7 replies to this topic

[snoloco]

The Challenger and Omega terminals by Poma seem to come in different sizes and have different supports and tensioning. Challenger terminals for chairlifts look like this as shown on the Ramshead Express at Killington.



Challenger terminals for gondolas look like this as shown on the K1 Gondola at Killington.



This terminal used on the Skyeship Gondola, also at Killington uses a similar terminal structure, but different supports as shown here. It is listed as the Competition Gondola Terminal in the Lift Identification page on this site.



The chairlift terminal shown above has the tensioning system where the entire structure is on rollers that are on top of the supports.
Both gondola terminals have the tensioning set up where only the bullwheel moves. The terminal on the K1 Gondola (1997) looks slightly shorter than the terminal on the Skyeship Gondola (1994). This may be due to the fact that the Skyeship Gondola runs at 1,200 fpm while K1 runs at 1,000 fpm.

[snoloco]

I had to split into 2 posts because the board crashes if I post too many images.

Now lets move on to the Omega Terminals. All the high speed quads use this terminal with the same supports and tensioning as on the Challenger Terminal. Lift shown is the Burnt Ridge Quad at Gore Mountain.



The gondolas use this terminal which uses the same support structure as the K1 Gondola does. Lift shown is the Northwoods Gondola at Gore Mountain.



Most of the 6-packs use the gondola terminal such as the Super Gauge Express at Winter Park.



However, the Kaatskill Flyer at Hunter Mountain uses the same terminal as the Burnt Ridge Quad. It is the only 6-pack that I know of that does.



So the bottom line is why did Poma use the gondola terminal on all their 6-packs, but they used the chairlift terminal on the Kaatskill Flyer? Does anyone know of another Poma 6-pack that uses this terminal. It also seems that they kept the same support structure that was used on the Challenger terminals for the Omega terminals.

[Peter]

snoloco, on 29 May 2014 - 05:24 PM, said:

Does anyone know of another Poma 6-pack that uses this terminal. It also seems that they kept the same support structure that was used on the Challenger terminals for the Omega terminals.

Actually more of the six packs built since 2002 use that terminal rather than the 3 mast ones. The shorter lifts tend to use the 2 mast terminals but not always.

2 mast, whole terminal moves:
Orchard Express, Blue Mountain, Ontario
Kensho SuperChair, Breckenridge, Colorado
Caribou Express, Lutsen Mountains, Minnesota
Big Blue Express, Squaw Valley, California
Kattskill Flyer, Hunter Mountain, New York
Summit Six Express, Mt. St. Louis-Moonstone, Ontario
Challenge Express, Blue Mountain, Pennsylvania
Snow Ghost Express, Big White, British Columbia
Highlands Express, Wintergreen, Virginia
Comet Express, Granite Peak, Wisconsin
Top of the World, Lake Louise, Alberta
Comet Express, Silver Star, British Columbia

2 mast, fixed with tension inside:
Bluebird Express, Mt. Snow, Vermont

3 mast, fixed with tension inside:
Panoramic Express, Winter Park, Colorado
Christie Peak Express, Steamboat, Colorado
Village Express, Snowmass, Colorado
Super Guage Express, Winter Park, Colorado
Silver Bullet, Blue Mountain, Ontario
Independence SuperChair, Breckenridge, Colorado

[liftmech]

3-mast with internal separate tension carriage-- Super B as well.

I can't speak for the designers' thoughts, but it seems that any lift that requires longer carriage travel needs the internal carriage. If you try to pull the whole terminal back too far you may run a danger of the front end rising off the mast. Also, heavier carriers put more load on the terminal structure so you would need a beefier support system. Perhaps the newer 2-mast Omega and LPA 6-pack lifts have a different structural design? Finally, gondolas need a fixed terminal because the cabins must use a guide track set in the ground. If the whole terminal structure moves you lose that.

[2milehi]

Kensho at Breck is a 6-pack that have terminals on rollers.

This post has been edited by 2milehi: 30 May 2014 - 06:04 AM

[DonaldMReif]

2milehi, on 30 May 2014 - 06:04 AM, said:

Kensho at Breck is a 6-pack that have terminals on rollers.

I've got photos of the rollers in different positions (look at the terminal mast closer to the camera):

As it looked shortly after the lift opened:



As it looked in early March:

[Yooper Skier]

Caribou at Lutsen

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[snoloco]

Caribou, Kensho, and Big Blue are all LPA terminals, I was talking about Omega terminals specifically.