Rabbi of Berlin, you can also frame anything as uvda s’chol, immodest or moshav leitzim? Rav Yaakov Emden says this about petting a dog (Sheilot Yaavetz 17 at the end- http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=1408&st=&pgnum=41). If you cannot tell what is normative look around and see what frum people are doing. As for the difference between an escalator and a train, an escalator is a staircase that moves. Starting it probably does not involve any Torah prohibition and everyone can see that it is constantly running. Moreover, the shul is a private place and the gabbaim can put up a sign stating that it runs constantly on Shabbat and Yom Tov.
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