You know, I'm still thinking (was it this thread, or another?) about the concept of a DF paternoster implementation. Two tiles side-by-side, one up, one down, defined across multiple Z-levels, with power source fed in. For balancing, 'cabs' or similarly defined rooms on nonadacent Z-levels up and down the chain (so that there isn't
always a cab at any particular floor, maybe one-in-two, maybe one-in-five, maybe fixed maximum cabs, even when extending the shafts?) but give a transit speed between floors greater than a typical hauling dwarf.
If able to enter a car/wait for entry to a car then board, it's an assisted movement (at least while power is on) and an improvement to haulage, but the wait between the cars (and mechanics necessary to build) makes it an inefficient casual method. Also can imagine a 'dunking paternoster' where it submerges an unsuspecting rider. Possibly as an offshoot of one which is turned off to trap a rider in a cab (then prepare the flood an start them on their journey again). In fact, imagine herding a set of beasties into cabs, one at a time, so as to redispense them out again (at source level or wherever else there is an exit) when the power goes on. With a pressure-plate initiated power source linkage I could imagine a stock of War Elephants being steadily unleashed upon invaders, or untamed megabeasties let into the training pens. Well, there are probably better ideas than that.