10 replies to this topic

[RibStaThiok]

Ok help a newbie out here. What exactly is a pulse lift? How do they work? Advantages/disadvantages? Who makes them?

[liftmech]

A pulse lift is one where there are only a few carriers or gondola cabins, and they are grouped together in a few equally-spaced spots on the line. This way, there is a group at either end that can be loading and unloading at a slow or a stop. Once this is done, the lift can accelerate to a faster speed than a normal fixed-grip lift. I don't know the advantages or disadvantages to such a system; I'd guess that the capacity is lower but I don't know for sure. Years ago we operated the Midway Shuttle at Crystal this way-- we had a set of fifteen chairs at either end of the lift that were set off by cones so we'd remember where the 'pulse' was. This worked fairly well in the summer as the lift was a 425-FPM fixed-grip. Slow was around 275 for loading foot passengers, so it would have been a painfully long ride if we had simply ran on slow and loaded every chair.

[lift_electrical]

liftmech, on Feb 19 2009, 07:09 AM, said:

A pulse lift is one where there are only a few carriers or gondola cabins, and they are grouped together in a few equally-spaced spots on the line. This way, there is a group at either end that can be loading and unloading at a slow or a stop. Once this is done, the lift can accelerate to a faster speed than a normal fixed-grip lift. I don't know the advantages or disadvantages to such a system; I'd guess that the capacity is lower but I don't know for sure. Years ago we operated the Midway Shuttle at Crystal this way-- we had a set of fifteen chairs at either end of the lift that were set off by cones so we'd remember where the 'pulse' was. This worked fairly well in the summer as the lift was a 425-FPM fixed-grip. Slow was around 275 for loading foot passengers, so it would have been a painfully long ride if we had simply ran on slow and loaded every chair.

The advantage, speed, the disadvantage, capacity. Something also to think about is cost. RPD system to run at 5 meters. Additional comm line. Much more complex controls to keep the carriers from going around the bullwheel at 5 meters as opposed to traditional fixed grip controls. Very high tension. Our newest installation with bubble open and close rails instead of being manual like our first system. Gearbox cooling system. Speeding up and slowing down all day makes for a hot box How much do you really want the speed?

This post has been edited by lift_electrical: 19 February 2009 - 09:40 AM

[JSteigs]

lift_electrical, on Feb 19 2009, 09:34 AM, said:

The advantage, speed, the disadvantage, capacity. Something also to think about is cost. RPD system to run at 5 meters. Additional comm line. Much more complex controls to keep the carriers from going around the bullwheel at 5 meters as opposed to traditional fixed grip controls. Very high tension. Our newest installation with bubble open and close rails instead of being manual like our first system. Gearbox cooling system. Speeding up and slowing down all day makes for a hot box How much do you really want the speed?

Speaking of complex controls, our pulse is a jig back with a turn. The lift has to slow while the carriers are in the turn. And of course the the turn isn't on the middle so it has to slow twice per trip. It connects two mid mountain lodges, both have foot passenger lift access so so it sort of makes a loop for scenic rides. Unfortunately it can only handle winds of about 25 mph (i think) so whenever management wants it to run it's normally on wind hold. But when it does run it's popular with walkers.

[mthornton]

RibStaThio, on Feb 18 2009, 10:55 PM, said:

Ok help a newbie out here. What exactly is a pulse lift? How do they work? Advantages/disadvantages? Who makes them?

We have a nice little pulse gondola built by Doppelmayr. It was pretty cheap. It's easy to maintain, it runs for weeks without a stop...(c'ept at night) sometimes I forget we even have it. Good real-estate lift... connects a bunch of condos to the hill.

[Haulrope]

Do modern pulse lifts speed up automatically after the group of carriers passes, or does it depend on the operator to slow it down as a chair approaches and speed it back up once the last one goes through? It just makes me wonder if there's any type of failsafe system to prevent passengers from loading/unloading at full speed.

[Peter]

Haulrope, on Feb 20 2009, 09:26 PM, said:

Do modern pulse lifts speed up automatically after the group of carriers passes, or does it depend on the operator to slow it down as a chair approaches and speed it back up once the last one goes through? It just makes me wonder if there's any type of failsafe system to prevent passengers from loading/unloading at full speed.

I'm pretty sure the two pulse quads at the Yellowstone Club slow down and speed up automatically. There is no room for human error when the line is running 1000 fpm.

[not really a liftie]

mthornton, on Feb 19 2009, 08:16 PM, said:

We have a nice little pulse gondola built by Doppelmayr. It was pretty cheap. It's easy to maintain, it runs for weeks without a stop...(c'ept at night) sometimes I forget we even have it. Good real-estate lift... connects a bunch of condos to the hill.

Just curious, is it a 5 m/s lift or a 3 m/s?

[Kicking Horse]

Haulrope, on Feb 20 2009, 09:26 PM, said:

Do modern pulse lifts speed up automatically after the group of carriers passes, or does it depend on the operator to slow it down as a chair approaches and speed it back up once the last one goes through? It just makes me wonder if there's any type of failsafe system to prevent passengers from loading/unloading at full speed.

Far as I know all Pulse lifts slow auto.

[mthornton]

not really a liftie, on Feb 20 2009, 09:55 PM, said:

Just curious, is it a 5 m/s lift or a 3 m/s?

3.0 m/s line speed, 0.29m/s station speed

[DonaldMReif]

A good pulse example is the SkyCab at Snowmass adjacent to the Village Express six pack. It is a Leitner Poma fixed grip pulse, but for some reason has Omega detachable grips although it doesn't detach. But in my opinion, just use Pulses in minor spots, and leave the big detachable gondolas, high speed quads and high speed six packs for use on the slopes.