TOS Door Colors

[Robert Comsol]

Interestingly, the turbo lift issue brings me back to the original theme of the thread: door colors

I think it's safe to assume that we are dealing with a turbo lift if a) the door is red and/or b) there's a sign above which either says "turbo lift" or is at the same spot as the turbo lift sign.

Especially in "The Naked Time" we have nevertheless blue doors with elevator cars that do not match this category:

http://tos.trekcore.com/hd/albums/1x04hd/thenakedtimehd0495.jpg (Riley exiting elevator car)

http://tos.trekcore.com/hd/albums/1x04hd/thenakedtimehd0533.jpg (Sulu getting ready to fence)

http://tos.trekcore.com/hd/albums/1x04hd/thenakedtimehd0827.jpg (Spock noticing effects of virus on crew)

The latter one did puzzle me as just around a corner there is a normal or regular tubo lift into which Janice Rand - being stalked by a crewman - tries to get into: http://tos.trekcore.com/hd/albums/1x04hd/thenakedtimehd0832.jpg

Regarding the one with Sulu we know from Uhura's report that he is chasing crewmen on "level 2", which - in another thread - I suggested to be the outer and lower rim of deck 7 which rather appears to be level 2 of deck 6 (as it has no passageway to the interior part of deck 7). As there are only two deck levels in the outer rim, what we are seeing here might just be a deck elevator that doesn't qualify as a turbo lift (basically a larger version than the engineering room deck elevators seen in TMP and TNG).

That would also fit with a color code for the hangar deck doors as these also provide access to an elevator - the elevator platform for the shuttlecraft.

Bob

 

[data909]

I think you might be missing the green for the observation deck. Either that or I'm crazy.

 

[Mytran]

According to The Making of Star Trek the intention had been to locate the "Computer Systems" on deck 7 and deck 8. According to "Journey to Babel" they're right across from Kirk's cabin on deck 5

Actually, the sign says "computer statistics" and turns up in several different locations accross the ship. You can see it most clearly across from the Transporter Room in This Side of Paradise:

I think it's safe to assume that we are dealing with a turbo lift if a) the door is red and/or b) there's a sign above which either says "turbo lift" or is at the same spot as the turbo lift sign.

Is it possible that the reason those Turbolifts are unmarked is because they are "exit only" elevators?

Bear with me on this - obviously, in most cases a turbolift will have a dedicated alcove when it makes a stop, to allow traffic to pass while people alight/disembark at their leisure. What if (for high volume areas such as Engineering or Sickbay) there are exit apetures on the main trackway?

These would obviously have to have a short time limit on how long they'd be able to stay open, but it would allow people in a hurry to quickly step out and be about their business.

These stops are not designed to pick up passengers of course, which is why they don't have the usual signage and/or door colours.

Regarding the one with Sulu we know from Uhura's report that he is chasing crewmen on "level 2", which - in another thread - I suggested to be the outer and lower rim of deck 7 which rather appears to be level 2 of deck 6

How would it be possible to fit the corridor seen into the outer "donut" of the ship? Sulu runs down a fairly long straight corridor before turning into the curved section. I just can't see there being that much room in the outer part of the ship.

I think you might be missing the green for the observation deck. Either that or I'm crazy.

Greeney-Bluey-Turquoise also turns up in that door McCoy enters from in the opening scene of Amok Time.

 

[Timo]

Actually, the sign says "computer statistics" and turns up in several different locations accross the ship.

Proof positive that these things are in fact display screens, and the message on them varies as needed - being "computer statistics" when the computer is running statistical analysis on who reads these damn signs anyway.

Perhaps door color is also altered by keypress or computer subroutine, as required to cue in the Red Shift, the Yellow Shift or the Blue Shift for their daily assignments?

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Mytran]

Proof positive that these things are in fact display screens, and the message on them varies as needed - being "computer statistics" when the computer is running statistical analysis on who reads these damn signs anyway.

Thanks for that - made my lunchtime!

 

[jayrath]

Proof positive that these things are in fact display screens, and the message on them varies as needed - being "computer statistics" when the computer is running statistical analysis on who reads these damn signs anyway.

Thanks for that - made my lunchtime!

Oh, I like that. I like that a LOT!

Really, I do. This is the same outside-the-box thinking I try to bring to people who argue that cel phones are the same as communicators. Really? Cel phones can contact ships in space? From the opposite side of the planet? Via subspace? And relay the exact coordinates of every atom of my body? Without satelites? Wow, that's great bandwidth.

If so, I can't wait to dial into the International Space Station!

 

[blssdwlf]

Is it possible that the reason those Turbolifts are unmarked is because they are "exit only" elevators?

Mytran, are there alot of instances where we've seen these unmarked turbolifts?

 

[Mytran]

I'd need to double check, but I think it's only those early first-season instances which are mentioned above. Generally speaking, the set dressers were very consistent about changing the doors to red and sticking the label on if a turbolift required a new location.
For example, the door across from the Transporter Room in season 3 (also previously mentioned upthread) changed colour and a few episodes later in LTBYLB was actually shown to be a working Turbolift! It also changed colour later that season back to the regular blue. Much better IMO, it's a weird place for a turbolift stop!

 

[Timo]

Shouldn't turbolifts connect as directly as possible to the transporters? Runs from the bridge to the transporter room are among the most common and most important!

in LTBYLB was actually shown to be a working Turbolift!

Umm, are you sure? There was no turbolift connecting to a transporter room in that episode - it was sort of the point that the two clowns were unable to use turbolifts in their quest to reach the transporter room (supposedly because they jammed each other's rides with their telekinetic powers).

