How do you evacuate a chair lift?
Faced with the need to evacuate a chair lift, Big Mountain ski patrollers have three options — climb the lift tower and deploy a rescuer; use a “dummy launcher” to blast a rope over the lift cable and ascend with the help of a belay; or use a “cable glider.”
How do chairlifts stay on cable?
A chairlift is basically a looping steel cable with a large pulley at each end (the bullwheels). Carriers (the chairs) are hung from the cable and held in place with a mechanical grip. The grip functions similarly to a vice and is tightened around the cable to keep the chair from sliding back.
How are chairlifts powered?
Chairlifts are powered by electric motors with diesel backup engines. The most common type of motor is the DC electric motor because they are more economical, but AC drives are also used in some locations. Some chairlifts use an auxiliary drive that can be powered by a snowmobile engine.
How are fixed ski lift chairs attached to cable?
Each chair is equipped with a “grip” that pinches the cable. Then, when the lift is in operation, the cable is pulled along by the motor in the station and the chairs are moved along the line. On the first chair lifts, known as “fixed”, the chairs always used to be attached to the cable.
How fast do chairlifts go?
Detachable chairlifts move far faster than their fixed-grip brethren, averaging 1,000 feet per minute (11.3 mph, 18 km/h, 5.08 m/s) versus a typical fixed-grip speed of 500 ft/min (5.6 mph, 9 km/h, 2.54 m/s).
How are gondolas attached?
Gondolas are held onto the cable by a spring-loaded clamp – the weight of the gondola is supported by the clamp arm; the spring holds the jaws closed and stops it sliding.
Why do chairlifts stop?
Overhead lifts have safety switches that are sensitive to side‐to‐side movement of the chairs or cars carrying skiers. If the lateral movement is too great, the safety switch cuts in and stops the lift.
How ski lift is attached?
A ski lift uses an electric motor to drive around a steel cable that is mounted at the bottom, on the way up, and at the top of the slope. Ski lift chairs, gondolas, cable cars, or t-bars are connected to the steel cable and transports the skiers up to the top.
How much electricity does a chairlift use?
Fully loaded (101 chairs on a side, each weighing about 450 lbs with 4 x 170 lbs average weight on the loaded side, the lift pulls about 1400-1600 amps for approximately 10 seconds. It then levels off to around 1000-1200 amps running full speed.
What is the fastest chair lift?
Atop Peak 8 at Breckenridge Ski Resort, just 0.6m short of 3,962m above sea level in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, the Imperial Express SuperChair is the highest high-speed detachable chairlift in the world.
What is gondola end?
A gondola end is a merchandise display on a shelving unit at the end of an aisle in a retail store and is often thought of as a secondary site to sell products. The gondola end is used for temporary product placement during a promotional period.
How should the safety rope be attached to an evacuation system?
If the evacuation system itself utilises a full body harness then the safety rope should be attached to a separate fall arrest attachment point on the harness. c) The equipment should be maintained (see paras 21 – 25 ). Operators needing to use the equipment in an emergency may not have the skills to assess the condition of equipment.
Is INDG 367 applicable to rope evacuation equipment?
22 INDG 367 Inspecting fall arrest equipment made from webbing or rope gives more information on an inspection regime for fall arrest equipment. It does not cover rope evacuation equipment, but many of the principles can be applied to rope evacuation equipment.
What do you do if you are stuck in a ropeway?
When gondola lift users or skiers are stuck in a ropeway (chairlift, ski lift, tram, cable car etc.), it is essential that they are rescued as soon as possible. The ski patrol rescue team must be able to access the cabins or chairs in order to assist the trapped passengers.