11 replies to this topic

[lastchair_44]

Could skilifts start being built like this? Check out this article on cnn.com about new safeties being implemented on civilian aircraft. I don't think it would be exactly like this, but look at the way they are being built in the last two years. A hardwire stop loop that runs in series, with another stop loop in parallel on a seperate CPU for example...or how about the PLC checking the prox switches every 30 seconds? Read the article and think about it
http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/03/29/t...jets/index.html

[floridaskier]

Nobody's ever tried to hijack a skilift and crash it. If we have to start missile-proofing chairlifts, our society has some much bigger problems to deal with

Seriously though, maybe they will start using some more extreme safety systems on the lifts, although it seems like there aren't enough serious safety incidents to justify it. I've been wrong before

[jclark]

Sounds like a Rob Schneider moving in the making...

"Rob Schneider was riding a chairlift when he realized it was...hijacked by terrorists! Now Rob needs to figure out how to trip the safety wand before going around the top bullwheel and setting off a truck of explosives! Also starring Jon Heder as the bottom lift operator and David Spade as the suburban caucasian radical Muslim terrorist"

[lastchair_44]

I didn't mean terrorists would hijack the skilift...use your imagination and come up with a wacky new safety system...like a sensor in the seatpad that would detect pressure once the chair was loaded...this would send a message to the PLC that "carrier #44" had people in it...so the PLC would "sense" this for so many pulses (as long as it takes to ride the lift to the top) and if pressure wasn't present (someone fell of the chair) a safety net would shoot out of the bottom of the chair to catch it and maybe even mark the chair and annunciate a warning? I dunno...just thought about it while thinking of something to write
it's crazy and quite stupid...but what if?

[edmontonguy]

I think before anything overly safety concsious comes onto the market, aside from seatbelts on chairs, we'll see every chair removed and replaced with gondola cabins with double grips or perhaps even the yet to be invented triple grip. Then if it's decided that that is too unsafe, we'll be ushered back into an age of surface lifts, where i'd like to see the invention of the Quad t-bar, amazingly difficult to unload, though perhaps with a large enough unload zone and a system of unloading similar to the T-bars on Whistler moutain it'd be very managable. Then before we know it, if surface lifts are deemed unsafe either everybody will be riding magic carpets many kilometers long, or we'll see buses re-appear onto the ski scene.

Perhaps we'll have to wear harnesses and be strapped into the chair on some hook with a carabeaner around the chair, to prevent falling out and if we did, still safely enjoy the ride where the lift would automatically stop and the lifties could safely drop us into the safety net, i can imagine though this would become some sort of enjoyable sport and every chair would have to be dumped into the safety net. Why doesn't Squaw do that and make downloading red-dog an extreme sport, i'm getting off topic now though....

This post has been edited by edmontonguy: 03 April 2006 - 07:57 PM

[Kicking Horse]

I hate to say this but some riders do have to do this.

"Perhaps we'll have to wear harnesses and be strapped into the chair on some hook with a carabeaner around the chair, to prevent falling out "



I also think the #1 one thing for lift Safety. IS THE LIFT OPERATORS.

I have been noticed that some don't care anymore around this time of the year. I have had op's get in my way while unloading, Failing to slow / stop the lift when the ramp is 100% blocked with fallen people, and so on.

[Aussierob]

lastchair_44, on Apr 3 2006, 08:47 AM, said:

A hardwire stop loop that runs in series, with another stop loop in parallel on a seperate CPU for example...or how about the PLC checking the prox switches every 30 seconds? Read the article and think about it
http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/03/29/t...jets/index.html

The Pilz PLC's in Doppelmayrs are essentially doing this already. The problem is they can be a little too safe and shut down for really intermittant little faults. However better safe than sorry.

[lastchair_44]

Aussierob, on Apr 3 2006, 08:37 PM, said:

The Pilz PLC's in Doppelmayrs are essentially doing this already. The problem is they can be a little too safe and shut down for really intermittant little faults. However better safe than sorry.

Yeah...that's how our stop loops are on the new GS lifts. Channel 1 is a hardwire series stop loop on its own CPU...Channel 2 is a parallel stop loop to Channel 1 on a seperate CPU and contactor. This way if Channel 1 doesn't see the fault, Channel 2 will pick it up.
More or less...I was reading that article thinking of how crazy the safeties could get...especially because of how sue happy americans are...just trying to spark some conversation

[lastchair_44]

Emax, on Apr 4 2006, 10:39 AM, said:

You guys are baiting me... I can smell it.

You're the prime reason I created this thread!

[Fharvenugen]

Now now, we can't forget the chairlift airbag... and for children 8 and younger, the child safety-seat! Gotta be safe!

[tcs]

I'm sure TWATS will end up being pronounced "twits".

[lastchair_44]

"these new lifts are too smart for their own good" checking, re-checking, redundancies for every stop (how many calls do I get at the beginning of the ski season with an operator saying "dude we had a redudnancy failure on that last stop..what do you want me to do?" 3 PLC's? I mean jeebus...fiber optics to run the communications between terminals??? They do this because it's cheaper...but has anyone ever spliced fiber? You need a special little tool that cuts it perfectly vertical....can't really do this with your pocket knife or razor blade....I could go on but you guys get the point.