Last call for Katarinahissen?

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  Has the end come for the beloved Katarinahissen (The Katarina Elevator) in Stockholm?

• Last call for Katarinahissen?
  Katarinahissen (the Katarina Elevator), the passenger elevator in Stockholm that connects the lock area of Slussen to the heights of Södermalm, was constructed in 1881. But has she carried her last passenger at this point in time? The elevator won’t move until 2016 or 2017, and it’s not even sure if it will move then. “We have to renovate to make sure we get a dependable elevator,” says Andreas Jerat, Officer of Press and Information at Folksam, an insurance company. Folksam has begun an investigation to see if there’s a way to save Katarina. Even since 1883, she has carried thousands of people the 38 meters (124 feet) up to the bridge over to Stadsgården and Mosebacke torg. The view from the elevator is stunning, as anyone knows who has ever taken the ride. “The elevator is very old and in a bad shape,” says Andreas Jerat. “When we fix one part, another part breaks.” In order to save the elevator an extensive renovation is needed, but to repair it is no longer an alternative. Kone, the elevator contractor that takes care of the technical part of the elevator, says it is impossible due to its old age. “Its lifetime is up, it’s as easy as that,” Jerat says. Now all await the result of Folksam’s investigation to find out if there’s a future for Katarina.