This lift has a diesel prime mover at the top terminal.Tri-leg tension terminal.Breakover towers.Drive station from below.View down the line.Another view of the line.Lower lift line.View up the line.Lower terminal.
I think it used to be based on length, based on whether the lift is long. A long lift at Sugarbush (green Mountain Express) is also diesel, while short lifts like Coleman Brook at Okemo is electric. Most companies also use electric pretty much all the time now
Nope. It’s all about whether the area can get power at the drive terminal. Doesn’t matter what length it is, a lift can be electric. Green Mountain may have been running on diesel when you saw it but that may have been due to electrical issues with the lift or the power distribution at the ski area. It’s rare for a lift to be primary diesel (unless you’re Mt Baker where Puget Power never extended the line past Glacier).
Green Mountain Express does not have a diesel primary. It was struck by lightning before the 19-20 season and forced to run on a diesel backup for the duration of the season
It’s based on geography. For instance, Big White’s Cliff Chair and Alpine T-Bar have diesel drives because of their relative geographic isolation.
Geography also is what factors into whether a lift’s drive is at the top or at the bottom. It’s for that reason why all of Big White’s lifts save for Gem Lake are bottom drive lifts, why Breck’s high alpine lifts are all bottom drive while their below timberline lifts are top-drive, etc.
I mean…. this was built in 1979. Not exactly spoilt for choice between the two then, I doubt the area where the old top terminal for the Crystal was even had power then.
Sadly, this lift will be scrapped. There was talk of re-using the lift on one of their expansions, but it doesn’t look like that’s happening with this chair.
Lift Blog 
How do lift manufacturers decide between diesel engines or electric motors?
LikeLike
I think it used to be based on length, based on whether the lift is long. A long lift at Sugarbush (green Mountain Express) is also diesel, while short lifts like Coleman Brook at Okemo is electric. Most companies also use electric pretty much all the time now
LikeLike
Nope. It’s all about whether the area can get power at the drive terminal. Doesn’t matter what length it is, a lift can be electric. Green Mountain may have been running on diesel when you saw it but that may have been due to electrical issues with the lift or the power distribution at the ski area. It’s rare for a lift to be primary diesel (unless you’re Mt Baker where Puget Power never extended the line past Glacier).
LikeLiked by 1 person
Green Mountain Express does not have a diesel primary. It was struck by lightning before the 19-20 season and forced to run on a diesel backup for the duration of the season
LikeLike
It’s based on geography. For instance, Big White’s Cliff Chair and Alpine T-Bar have diesel drives because of their relative geographic isolation.
Geography also is what factors into whether a lift’s drive is at the top or at the bottom. It’s for that reason why all of Big White’s lifts save for Gem Lake are bottom drive lifts, why Breck’s high alpine lifts are all bottom drive while their below timberline lifts are top-drive, etc.
LikeLike
I mean…. this was built in 1979. Not exactly spoilt for choice between the two then, I doubt the area where the old top terminal for the Crystal was even had power then.
LikeLike
Sadly, this lift will be scrapped. There was talk of re-using the lift on one of their expansions, but it doesn’t look like that’s happening with this chair.
LikeLike
Video:
LikeLike