Skilifts.org / SORT Forum

Here is a HSQ built by Felix Wopfner. Not my favorite design.

Is that the designer or the manufacturer? I imagine that's in Europe somewhere.

Felix Wopfner is the manufacturer.

the curvy chairs are remenicent of YAN but the terminal could use some improvements

when was that lift installed?

1992

Check this Leitner HSQ out. Its emergency rail is built into the terminal. I wonder if you could also have that as another unloading spot if you wanted?

The Wizard Express at Blackcomb also has one of those.

why don't we see more of theses over here in the usa

Though i don't have a picture of it, today i was skiing at a hill which has a 80's? Doppelmayr t-bar that has a gas or deisel drive. Was this a modification or are there others like this?

The T-Bar at Powder King has a diesel drive. This is because the ski area is located in an area that does not have electrical service.

The T-Bar at Big White is Diesel, as is the one at Apex. The Crystal Chair at Sun Peaks has a diesel drive. The one you rode would most likely be diesel - they are much more fuel efficient, and better at driving large loads.

Just as a follow up the other t-bar they have is also diesel but by an unknown maker. It uses a flywheel and a parralell pulley system to transfer power to a right angle gear setup and Gearbox. the bullwheel it self is actualy a large gear with teeth running the circuference of it. the neat feature of this lift is that the operator uses an elongated shift lever similar to that of a car to slow or stop the lift. The rope tow too is a nifty piece of engineering. basically a tractor in a shack in which one wheel acts as the bullwheel and drives the lift. The "sheves" are actually wheel hubs.

Interesting about what you mean by the shift lever. There is or was a double chairlift at Brundage Mountain in Idaho that had this same system. I was pretty young and don't remember the manufacturer but it could have been built by the same manufacturer. The lift served as a backup lift, and it sure was different. I'm no sure if this lift is still there after they installed the Bluebird HSQ, but I hope to find out this summer though. :)

There was a shift lever on the Auxiliary on the Granite chair. What you described with the gear on the bullwheel is called an open gear set. This is the final stage of reduction on that lift. The Silver King at WhiteWater is like this.

why don't the chiarlifts have like a 5pseed gear shift or somerhitn like that???? i think that would be cool

I don't think that electric drives need gears, but I could be wrong.

The auxiliary on Granite DOES have a 5 speed shifter... well it may be 4 I can't remember off the top of my head. I'll try and get a pic of it. You're right CAski, electric drives don't need gears.

To tie several threads together:
-You may also see open gear sets, or ring-and-pinion gears, on Murray-Latta lifts and older Halls with the compact terminals.
-Mt Baker is another area with no electrical power. They generate 110/220 VAC in both base areas for the buildings, and power the lifts with diesel. Most have a diesel secondary, which is like having two interchangeable main drives.
-Chair 3 at Baker has a tractor tranny, which has a four-speed main transmission and a reverser. We would run the lift in reverse to test the rollback safeties. Chair 2 has a Cheverolet Dynaglide automatic transmission, which you can shift from Low to 2 to Drive as load permits. It is mounted on an evac-only gas engine, but for an evac, it moves pretty fast (80% in Drive.)

liftmech, on Feb 9 2004, 04:46 AM, said:

Don't forget about Riblets :) That's what the one at Whitewater is anyways...