113 replies to this topic

[liftmech]

Sure you could. We have all our fixed-grips mounted with proxies to act as derail switches on the terminal guide sheaves. Either use that one, or wire in another separate switch solely to operate the gates.

[Dawson]

Ours are wired through limit switches with a wand next to the bullwheel, with a timer to control the opening time and delay.

And I think the no gate option on top drive pomas is becuase there is no hydraulics at the return. And while you could put a seperate unit, it makes the whole install more expensive.

This post has been edited by Dawson: 20 March 2005 - 09:14 PM

[trtam]

Park City has loading gates on all their high-speed-sixes. I guess they're mostly for beginners that need help learning when to move and to also help you find where to sit on the chair.

[liftmech]

Dawson, on Mar 20 2005, 10:13 PM, said:

And I think the no gate option on top drive pomas is becuase there is no hydraulics at the return.  And while you could put a seperate unit, it makes the whole install more expensive.
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What would that have to do with it? The load gates are operated by electric motors.

[poloxskier]

poloxskier, on Mar 3 2005, 06:03 PM, said:

Poma's design is very solid and do a good job of keeping people back until its time to load. Steamboat's are probably either an in-house design or another company since they are on multiple different lifts of different makes. They are also there just as a visual cue but they wont hold anyone back.

I don't know if its a temporary removal or perminant, but the loading gates at Steamboat have almost all been removed, the posts are still there but the wands are no longer there. The only lift that I saw that still has the wands on them was Sundown Express, although I didnt ski the whole mountain just storm peak, the chutes and one run on Sundown.

[DonaldMReif]

Since the last post, I've found that there are some good cases of Poma gates on Dopplemayr lifts. In 2007, Leitner Poma gates were added to the Keystone Peru Express lift to ease loading issues. They are nice, so why couldn't the other four high speed quads get them. The Summit Express lift has them, but they seem to only align skiers. I really like them in Breckenridge, though.

[DonaldMReif]

DonaldMReif, on Mar 7 2009, 04:47 PM, said:

Since the last post, I've found that there are some good cases of Poma gates on Dopplemayr lifts. In 2007, Leitner Poma gates were added to the Keystone Peru Express lift to ease loading issues. They are nice, so why couldn't the other four high speed quads get them. The Summit Express lift has them, but they seem to only align skiers. I really like them in Breckenridge, though.

Also, there aren't many Doppelmayrs in Colorado with loading gates, but lots of Pomas with loading gates.

[Kicking Horse]

Since the Load Gates were removed on the Village Express due to Disabled Vets week the Lift had fewer misloads after the vets left. I seem to think that the load gates do more harm then good and so does 99% of the VX staff.

[2milehi]

DonaldMReif, on Mar 7 2009, 04:47 PM, said:

Since the last post, I've found that there are some good cases of Poma gates on Dopplemayr lifts. In 2007, Leitner Poma gates were added to the Keystone Peru Express lift to ease loading issues. They are nice, so why couldn't the other four high speed quads get them. The Summit Express lift has them, but they seem to only align skiers. I really like them in Breckenridge, though.

Vail and Beaver Creek operate quite fine without load gates. I believe that the Bird's of Prey at BC is a side loader without load gates.

There is suppost to be an operator at the load board - that person should be doing their job and load people onto the chair. If that happens - no load gates are needed.

[vons]

We triied load gates on American Flyer a few seasons ago and promptly removed them the next summer. People seem to get more destracted by them or tangled in them then anything else

[DonaldMReif]

vons, on Apr 15 2009, 03:43 PM, said:

We triied load gates on American Flyer a few seasons ago and promptly removed them the next summer. People seem to get more destracted by them or tangled in them then anything else

If I can't make a note, is it hard for Americans to load a six pack unless you have gates?


Breckenridge has gates on all their detachable lifts, and they seem to run very efficiently. There's on a few occasions a misload at the Peak 8 SuperConnect, which has 90 degree loading, and same at Quicksilver Super6, with the famous double loading. I haven't seen many times where the gates caused misload issues, although on the Colorado SuperChair, it seems that the gates aren't open for long enough and thus like you have to start moving the moment they open to get four people on each chair. On the other lifts, it works fine.

[Andoman]

vons, on Apr 15 2009, 05:43 PM, said:

We triied load gates on American Flyer a few seasons ago and promptly removed them the next summer. People seem to get more destracted by them or tangled in them then anything else

Personally as a skier I like them especially where the loading ramps are sheer ice with nothing to dig your poles into, the beefier ones give you something to push off of, but I could see how they could be an annoyance for the lifties.

[skiersage]

DonaldMReif, on Mar 7 2009, 06:47 PM, said:

Since the last post, I've found that there are some good cases of Poma gates on Dopplemayr lifts. In 2007, Leitner Poma gates were added to the Keystone Peru Express lift to ease loading issues. They are nice, so why couldn't the other four high speed quads get them.

