Skilifts.org / SORT Forum

snoloco, on 12 August 2014 - 07:12 PM, said:

Chairs, grips and the haul rope are cheap, relatively speaking. Most of the investment is sitting just fine in the lower terminal.

SkiDaBird, on 14 August 2014 - 10:34 PM, said:

(Chair, grip) multiplied by 150, not cheap.

Governor's Express Update 8/14/14: http://www.skimarble...orsexpress81414

Interesting to look this place up on a map. 52 hour drive from Grand Junction. It's 150 miles closer to London!

They say that all chairs need to be replaced. I would fully expect to see Omega carriers on it rather than Falcon Carriers. I have less of an idea as to what happens with the grips if they need to be replaced. They could either special order the TB-41 grips which would be fully compatible with the existing machinery in the bottom terminal,but probably cost a lot since they aren't used in any new lifts. Getting Omega or LPA grips would probably be cheaper if they had to replace them all, but that requires a retrofit of the bottom terminal. They already need to rebuild the top terminal, so it would be built based on the grip design used.`

I am going to eat crow again and agree that my comments earlier were out of line and even to say that sometimes even off topic comments are needed because we can all learn from stuff that happens around us. I am going to go WAY offtopic on the additional info about the damage done by the Marble Mountain lightening strike. maybe there is a lesson to be learned for all.

Anyway, when lightening struck and burned down the Marble Mountain high speed quad lift hut, (thus torching the ski lift) it also took out something else. Environment Canada has a Doppler radar station at the top of Marble Mountain, and the power supply for that radar station uses an electric cable that runs up the lift line of the chair lift that got torched. You guessed it. The doppler radar power feed got torched too

http://www.cbc.ca/ne...tning-1.2739915


so the radar station, one of only two in Newfoundland, has been down since the chairlift fire of Aug 8.

current error message on Environment Canada's website as of Aug 23,2014 at 2pm eastern time

http://weather.gc.ca...x_e.html?id=XME

2014-08-23
Due to a service disruption with XME - Marble Mountain, the radar imagery is currently unavailable. Environment Canada technicians are aware and working to resolve the outage. Environment Canada apologizes for the inconvenience. Thank you for your patience.

ouch, end of off topic comments. feel free to poke fun at me for my earlier sharpness. :)
This post has been edited by Andy1962: 23 August 2014 - 10:13 AM

damaged chairs from " Marble Mountain high speed chair cable failure from fire exposure" removed from mountain by helicopter:


http://www.thewester...rble-Mountain/1

here is the video of a few chairs coming down. those of you who know chairs well will be able to tell how bad the damage is.

http://www.thewester...ng-a-helicopter
This post has been edited by Andy1962: 25 August 2014 - 07:48 PM

https://www.facebook...154528359205109


video of sheave assemblies being removed from towers. Sept 9,2014. sheaves to be sent for non destructive testing.

damage is more than initially calculated. Bottom terminal has electrical damage

http://www.thewester...ant-to-region/1




Battling the unofficial government creed that nothing ever gets finished on time or within budget, the push will need to be on when it comes to repairs of a broken Marble Mountain.
Following Mother Nature’s ill-advised wrath on the hill this summer, which resulted in a lightning strike destroying the top-of-the-hill Governors Express lift shack, as well as lift chairs, the management of Marble Mountain knew costs to repair would be significant.
Given the fire was believed to be an “act of God,” initial hopes were that insurance would cover the cost.
But the ski resort’s general manager said Tuesday that the cost of the repairs could be far greater than the $1.2 million covered by insurance — millions of dollars more.
The reason for the inflated estimates seems to be that the damage was not limited to the top of the hill. The lower terminal of the lift, at the base of the mountain, also suffered because the lightning fried the electrical system.
The hill is working on some different scenarios with manufacturers. Let’s hope one of them sticks.
The influence Marble Mountain has on western Newfoundland is often measured in dollar signs but there’s much more to tallying the worth of the facility than the number of lift passes sold and the spinoff business to restaurants and hotels.
Marble’s greatest asset is what it brings to the atmosphere of the area during the coldest season when the collective spirits of the people living here can easily be dampened by yet another freezing streak and a guaranteed amount of snowfall.
This is not to say the province should open up a never-ending trough of cash to keep it open, but there cannot be the expectation that it will ever be self-sufficient financially. Not even close.
Following last season, with some of the best conditions the hill’s seen in years — as well as a vocal and adamant collection of users calling out for more at season’s end — opening Marble on time this year takes increased importance.
There will likely be factors that work against this goal as there always is in major infrastructure work. However, the province and Marble Mountain Development Corporation must do what it can to meet that nearing deadline.

I suppose that is not too surprising. Lightning will do what it wants to, inlcuding traveling down along the cable and comm lines.

