102 replies to this topic

[DonaldMReif]

How would the downhill line turn if you only had a half-midstation on the lift? You can't use canted sheaves like the Baldy Express at Snowbird uses.

[SkiForChairlifts]

Kicking Horse, on 23 November 2014 - 02:55 PM, said:

I can tell you for a fact that the Village Express does not turn. Along with the West Buttermilk Express.

The Elk Camp Gondi does make a turn at Snowmass....

:)

Your right! Sorry about that, I thought that VX turned. The Elk Camp Gondola does.

[SkiForChairlifts]

Elk Camp Gondola on Snowmass Turns -

This post has been edited by SkiForChairlifts: 24 November 2014 - 08:17 PM

[RibStaThiok]

That is quite impressive

[NHskier13]

SkiForChairlifts, on 22 November 2014 - 07:45 PM, said:

Village Express - Snowmass, CO
West Buttermilk - Buttermilk Mnt, Aspen

Kicking Horse, on 23 November 2014 - 02:55 PM, said:

I can tell you for a fact that the Village Express does not turn. Along with the West Buttermilk Express.

The Elk Camp Gondi does make a turn at Snowmass....

:)

Then what exactly is the photo depicting? (Not saying you're wrong, I just don't really get it)
It looks like the terminal is angled, or there is a slight addon section. I notice the downline does not stop...

This post has been edited by NHskier13: 27 November 2014 - 09:50 AM

[vons]

The rope goes straight trough and does not change direction other than deflecting downward and upward to allow the grip to detach/attach, the chairs themselves swing out onto a contour to unload or load the occupants, the chairs then swing back in to align with the rope again.

This post has been edited by vons: 27 November 2014 - 12:48 PM

[Kicking Horse]

Not exactly a lift that has a turn station, But the Six Shooter has a slight turn on the line... Will try and get photos next time I ride that lift.

[woofydoggie]

How would a half turn station work for loading AND unloading?

[Backbowlsbilly]

woofydoggie, on 16 December 2014 - 04:10 PM, said:

How would a half turn station work for loading AND unloading?

A gondola station :)

I don't know why a resort would want one of those but I've thought about that too, it would have to be a really long terminal, like the 3 masted LP gondola terminals except twice for the load and unload, and would have to have an extremely well designed system of lift mazes and unload zones so the lift wouldn't have to stop every five seconds. In order to have the loading as well, you would have to have gates on the bottom and the midstation like Superconnect at Breck has with alternating them so people don't try to get on a chair that already has people on it. Most, if not all half turn stations are used just for loading or unloading though, not both.

[Backbowlsbilly]

woofydoggie, on 16 December 2014 - 04:10 PM, said:

How would a half turn station work for loading AND unloading?

Here's one, I didn't think any actually existed but its called the Perisher Express in Austrailia. (http://www.remontees...rtage-2902.html, Thanks to Remontees Mecaniques for the link) It's a half station that has unloading for foot passengers, then loading for skiers. As you can see from the pictures on the link, it is a much longer station than the one on VE at Snowmass and my best guess would say that this was one of the earliest half stations built, since it is an old Doppelmayr CLD-260 quad and not many of those even had full midstations, let alone a half one.

[Kicking Horse]

So Six Shooter makes a small turn at Towers 24 25 and 26. The Sheaves are angled to provide the turn.

:)

[DonaldMReif]

Baldy Express at Snowbird, and Silver Strike Express at Deer Valley, also use angled sheaves.

[NHskier13]

The Perisher Express in a Nutshell:
That's...Different.
I wonder how the chain (if the haven't switched to tires) loops around a half station?

[2milehi]

NHskier13, on 21 December 2014 - 04:20 AM, said:

The Perisher Express in a Nutshell:
That's...Different.
I wonder how the chain (if the haven't switched to tires) loops around a half station?

Ten support tubes on this mid termial. Not sure if they saved any money by excluding the other half of the terminal in lieu of support tubes.

[Lift Dinosaur]

NHskier13, on 21 December 2014 - 04:20 AM, said:

The Perisher Express in a Nutshell:
That's...Different.
I wonder how the chain (if the haven't switched to tires) loops around a half station?

Not quite sure what you are talking about here. It appears to me to be a straight, one half, load and unload terminal. It is not a return station and therefore would not have a chain or tires for turning.

Dino

[Kicking Horse]

Dino, what he is asking is how the chairs move though that mid terminal.

[RibStaThiok]

This may have already been discussed, but how do turns on the line affect the servicability and maintenance and life of the componants?

[NHskier13]

This one is pretty interesting. Looks like the actual line does not turn. But the bottom station does:

[DonaldMReif]

Quicksilver Super6 has a terminal like that, with the slight turn in the bottom terminal being located at about the point of the first loading area.

[Backbowlsbilly]

NHskier, I believe that's to make it easier for 90 degree loading and unloading. That's a Doppelmayr feature on the lift you mentioned above that I've seen both on older lifts, like the Alpkofbahn in Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis, Austria. (It is for 90 degree unloading, picture thanks to Remontees Mechaniques)

And newer lifts, like the new Mountain Top Express at Vail, which has this feature for 90 degree loading but at slighter degree. Look at the line the chairs take, it bulges it out in the terminal to allow for easier use of the loading carpet

Quicksilver has a bend to accommodate the double loading, with guests coming at a slight angle from the Maggie.

This post has been edited by Backbowlsbilly: 05 March 2015 - 06:30 PM