I personally wouldn't like it if the rest of the high speed quads there had loading gates. I personally didn't like them. I was a ski instructor at Keystone last year. When I would take children on that lift, there would be at least one that would get stuck in them. If the gate wasn't there the kid would have made it fine. As long as everyone knows to follow the chair out they will be fine.

DonaldMReif, on Apr 15 2009, 06:52 PM, said:

If I can't make a note, is it hard for Americans to load a six pack unless you have gates?

Six pack lifts aren't hard to load without gates. Look at Boyne Mountain. They haven't been using the gates on theirs when I was there. The lift never stopped. Compared to the rest of the lifts there (fixed grips) that lift is easy.

As I have said before, the loading gates at Nubs Nob are the only kind I like. Theirs are light and will give way to people. You can ski right through them if you want. They work but don't cause any problems.

[skibum603]

Andoman, on Apr 15 2009, 07:15 PM, said:

Personally as a skier I like them especially where the loading ramps are sheer ice with nothing to dig your poles into, the beefier ones give you something to push off of, but I could see how they could be an annoyance for the lifties.

If the lift crew is on the ball- the ramp will not be ice because they take pride in what they do and they know how to do it right. If there is an attendant at the wait here line interacting with the guests and helping them- That's the best load gate you can get! -my $0.02

[Andoman]

skibum603, on Apr 16 2009, 09:18 AM, said:

If the lift crew is on the ball- the ramp will not be ice because they take pride in what they do and they know how to do it right. If there is an attendant at the wait here line interacting with the guests and helping them- That's the best load gate you can get! -my $0.02

I agree completely, but in michigan odds are 9 times out of 10 the ramps are sheer ice, I'll put nubs nob and bittersweet and possibly boyne resorts as local ski areas that take care of the ramps consistently.

[skierdude9450]

I think that it doesn't make much difference on which devices are at the loading area, but the level of experience of people loading the lift. I think that if Quicksilver didn't have loading gates, there would still be as many f#@k ups because you're trying to load 6 people who can hardly stand up on skis onto a chair that's not much wider than their living room sofa. I think it also helps a lot if the lift attendants don't just stand there, but rather say "All the way out to the line" or something to that accord. I know that gets monotonous 600 times per hour, but an oral direction always helps riders who aren't confident. Now it does also say "If you are unfamiliar with the lift, ask an attendant for help", but that's just another sign.

[brad82]

Every lift in Europe has these. I guess its code here...

I guess they are to get people on the loading area at the right time, so the chair doesnt hit them

[NoPainNoJane]

brad82, on Apr 19 2009, 01:49 PM, said:

Every lift in Europe has these. I guess its code here...

I guess they are to get people on the loading area at the right time, so the chair doesnt hit them

not true, I was in Austria earlier this year and saw many lifts w/o loading gates, now if they could only get rid of those damn footrests.

[brad82]

Ah well, I have never been to austria. But in France I have never seen a lift without load gate.

I prefer load gates, I always get the feeling im going to get whacked in the back by the chair without them, I suppose thats because ever since ive started skiing they have been there...

This post has been edited by brad82: 26 April 2009 - 01:38 AM

[DonaldMReif]

skierdude9450, on Apr 16 2009, 04:20 PM, said:

I think that it doesn't make much difference on which devices are at the loading area, but the level of experience of people loading the lift. I think that if Quicksilver didn't have loading gates, there would still be as many ups because you're trying to load 6 people who can hardly stand up on skis onto a chair that's not much wider than their living room sofa. I think it also helps a lot if the lift attendants don't just stand there, but rather say "All the way out to the line" or something to that accord. I know that gets monotonous 600 times per hour, but an oral direction always helps riders who aren't confident. Now it does also say "If you are unfamiliar with the lift, ask an attendant for help", but that's just another sign.

The reason why you need gates at Quicksilver Super6, is because remember that it's a double loading lift. At the first station, the gates must stay no matter what happens, because without the gate, people might try to move out after the chair comes, only to then get knocked down by a chair heading to the second load. Not good.

Wheras, the second load station is a standard load station with eight seconds between chairs (eight because after every chair to the second station there comes a chair for the first station, followed by the second one, and so on) while with the chairs in the first station that allows for four second line spacing.

The Ruby Express at Keystone could run without gates, but do remember that on any given day at least one or two of the chairs might have the two metal holders for ski patrol to ferry loaded stretchers back from North Peak to Dercum Mountain. Because of these stretchers, there are typically only 98 chairs for actual skiers, with the remaining two for ski patrol. The reason gates are needed is because you don't want someone to try and move in front of a chair only to sit down on the stretcher holders.

Case in point.