14 replies to this topic

[alexboesen]

I was curious if its possible to increase the capacity of a high speed lift after installation. For example KT-22 Express has an uphill capacity of 2100 PPH. Could chairs be added to increase the capacity to 2800 PPH or would something else also need to be done? Has something like this happened before?

[2milehi]

Yes, as long as the towers and terminal(s) are rated for the extra weight. Outback Express at Keystone increased capacity two times. First with 10 additional chairs, then 25 more at a later date. The current capacity is 2400 PPH.

[Lift Dinosaur]

It would depend on what the original design pph was. Sometimes lifts are designed at 2800 pph but installed at 2100 pph to allow for future capacity upgrade as 2milehi said. The variables are horsepower, sheave loads, foundations, towers, haul rope safety factor and tension capabilities to name a few. If it was not originally designed for 2800 pph it would require a complete engineering review to determine it's maximum capacity.
Dino

[Backbowlsbilly]

There are many examples of lifts being designed for a higher capacity and upgraded at a later date. The ones that I can think of are Tea Cup and Skyline at Vail, Bridger Gondola in Jackson Hole, and Imperial at Breck. Some lifts that were built with a higher design capacity than what they currently have is the new Powder Seeker in Big Sky, the new Sweetwater Gondola in Jackson Hole, Lewis and Clark at Big Sky, and the Mt. Rainier Gondola at Crystal Mountain.

A question that I have wondered about is how would a lift be upgraded to its design capacity if the model of terminal, cabin/chair, and or grip is out of production. Would this still be possible?

This post has been edited by Backbowlsbilly: 16 January 2017 - 03:08 PM

[Lift Dinosaur]

Backbowlsbilly, on 16 January 2017 - 03:05 PM, said:

A question that I have wondered about is how would a lift be upgraded to its design capacity if the model of terminal, cabin/chair, and or grip is out of production. Would this still be possible?

Possible, yes. Expensive, yes. Take for example Leitner lifts that were built in '98-'01. Those lifts are no longer current production models but the drawings exist and the materials could be produced. It would take time and outside resources to produce the equipment $$$$$!
Dino

[DonaldMReif]

The Independence SuperChair originally was built with 113 chairs and received an additional six chairs when it was extended downhill to the Peak 7 base area in 2008.

[liftmech]

Yes, but that wasn't to increase capacity, merely to lengthen the line and keep the same capacity.

[Allan]

Our fixed grip Doppelmayr currently has 102 carriers but is designed for 174.

[TRosenbaum]

Perhaps only narrowly on-topic but the conversion of lift 2 (Avanti) at Vail from HSQ to 6-pack was accomplished with new top/bottom terminals and tower head swap. The towers were all left in place and reused.

[DonaldMReif]

TRosenbaum, on 19 January 2017 - 06:31 AM, said:

Perhaps only narrowly on-topic but the conversion of lift 2 (Avanti) at Vail from HSQ to 6-pack was accomplished with new top/bottom terminals and tower head swap. The towers were all left in place and reused.

All towers except the last two and the bottom two. See, the current Avanti Express uses a double hold-down at the bottom while the original only had one. It has one tower more than the quad it replaced.

[ajan]

The number of chairs on Shooting Star at Mt. Hood Meadows was increased from 68 to 88 (I believe these numbers are accurate) a couple of years ago.

[lift_electrical]

Almost all our lifts were installed with half the carriers. From the electrical side, it has created a few DC motor issues. Poor commutation, PF, THD, excessive brush wear. As we have grown, we have added carriers but all our big lifts are still under their build out capacity. I would love to see them get all the carriers but you still need people riding them to get to the sweet spot.

Jeff

This post has been edited by lift_electrical: 19 January 2017 - 10:43 AM

[Yooper Skier]

Jordan Bowl Express at Sunday River has had two rounds of adding chairs. Originally built with 91 chairs, 22 chairs were added accross a couple of years, bringing the total to 113. I think the second batch was added in '96.

[floridaskier]

Is designed chair spacing on a (for example) 2400 pph HSQ the same, or are those numbers approximate? Thinking of Quincy at Deer Valley, which was shortened by about 200 feet in 2004 but had 90 chairs before and after. In theory that means they're closer together now, which would have been a small capacity bump

[Lift Dinosaur]

floridaskier, on 27 February 2017 - 10:47 AM, said:

Is designed chair spacing on a (for example) 2400 pph HSQ the same, or are those numbers approximate? Thinking of Quincy at Deer Valley, which was shortened by about 200 feet in 2004 but had 90 chairs before and after. In theory that means they're closer together now, which would have been a small capacity bump

A HSQ operating at 1000 FPM with a capacity of 2400 PPH has a chair spacing of 100 ft and a 6 second loading interval. If the length was shortened and the number of carriers and the speed stayed the same both the spacing and load interval would have been slightly reduced and a small capacity increase.
Dino