43 replies to this topic

[Stowemass]

In 1990 the Eskimo Double (Riblet) at Winter Park, CO was demolished to make way for a new triple (which is gone too).  But before the initial demolition a series of tests took place.  These tests included brake tests, rollback tests, fire tests, falling tree tests, oily rope tests, and tower pulling tests.  I don't understand why they did half of these tests but it's pretty cool to watch.  Take a close look at the rollback test with the maximum load.  When it switches camera angles to looking up the liftline if you look carefully at the left of the screen it looks like one of the workers gets hit by several rocks, he must have either been knocked out, but i think he was killed.  They don't say anything about it though. Anyway, enjoy!

http://video.google....472502795274450

[Peter]

Wow, good find. The DVD from the NSAA is like $500, so I wonder who put it online for us to watch.

[SkiBachelor]

It's not the NSAA video, the text would be yellowish at the opening.

I would like to watch this video though, but my it times out since I'm on dial up.

[Stowemass]

SkiBachelor, on Jul 26 2007, 10:40 PM, said:

It's not the NSAA video, the text would be yellowish at the opening.

I would like to watch this video though, but my it times out since I'm on dial up.

DIAL UP?!?!??!?!

I think we should start a donation thread where the money goes to SkiBachelor getting faster internet. For serious

Lemme know if you like that idea!

[SkiBachelor]

Sure, if you want to fork over the $10,000 Qwest wants to install a terminal in my neighborhood. I have asked several times and they said that there aren't enough people in my area (I live in the country) that justifies the cost.

I also don't live in range of Cleawire and satellite Internet sucks (goes down for long periods of time at random times, my neighbors had it).

[Peter]

My cousins had Verizon FiOs installed down their 1.5 mile driveway in rural Pennsylavania for free. Verizon said its policy is to provide service in an entire area or none of the area, so they spent a couple of hundred thousand dollars for one customer. It sucks Qwest won't do the same, but I can see why they wouldn't.

[Stowemass]

SkiBachelor, on Jul 26 2007, 11:16 PM, said:

Sure, if you want to fork over the $10,000 Qwest wants to install a terminal in my neighborhood. I have asked several times and they said that there aren't enough people in my area (I live in the country) that justifies the cost.

I also don't live in range of Cleawire and satellite Internet sucks (goes down for long periods of time at random times, my neighbors had it).

If FiOS is available in your area you should get that.  VERY FAST....Kinda pricy though...starts @ $40/month

Dial-up <56kbit $10-25/month
DSL <768Kbit $15-25/month
Regular Cable 3Mbit $20-35/month
Enhanced Cable 5Mbit $25-40/month (I have this)
Regular FiOS 5Mbit $40/month
Super Cable 10Mbit $50-75/month
Faster FiOS 15Mbit $50/month
Fastest FiOS 30Mbit $180/month



This is getting  maybe I'll start a new thread.

[Allan]

SkiBachelor, on Jul 26 2007, 09:40 PM, said:

It's not the NSAA video, the text would be yellowish at the opening.

I would like to watch this video though, but my it times out since I'm on dial up.

It's the same video I've seen of the Eskimo lift tests...

[Lift Kid]

That was a great video! I downloaded it!

[artfart]

i didnt know that a fixed grip lift could go that fast. that seems faster than alot of high speed quads.

[Lift Kid]

Umm..... No. The Eskimo Lift was designed to go 500 FPM. A lot of fixed grip lifts, such as lift 5 at Breakenridge, go 500 FPM. Detachable lifts travel about 1100 FPM.

[Peter]

artfart, lets clarify. Clearly the lift was going a lot faster than it was designed to go and really couldn't handle much more than 550 fpm. I am really amazed that the lift maintenance crew at Winter Park could get the lift up and running again after that rollback.

[skisox34]

I don't think any lift is designed to go that fast backwards! That is a great video though, we had to watch that at orientation from lifty's at killington. I used to go to orientation every year even though I didn't have to after the first year just to watch the video!

[SkiBachelor]

UPDATE: It's the NSAA video.

[EagleAce]

They showed that video during orientation my second year at Dodge Ridge.

[JustJeepIt]

I have to come out of hiding to post on this,

first off thanks for posting this!

I found it to be very cool, though at the same time it was tugging at my heart. I know it may be a machine to most folks, but there is a part of me that hates seeing a good piece of mechanical equipment get abused. I know, I know it was for a good cause. I also pass kudos onto the Winter Park team for getting her back up and running after the roll back. its a testiment also to how well built those old Riblets were. A new thing I learned, I did not realize the motor was down in a vault underground. F

Back when I went to Winter Park in 1993, there was a single black riblet tower standing with some cable welded onto the Shivs on both sides, and two chairs attached. It was out in the middle of some trees, I wonder if this was part of the old Eskimo lift?

Ahh well, thanks again for posting it.

Cheers

This post has been edited by JustJeepIt: 28 July 2007 - 11:38 PM

[coskibum]

true distruction...i was suprised how close the folks were during the rollback. when the chairs got going, everyone started running for their lives.

it would be interesting to see these kind of tests with a newer lift. I wonder if anyone's considered this?

[Lift Kid]

I agree! They should give it a try with a newer lift. Also, they might be able to gather more information with modern testing equipment.

[SkiBachelor]

coskibum, on Jul 29 2007, 07:24 AM, said:

true distruction...i was suprised how close the folks were during the rollback. when the chairs got going, everyone started running for their lives.

it would be interesting to see these kind of tests with a newer lift. I wonder if anyone's considered this?

Actually, the rollback test that you see in that video when the carriers start flying wasn't planned. In SAM Magazine, it mentions that someone in the lift shack pushed the wrong button to stop that lift, but by the time the stop or e-brake button was pushed, the lift was moving too quickly for the current braking system to stop the lift.

[JustJeepIt]

If you listen in on the video, they start to dub out the audio when you hear a few choice words comming from the area of the shack, then you see the guy run for his life out of the shack.