This two stage detachable quad opened in 2019, the first new lift at Palisades under Alterra ownership.Arriving at the top terminal on Sherwood Ridge.One of three Leitner-Poma LPA stations on this lift.The middle station has a 20 degree turn where the old Hot Wheels triple unloaded.This was the first LPA mid-station anywhere.Side view of the mid-station.A double grooved bullwheel transfers torque from one haul rope to the other here.Upper half of the angle station.View down at tower 10.The lift passes by The Chalet and the drive stations for Scott and Yellow.Tower 7.Lower part of the lift line.Parking rail for all 115 chairs.The bottom terminal is the drive station.Lower station with storm doors.Transfer rail to the parking area.Leaving the lower station.Riding up the first section.Near the bottom of Yellow chair.Looking back at the angle station.The second stage is very short but also very steep.Top terminal underside.Tower 17.View down to the mid-station.Neither section is driven from here.Another view of the middle station.A full lift line.Upper part of the first section.Middle lift line.There are multiple towers with combination assemblies on this lift.Tower 6.View up the line.The lower half of the lift is long but without much vertical.View down near tower 4.Station in the base area.View up at tower 2.Side view of the drive terminal.Riding up at tower 5.The first unload ramp.Arriving at the summit.Return terminal.The top station and breakover towers 18-19.The second stage has only five towers.Parking area.Lift line overview.The top of tower 9.A European-manufacturer carrier.Tower 13.A four section tower tube.The lower section seen from Sherwood Ridge.The entire second section.Lower terminal.Loading area.View back down the line.Tower 17.T18 and T19.Angle station.Tower 14 and the upper section.Downhill end of the mid-station.The bottom terminal was built on fill brought in for the project.Heavy side of the mid.Entering the angle station.Tower 1.
There’s not really much that’s different between the design of this LPA mid-station and Omega turn stations. An example of an Omega turn for comparison:
Certainly it makes access to Sherwood easier since the top terminal drops you off on the ridge, whereas the route one takes to Sherwood from the midstation is a lot flatter.
I think Riva Bahn should be replaced with a bubble 6 chair. Yes, I know, Vail just hates bubble chairs, but the bubbles have become way more durable since the 1980’s. I was riding the Orange Bubble Express at PC a few days ago and those bubbles are in very good shape and there are minimal scratches on them. Although OBX is a Doppelmayr and not an LPA so I’m not quite sure how well LPA’s bubbles would hold up. On this side of the mountain, Riva Bahn would almost certainly go LPA because of all their equipment on this side of the mountain.
“A double-grooved bullwheel may be used by some ropeways, whereby two cables travelling at the same speed, or the same cable twice, loop around the bullwheel.”
Basically, it is a thicker bullwheel with two grooves instead of one so two cables can fit on it. One half of it spins the cable of the lower stage, and the other one spins the upper stage.
Hope this cleared it up!
thanks! I just don’t understand why you would need 2 cables if torque isn’t an issue. Like I said, maybe it’s a line gauge change…? Probably not though.
Also, because old lifts took power from the bullwheel instead of deflection sheaves, did old lift mid stations always have two different ropes or a double grooved bullwheel?
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The LPA mid station looks super sharp. I almost like it better than the Omega mid-turn terminals.
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There’s not really much that’s different between the design of this LPA mid-station and Omega turn stations. An example of an Omega turn for comparison:
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Certainly it makes access to Sherwood easier since the top terminal drops you off on the ridge, whereas the route one takes to Sherwood from the midstation is a lot flatter.
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Where is this map from, out of curiosity?
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So if a LPA Mid station is possible, can Vail decide if they going to replace #6 Riva Bahn with this technology?
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I think Riva Bahn should be replaced with a bubble 6 chair. Yes, I know, Vail just hates bubble chairs, but the bubbles have become way more durable since the 1980’s. I was riding the Orange Bubble Express at PC a few days ago and those bubbles are in very good shape and there are minimal scratches on them. Although OBX is a Doppelmayr and not an LPA so I’m not quite sure how well LPA’s bubbles would hold up. On this side of the mountain, Riva Bahn would almost certainly go LPA because of all their equipment on this side of the mountain.
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How does the tension work with a double grooved bullwheel? Is the midstation bullwheel fixed in place or slide around in the mid station terminal?
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Looked to me like the mid is fixed and the other two terminals both move.
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Yep, tension top and bottom and fixed station at the angle.I was looking at that this morning also!
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This lift is brand new this year and cannot even complete the first season due to the coronavirus.
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Video:
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Why can angle stations either have
the double grooved bullwheel has always confused me. I guess you should switch between cable diameters with a double grooved bullwheel…
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“A double-grooved bullwheel may be used by some ropeways, whereby two cables travelling at the same speed, or the same cable twice, loop around the bullwheel.”
Basically, it is a thicker bullwheel with two grooves instead of one so two cables can fit on it. One half of it spins the cable of the lower stage, and the other one spins the upper stage.
Hope this cleared it up!
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thanks! I just don’t understand why you would need 2 cables if torque isn’t an issue. Like I said, maybe it’s a line gauge change…? Probably not though.
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Also, because old lifts took power from the bullwheel instead of deflection sheaves, did old lift mid stations always have two different ropes or a double grooved bullwheel?
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