Escalator Damage by Water

It seems more likely that the water might come between the handrail and the rollers, which would cause the handrail to stall until everything dried out. But damage to the rollers?? There might be a bit of rust that could be wire-brushed out; some disassembly required. The water might also make the handrail stick to its sliding support, but again drying it out ought to fix that, too.

I've seen several times where the handrail sticks to the slide rail and the drive roller and handrail start rubbing and usually causing wear on each other. Anytime water gets between a slider bed for a conveyor or handrail and slider the aforementioned locks up like honey on a playground slide. The less contact between the rail and slider the better. Outdoor rails sometimes have a thin ridge to allow for easier movement, but pressing down on it will cause it to stall. Once it dries it's good to go.

Escalators can function outside in the rain. There are many here in Florida. The hand rail seems to function without problem, even better since water between metal and rubber is used as lubricant. Some type "wet" bearing boat shaft use this principle too. When your escalator has been under water (submerged) we need a different approach.