4 replies to this topic

[SkiBachelor]

I have always wondered why some lifts go up on the left side rather than the right side unless there are reasons for loading and unloading. But sometimes there are lifts that don't have these options and you go up on the left side rather than the right. It's not a big deal at all, but it just seems like it would be easier to design a lift to up the right side than the left for the most part.

Here is an example of what I mean:

Going up on the left side:


Going up the right side:


P.S. I forgot to update the Saddleback Express pictures at The Canyons when I did them about 2 months ago and now they are up for that lift.

[ccslider]

There are a number of considerations that come into play when designing a lift to be either right-hand or left-hand up. Some of these concepts include:
1. Top terminal design and site space / topographical restrains.
2. Bottom terminal loading and maze queue layout.
3. Shading of lift ramps to reduce sun-melt.
4. Protection of loading and unloading ramps from prevaling winds.
5. Vertical clearance under chairs when the lift profile traverses a cross-slope.

[vons]

Wind direction is one of the biggist reasons some times it is nessary to protect the loaded line from a cross wind

[Allan]

I don't think designing a lift to go one direction over another is easier - especially on FG lifts! We can make our YANs run the other way if we want to all we have to do is disable the rollback components & switch the phases on the electric motor. I don't think it's too much different on HS lifts - but I don't know about the opening/closing rails/zone switches, etc.

[liftmech]

Detachables don't have the loading and unloading restraints that fixed-grip lifts do; however they have the option of right-angle loading so the direction in which they rotate does come into play there. On a fixed grip, one of (possibly the biggest) reasons for having the lift run clockwise or counterclockwise is the unload area. If the trails are primarily to the left, and the skiers therefore want to unload to the left, then one would like the lift to rotate clockwise (left side up) so that the chairs swing around the bullwheel away from the unloading skiers. I've seen more than a few lifts where the rotation is opposite what should be there; as a result the top operator is constantly picking people up where they've been either brushed or solidly smacked by the chair as it rounds the bullwheel.