I need to get some help with the new Tube Elevators.

I believe that one can't use them with Foundations, and in the game it says place them on Terrain or Floors, but when I try to do just that it never works,

Has anyone successfully placed Tube Elevators and could you explain the process in some detail?

You place them just as you would, say, a ladder. You need a space 2X1 squares on the floors you wish to place it. It will not extend through a foundation, for example, to a basement, but you can place it on the floor of a foundation (ground floor) extending to the upper floors without a problem. They take the least amount of floor space of all methods to get from one floor to another (well, the same as a ladder) compared to either stairs or an elevator.