Or do you just mean that this part of the set was equipped with a red door and a turbolift sign, for the scene where Bele bursts out of the lift and tackles a crewman? That by default was "really" nowhere near a transporter room. And an odd turbolift exit point there would well fit the idea that the ride was cut short by jamming action. Plus, supposedly Bele exits at a relatively high deck, so that he's forced to travel by foot through decks 3-5 at least; a straight rather than curved turbolift-served corridor that high up is a welcome sight indeed...

The one thread-relating oddity in the episode was the instance of the crew lounge doors being ajar so that Spock could eavesdrop. Another example of the clowns using their jamming powers?

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Robert Comsol]

"For example, the door across from the Transporter Room in season 3 (also previously mentioned upthread) changed colour and a few episodes later in LTBYLB was actually shown to be a working Turbolift! It also changed colour later that season back to the regular blue. Much better IMO, it's a weird place for a turbolift stop!"

While the door color changed to red after "Elaan of Troyius" the scene you are describing from "LTBYLB" appears to take place on main deck 3 (across the studio set of the transporter room). The corridor end has this strange angled-in wall (they used earlier in this episode for the hangar deck) they put there some time during Season Two or Three.

The movement of Lokai and Bele throughout the ship (monitored and commented by Spock on the bridge) suggests that the turbo lift is inoperative below deck 3. It could appear that the transporter room is on deck 5. Which - again - might indicate that's where we have sickbay. I feel that medical wards and transporter rooms should be on the same deck so you don't need to worry about moving those stretchers and get injured landing party personnel to an "astro-medicine ward" ASAP.

Bob

 

[Robert Comsol]

"The one thread-relating oddity in the episode was the instance of the crew lounge doors being ajar so that Spock could eavesdrop. Another example of the clowns using their jamming powers?"

Or a leftover from "Wink of an Eye" when the Scalosians short-circuited some doors in order not to wait a whole day for just one door to be opening.

Bob

 

[Mytran]

Yes, with regard to LTBYLB I was referring to the use of set as a turbolift demonstration. But you can see the red door (complete with Turbolift label, I believe) in several episodes when people exit the Transporter Room.

As regards to where a Turbolift should stop by a Transporter Room, I agree that it ought to be nearby - but the spot through the A-Frame is a better use of space (and has turned up there in other episodes too.

 

[Robert Comsol]

"Yes, with regard to LTBYLB I was referring to the use of set as a turbolift demonstration. But you can see the red door (complete with Turbolift label, I believe) in several episodes when people exit the Transporter Room."

For my transporter room thread I did make an ongoing analysis and after "Elaan of Troyius" (production order) the door became red but there are no turbo lift labels above the door (opposite to the transporter room).

"As regards to where a Turbolift should stop by a Transporter Room, I agree that it ought to be nearby - but the spot through the A-Frame is a better use of space (and has turned up there in other episodes too."

Please feel free to correct me, but thus far I'm only aware of three episodes where the turbo lift is visible behind the A-Frame:
"Charlie X" http://tos.trekcore.com/hd/albums/1x02hd/charliexhd002.jpg
"This Side of Paradise"
http://tos.trekcore.com/hd/albums/1x24hd/thissideofparadisehd397.jpg
"Elaan of Troyius"
http://tos.trekcore.com/hd/albums/3x13hd/elaanoftroyiushd0038.jpg
(I believe the door label opposite to the transporter room reads "Electrographic Analysis")

Starting with Season Two the 'back door' of the transporter room (set) became a new turbo lift location (e.g.: "Amok Time", "Wolf in the Fold", "Ultimate Computer").

By Season Three they went back to the original location at the end of the corridor (between the transporter room and sickbay set) like in this shot from "Day of the Dove" (crew heading from transporter room to nearest turbo lift): http://tos.trekcore.com/hd/albums/3x07hd/dayofthedovehd0272.jpg

(notice the fire hydrant socket on the wall. During the sword fighting later on, it gets kicked over...)

Bob

 

[Mytran]

(notice the fire hydrant socket on the wall. During the sword fighting later on, it gets kicked over...)

That always makes me smile when I see it - shows just how fragile some parts of the set really were!

 

[Robert Comsol]

Here is the screencap from "Charlie X" near the ship's galley (transporter room corridor set) with the turbo lift sign reading "turbo lift 3" which I mentioned earlier in the thread: http://tos.trekcore.com/hd/albums/1x02hd/charliexhd187.jpg

Other than "2" and "7" I'm currently not aware of signs with different numbers, in the later two seasons we had less close-up shots of the turbo lift doors.

Bob

 

[throwback]

In later Trek shows, turbolifts were located in turboshafts. Each turboshaft was labeled with a number. It's possible that the numbers we see in TOS are for turboshafts.

http://images.wikia.com/memoryalpha/en/images/2/26/Galaxy_class_deck_6_graphic.jpg

 

[Timo]

I guess the issue there would be, why label any particular stretch of an interconnecting network of shafts "7" or "2" or "3" on the outside? It apparently tells nothing about where this particular lift goes or cannot go - as far as we know, all lifts go everywhere.

Clearly, it is unlikely that all the doors marked "Turbolift 7" could be along the same vertical shaft, or along the same circular or radial horizontal shaft. If they are along a stretch of shaft that swerves and weaves through the ship, why is that stretch being given a number? Why not call it the sum total of radial shafts 2, 17 and 9, circular shafts 3 and 5, and vertical shafts 1 and 8? It is unlikely to be a single "unit" of shafting for any user anyway.

Timo Saloniemi

 

[Maurice]

The answer is that all turbolifts have the name "7".

 

[Mytran]

Ah, if only! See upthread:

Here is an image from the episode "The Man Trap" where we have a sign for Turbo Lift 2.

http://tos.trekcore.com/hd/albums/1x01-2-hd/themantraphd335.jpg