Stairs

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RPI is remarkable for using a vast variety in staircase technology. One of the earliest things freshmen are likely to learn at RPI is how to get between classes while climbing a minimum of stairs. (In the winter, the challenge is to get to class while using as many indoor routes as possible.)

RPI property is popular for skateboaring due to numerous convenient hand rails. The walkway past the DCC and JEC is often plagued with Troylets on skateboards for this reason.

From at least 1996-2004, a staircase descending from the rear of the Carnegie building hung inexplicably out into the air above a hill down to Troy. They finally remedied this over summer 2004 by creating a (rather inelegant) wooden staircase down to the ground. Upon close inspection, it seems that the staircase on the back of the building finally fell, and pieces of it now lie on the ground. The wooden staircase is currently blocked with caution tape. Perhaps one of the most obnoxious staircases on campus is the diagonal staircase by the CII. The steps face diagonally, making climbing it rather awkward, and the steps also seem smaller than most on campus.

Newcomers may be surprised when, once they get used to getting around campus in the fall, winter comes and boards are put over many of the outdoor stairs on campus to increase traction.