Skilifts.org / SORT Forum

teachme, on 25 May 2015 - 10:56 PM, said:

The thing with the Grouse trams are that they run for 3 minutes then wait 7 before going again. Also, Red is used for people and blue normally only for staff and freight (unless windy as the windows open). So, for the red tram:

18 minutes an hour
14 hours a day = 4.2 hours a day
11 months a year = 1432 hours a year
39 years = 55856 total hours

Too many assumptions here but kind of an idea.

TME

A lift's hour meter is usually started by the control power switch, not the "run" command. Therefore the hour meter keeps running even though the lift is not moving. So if it's turned on at 8am and off at 4pm it will log 8 hours.
Dino

Lift Dinosaur, on 11 August 2015 - 06:50 AM, said:

Thanks LD

Then how is maintenance scheduled? Obviously some things like a paint job are not operations dependent, but others like replacing the cables must be based on hours of actual use or cycles? It makes no sense for a tram that operates one an hour 12 hours a day to replace cables and wheel bearings as often as one that runs 8 times an hour 18 hours a day. If the time count is from power on to power off then it seems the data is useless. Power on but not moving is the same as power off (and hopefully not moving!!) for 99% of the lift components.

teachme, on 11 August 2015 - 08:31 AM, said:

Thanks LD
Then how is maintenance scheduled? Obviously some things like a paint job are not operations dependent, but others like replacing the cables must be based on hours of actual use or cycles? It makes no sense for a tram that operates one an hour 12 hours a day to replace cables and wheel bearings as often as one that runs 8 times an hour 18 hours a day. If the time count is from power on to power off then it seems the data is useless. Power on but not moving is the same as power off (and hopefully not moving!!) for 99% of the lift components.

Trams are different as they are 'non-circulating" ropeways. My experience with these types of installations is maintenance is scheduled - Daily; Weekly; Monthly, Semi- Annually; Annually.
As for component replacement, most are not tied to hours of operation but rather they are inspected against a wear criteria for replacement. In the case of the haul rope, the main rejection criteria are 1) loss of nominal diameter (core is deteriorating or the outer wires are becoming worn) exceeding 6% or 2) Loss of cross section metallic area (a number of broken wires in a given length). There are other criteria to be considered during inspection but they are too numerous to list.
Hope this helps. More questions?
Dino
This post has been edited by Lift Dinosaur: 11 August 2015 - 09:16 AM

Lift Dinosaur, on 11 August 2015 - 06:50 AM, said:

At Breck and Keystone any lift will only accumulate hour when there is a run signal.

And Copper, at least the detaches.

Panorama's pulse gondola has almost 45.5k hours on it, seems like a lot considering it only opened in 1999.

All our lift hour meters run only on the "run" command. As Panoramas lift is a parking lot and village access, it will run a lot of hours per day and probably most seasons as well. Your numbers indicate about 2800+ hours per year. The Whistler village gondola does about 3500. Peak to Peak about 2500.

Just changed bullwheel bearings on the chairlift at McCauley Mountain, NY. Over 52,000 running hours with Winter/summer operation. First change for drive wheel and second for return wheel.

Tramway Guy, on 29 May 2016 - 09:46 AM, said:

What year/make/model?

1973 Hall; model 2002. Original Worm gear + ring and pinion drive.

That is AWESOME. Got some photos of her?

Tramway Guy, on 30 May 2016 - 09:48 AM, said:

We opened our Hall 2002 gearbox last year and it looked great. It's 50th birthday is in December and I'd guess the original parts have more than 40,000 hours.

That's something to be very proud of. Good job you guys on maintaining em so well.

Yesterday around lunch time we turned over 100,000 hours in the Whistler Village Gondola. That"s a lot.

WOW, our other Gondola (Outpost) has ~70,000 hours. We would need around 12 more years to reach 100k.