary exit added in TAS, so there's no evidence that it was there as of "The Doomsday Machine."

Perhaps Kirk could have used the same entrance which the Scalosians made use of during their episode - there's no way they could have ridden the turbolift!

 

[Just a Bill]

Yes, that's it. the TOS character grabbed the handle and gave the deck command, so that means you have to grab the handle.

Unfortunately that's not how it worked in TOS; the handles were clearly optional. It made for a nice cute joke, but it wasn't good continuity. Just one of the many things that later productions got wrong about the original series.

Don't get me wrong; I really love Trials & Tribble-ations and overall it was an excellent homage. On first viewing it really gave me a nostalgic visit to the old Enterprise and I do consider this episode part of the TOS canon. But a lot of the reconstruction details were noticeably off, especially in the turbolift. Colors, shapes, sizes ... with maybe the most noticeable thing being that the control handles, stripes, and "windows" are all way too low. (Anyone making their own sets, models, etc. needs to be careful about what they believe on the DS9 T&T set plans.) Oh, and the lights didn't work like they did in TOS, not the deck indicators nor the control-handle lights. Still, a fantastic episode though, and I'm so glad they got Charlie Brill to reprise the role of Darvin.

 

[tharpdevenport]

I have to default to D.S.9., since the original series -- what started it all -- often forgot it's own continuity, didn't know what to call things and would early on have different names. Plus it would make no sense, if you didn't need to grip the handle, to grip the handle to give deck commands (and another episode showed Spock holding a conversation with a woman, where neither character was touching the handles, so the turbolifts have magical dramatic timing speeds that it sets on its own).

Plus, on a more thoughtful side, it would make sense you need to hold the handle back in that in-universe time. If somebody wanted to attack the ship and put the turbolifts out-of-order without doing anything mechanical, all they'd have to do is step in a turbolift, give deck orders, and away goes the lift from deck to deck. The more bad guys, the longer the turbolift journeys, until somebody happens to jump into one and knows how to override it. Maybe continuing holding the handles lets the computer know you are still in it and did not get out early. Just quick thoughts.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

Oooh, maybe it's fingerprint/palm print and voice recognition - dual-factor authentication.