From the Marble Mountain Facebook page:

Quote

Lift Dinosaur, on 12 August 2014 - 07:19 PM, said:

Not to make fun of you in any way Dino but read this: New chair lift going in. everything new except the towers and upper. lower support frames $4.7 million. (This is Canada and Marble Mountain has a sugar daddy :) )

http://www.thewester...ain-chairlift/1


More than $3.5 million from province to repair Marble Mountain chairlift



With just about three months until opening day, officials at Marble Mountain remain optimistic that all lifts at the downhill ski facility will be running — including the Governor’s Express.
The 20-year-old chair lift was knocked out of commission following a fire on Aug. 8 caused by lightning. The fire destroyed the lift shack at the top of the mountain and caused the cable supporting the chair lift to snap and the chairs to collapse to the ground.
The cost to replace the lift — including chairs, grips and new a lift cable — came in at $4.7 million dollars and the ski hill’s insurance will only cover about $1.2 million of that. So, earlier this month Marble went to the province to ask for help in replacing the 100-chair lift.
Wednesday, the province came through with a cash infusion of just over $3.5 million.
The money was announced by Tony Cornect, minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation at Marble Mountain on Wednesday morning.
Following the announcement, Marble Mountain’s general manager Chris Beckett said work on the lift has been ongoing since the fire, with the chairs removed and parts being tested. The only things that won’t be replaced are the towers that hold the cables and their foundations, along with the towers and foundations that hold the bottom and top terminals.
Beckett said the normal life span of a chair lift is 25 years, so some of the pieces are at the end of their useful life. He said it doesn’t make sense to use old equipment with new, since some of it is not compatible.
Beckett said the new lift will be equipped with the latest in lightning-prevention equipment.
With the money in place, Beckett said the parts needed can now be ordered.
Some of the parts will come from Europe and some from North America and will be delivered pre-assembled. It will be late October before most arrive and then some staff from Marble will assist staff from lift manufacturer, Poma, in putting the lift together.
If the Governor’s Express is not ready for opening day, Beckett said the facility will still open. The Black Mariah and Newfie Bullet lifts can be used to access runs on the east side of the mountain.
“It’s still the best skiing in Atlantic Canada with that part of the mountain,” he said.
Meanwhile, Cornect said the decision to provide the ski hill with the money was fast-tracked, but it was still made after significant analysis of the situation and what needed to be done.
Cornect said the funding is “no small amount,” and reflects the importance the hill plays in winter tourism on the west coast. From accommodations to food service, skiing and snowmobiling, Cornect said the ski facility is an economic stimulator for the economy on the west coast.


EARLIER STORY
The provincial government has allocated more than $3.5 million to assist the Marble Mountain Development Corporation with the replacement of the Governor’s Express lift.
The chairlift was damaged when a lightning strike caused a fire in the lift shack at the top of the ski hill Aug. 8.
Marble Mountain will open for the upcoming season with its two lifts that are currently operational, according to a press release issued today. The Marble Mountain Development Corporation is working diligently to have the Governor’s Express lift operational for the upcoming ski season.
This post has been edited by Andy1962: 24 September 2014 - 05:37 PM

Interesting reading about the financials of this place...
http://www.ag.gov.nl...Corporation.pdf

It loses $100,000-$600,000 every year and as of 2012 had a maxed out $2.1 million line of credit with the Provincial government. Hopefully the taxpayers like to ski!

Andy- A Sugar Daddy is a Sugar Daddy, even if they call it "Provincial Government" in Canada.
Granted, the move was the correct one considering the age of the equipment, but the original supposition wasn't going to happen for $1.2M in insurance money.

Dino
This post has been edited by Lift Dinosaur: 26 September 2014 - 02:46 PM

Lift Dinosaur, on 26 September 2014 - 02:45 PM, said:

accepting totally your tongue in cheek comments. agreed right decision was made. stuff was fried in the lightening strike and fire that just can't be "plug and play " replaced due to compatibility issues with old and new equipment.. no explaining needed.

Interesting to know that the Doppler radar that sits at the top of Marble mountain near the chairlift top terminal, also got fried by the lightening strike, yet no press and no timelime from Environment Canada (a federal government agency) as to when it will be fixed. Perhaps email question to my local member of parliament and a copy to the press to stir up a hornet's nest :) The Doppler radar is one of only two on the island of Newfoundland, and serves a real needed function in keeping maritime fishermen safe in changing weather conditions. Just good to know that when lightening fries your stuff, it really does cook it. best not get struck. (warning tongue in cheek comments in this paragraph - I live in Ontario this stuff does not affect me in any way- so myob etc) .
This post has been edited by Andy1962: 26 September 2014 - 06:18 PM

I'm from BC, but I would guess a bit of the decision to support the resort was made on the basis of having to pay employment insurance / welfare to the many people who would not work as much over the winter. My guess is the 3.5 million was less than what would have had to have been paid anyway so from the provincial government perspective it was worth it.

The replacement high speed quad will appropriately be named Lightning Express.

Peter, on 20 October 2014 - 04:05 PM, said:

see http://www.skilifts....pic=10069&st=20 Some the parts from this torched lift are headed to Tremblant Quebec to fix the burned lift there. I left my comments in the Tremblant forum since that seems a more relevalant place for them. This forum seems to be mostly finished for comment, there probably won't be any more unusual developments at Marble.
This post has been edited by Andy1962: 13 November 2014 - 05:17 PM

http://www.cbc.ca/pl.../ID/2640913715/

Today....

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-35 with wind chill... nothing like building a lift in January.

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