23 replies to this topic

[DonaldMReif]

I notice that a number of chairlifts are sometimes built with catwalk platforms on both sides, fitted onto the crossarm. My guess is that they are used so that maintenance crews can access the sheaves more easily. However, I don't know if these are standard-issue or are specially ordered, because of this example: the Poma high speed quads at Vail were all built with these catwalks on their lift towers:




but all of the Poma high speed quads and six packs at Breckenridge lack them:


I think this is a resort preference. I use the Teacup Express and Rocky Mountain SuperChair for my photos because they were built about two years apart. Also, both are Poma high speed quads, and two lifts by the same manufacturer make it easier to make comparisons.

This post has been edited by DonaldMReif: 03 March 2014 - 09:36 AM

[vons]

walkways along the sheaves are usually an option with LPOA and Doppelmayr lifts, I think (could be wrong) that on Skytrac lifts walkways are standard on 6 and 8 sheave assemblies. Walkways across the tower head are standard with all three manufactures.

[DonaldMReif]

Ah, that's why. Keystone is an interesting instance as on the Outback Express, Montezuma Express, and Peru Express, select towers have the walkways (usually those on steep inclines) and others (like the compression towers) don't.

[floridaskier]

Most CTEC lifts from back in the day have them on 6 and 8-sheave assemblies. Newer Doppeltecs seem to have them on 4+ as an option, with the same Poma-style rails if not (only seen this on the new Tombstone at The Canyons, 2006 HSS).

[2milehi]

All Doppelmayrs at Keystone have catwalks. The Poma at Keystone uses the Poma-pass. A Poma lift is cheaper without the catwalks.

[DonaldMReif]

2milehi, on 03 March 2014 - 12:40 PM, said:

All Doppelmayrs at Keystone have catwalks. The Poma at Keystone uses the Poma-pass. A Poma lift is cheaper without the catwalks.

Which explains why there are no catwalks on any of the Ruby Express lift's tower heads. The reason I thought at first that some of the Doppelmayr towers did not have catwalks was because I was focusing on the towers where the catwalks have braces that go over the tops of the tower heads, typically on steeper portions of the lift lines (at least on the Outpost Gondola, Outback Express, Montezuma Express and Peru Express). Those were the towers I was paying attention to. Now I see from my photos the catwalks that are on towers that are in more or less level parts of the lift line, and on the slightly newer Doppelmayrs (Santiago Express, Summit Express, and River Run Gondola).

For example, these two towers of the Outback Express:





Likewise, on the Santiago Express:


And the Summit Express:

[SkiDaBird]

I think most of them at Snowbird only have catwalks on the steep sections, though I could be wrong. Gadzoom, which I do have a video of, doesn't have any, but it also reuses some Gad 1 towers so maybe they didn't want to push the weight limit.

[JHappel]

I can personally tell you that in '97 catwalks must have been an option for C-Tec because we have a fixed grip quad that only has the tower tube and crossarm. No catwalk, no lifting frame :( No fun to work on

[Shawn72]

I also have an older CTEC with nothing. Looking to retrofit it with lifting frames and catwalks. Anyone else put lifting frames on a lift like this? Any info to proceed would be helpful.

[floridaskier]

When Deer Valley reinstalled the 1981 Wasatch triple as Quincy in 1997, they added CTEC lifting frames with no catwalks (not even the lateral ones on the front) to the old Yan towers that didn't have them before. This lift lives on as Day Break at The Canyons, it's been done. Picture below shows it in the distance:

[SuperRat]

Hall towers:

 Screen Shot 2014-03-06 at 11.51.03 AM.png (681.05K)
Number of downloads: 113

No lifting frame, no walkways, no problem

[william b]

SuperRat, on 06 March 2014 - 08:53 AM, said:

Hall towers:

Screen Shot 2014-03-06 at 11.51.03 AM.png

No lifting frame, no walkways, no problem

Consider yourself fortunate you got ladders. I've seen Hall lifts without them.

Lifting frames are not required around here, but are always installed anyways, because there is a requirement for an attachment point for fall protection. Walkways are optional. Interesting that the loops are called 'Poma-passes', even on Doppelmayrs.

wbl

[liftmech]

Doppelmayr gave us the option of catwalks or 'Pomapasses' on our H-quad (2011). Prior to that I thought they put catwalks on everything. Poma has given that option for a while but most of us prefer the loops (easier to get at the sheave axle nuts during maintenance). Riblet started putting catwalks on their lifts in the late '80s. the only CTECs I've worked on looked an awful lot like the Hall pictured above; very difficult to transition from the ladder to the crossarm

[DonaldMReif]

Interestingly, between the two Breckenridge six packs installed last year and this year, photos will show you that while they have identical tower head designs, the Kensho SuperChair towers have the 'Pomapasses' while the Colorado SuperChair uses catwalks.

[2milehi]

DonaldMReif, do you have any photos of Colorado SuperChair's new towers?

[DonaldMReif]

These photos from the Breckenridge Facebook page:

 Colorado SuperChair tower lifting.jpg (139.55K)
Number of downloads: 54

 Colorado SuperChair tower 14.jpg (102.89K)
Number of downloads: 83

 New Colorado SuperChair.jpg (93.58K)
Number of downloads: 70

This in contrast with the Kensho SuperChair:


But somewhat similar to Gondola One:

This post has been edited by DonaldMReif: 08 July 2014 - 10:13 AM

[Backbowlsbilly]

One thing I've noticed is that Kensho is above treeline and two other high alpine lifts don't have catwalks as well, Imperial and Panoramic both don't have them while the new Colorado, which is below treeline, does.

Here's the towers on Panoramic.


Here's the towers on Imperial.

[2milehi]

Wonder why Poma changed the lifting assemblies? Is it a Leitner thing?

This post has been edited by 2milehi: 08 July 2014 - 04:47 PM

[liftmech]

Could be. Wish they'd change back to greaseable glacier-bushed assemblies while they're at it.

[aug]

@ liftmech; what is the issue with the rubber mounted assemblies... I have seen them , but never had to service them.