12 replies to this topic

[twootton]

I have Dopplemeyer's 2001 World Wide catalogue. In it there are quite a few chairlifts which have conveyer belt loading systems. I have searched the internet to try and find more information on this loading system but have come up with almost nothing. Dopplemeyer doesn't even advertise it on their site. Do they still make them? Are there other companys that sell the same sort of loading system.

[Jonni]

I think Star lifts builds these conveyer loading systems. I haven't experienced one of these loading systems, but I share your curiousity.

[floridaskier]

They're more common in Europe than in the US and Canada, I don't know of any existing ones in the US but I may be wrong

[liftmech]

Breckenridge has one on chair 7. Magic Carpet out of Denver used to install loading carpets, but I don't know if they still do. SunKid still installs them; they built Breck's.
The theory behind a loading carpet is to lower the relative difference in speed between the skiers and the chair. If you're standing still on the load board and the chair is moving 500 feet per minute, then that's the relative difference. If you're on a carpet moving at 150, and the chair is moving at 500, then the speed of the chair relative to you is only 350. The idea is to make it easier to load. In practise there are many variables and it takes patience from the operations staff to make it work. Apparently Breck likes theirs. We used to have two when I was at Crystal and half the time we just threw snow on them and turned them into highly expensive ramps. It was very difficult to communicate to the skiers how to use them, and the interface between the carpet and lift didn't always work as it was suposed to.

[twootton]

Are the carpets generally installed on Fixed Grip chairlifts? Or are they installed on detachable chairlifts as well?

liftmech, on May 25 2005, 03:58 AM, said:

Breckenridge has one on chair 7. Magic Carpet out of Denver used to install loading carpets, but I don't know if they still do. SunKid still installs them; they built Breck's.

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[SkiBachelor]

Another reason why a lot of detachables over in Europe have loading carpets is because they are required to if there isn't lift operator at the bottom. As funny as it may sound, but I guess some European ski resorts don't have to have lift operators at the bottom as long as their are loading carpets and gates. I read that somewhere but I don't remember where, I think SAM.

[Zage]

A loading carpet is a great way to increase the capacity of a lift as well.

[zapada]

I experienced one of the loading carpets on a fixed-grip quad at Falls Creek, Australia last September. I thought it was great since it allows them to run the chair faster than the other FGQs and it wasn't really necessary for the attendant to bump the chairs. Certainly a lot cheaper than a HSQ, so I'm surprised that there aren't more of them in the US.

[Aussierob]

I saw photos of a few in Europe where the carpet gets you at the wait line, but you ski off it at the load ramp. Its used on 6 an 8 packs to get skiers up to the load in a more orderly fashion due to the long distance for the outside skiers. Our managers who saw it running said it was prettty slick.

[liftmech]

I think if you can get the skiers to learn how to use them they're a great idea. The trouble with them is skiers are trained to walk out to the load board. They try that on a moving carpet and, as often as not, they fall over. Perhaps now there isn't as much of a problem with that, with so many carpets as stand-alone beginner lifts. The carpets I worked with were installed in '95 and removed in '97.

[twootton]

Does Doppelmayr or Poma produce one of the conveyer belt loading systems?

[Aussierob]

I believe Doppelmayr make their own. It's also possible a subcontractor makes them and Doppelmayr install them as part of the lift.

[iceberg210]

I beleive niether Dopplemayer or Poma make conveyers for conveyer loading stations and they subcontract out that area of work. I think the resorts have just figured that its a lot less of a hassel even though a lot more expensive to install a HSQ then to do conveyer loading although it may find its niche in small resorts looking to up capacity but without the kind of capital required to buy a full blown High speed lift.