Chairlift Death

[crystalmountainskier]

Some answers:
https://liftblog.com/2017/01/20/leitner-poma-to-install-new-drive-on-quickdraw-at-granby-ranch/

 

[MommaBear]

Couple of comments from a Mom. With a 9 and 12 year old, I would not have been sitting in the middle, I would have been on the end. But my choice is based on my kids having been skiing since they were 4 and they prefer to sit together. As for the bar, I've learned to tout the Mom card - previously when the kids were with me, and now out of habit. "Mom on board, putting the bar down, every one ready?" I"m sure the "kids" at Carinthia don't appreciate it when I join from the singles line, but so be it. Have yet to be told "no".

 

[thetrailboss]

http://saminfo.com/headline-news/88...cation-led-to-granby-ranch-chairlift-fatality


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[MommaBear]

http://saminfo.com/headline-news/88...cation-led-to-granby-ranch-chairlift-fatality


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Doesn't sound good for the independent contractor.

 

[thetrailboss]

Doesn't sound good for the independent contractor.

Yep. Notice how LP is declared off the hook.


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[machski]

Something to be said for using the OEM for upgrades/repairs and not subbing out to lowest bidder.

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[Sons of Thunder]

Couple of comments from a Mom. With a 9 and 12 year old, I would not have been sitting in the middle, I would have been on the end. But my choice is based on my kids having been skiing since they were 4 and they prefer to sit together. As for the bar, I've learned to tout the Mom card - previously when the kids were with me, and now out of habit. "Mom on board, putting the bar down, every one ready?" I"m sure the "kids" at Carinthia don't appreciate it when I join from the singles line, but so be it. Have yet to be told "no".

I thought I heard that parents should sit in the middle with kids on the outside so as to keep the chair as level as possible. But I only have one child so she always sits on my right where I can more easily see her especially when getting on and off (riding regular). Different dynamic with two kids I guess (don't know how you do it!).

And I've been on chairs where everyone agreed to leave the bar up, and where everyone agreed to put the bar down. Never heard anyone ever say 'no leave the bar up.' I think even the parkrats know to pick their battles lol.

Yeah definitely sounds bad for the company that did the maintenance.

 

[catskills]

Interesting. But has anyone found an article stating specifically what went wrong?

If you want specifics these guys on skilfits.org have specifics. Not sure I can follow the details but that third party company may be in big trouble.

See post #40 here
http://www.skilifts.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=10775&st=20

Update 1/10/17: I’ve heard that a third-party company called Bald Eagle Lifts installed a new ABB drive last summer that was unsuitable for this lift and ramped up and down too quickly, causing the dynamic event.

Let me clarify what I mean by "speed measurement error" fault. The drive has a programmed ramp from zero speed to max motor rpms. The tach should produce the same ramp when the motor is commanded to ramp up. Speed measurement error is the different between the programmed ramp and actual speed.

 

[Jcb890]

Couple of comments from a Mom. With a 9 and 12 year old, I would not have been sitting in the middle, I would have been on the end. But my choice is based on my kids having been skiing since they were 4 and they prefer to sit together. As for the bar, I've learned to tout the Mom card - previously when the kids were with me, and now out of habit. "Mom on board, putting the bar down, every one ready?" I"m sure the "kids" at Carinthia don't appreciate it when I join from the singles line, but so be it. Have yet to be told "no".

You'd have to be a special kind of asshole to refuse to allow someone (anyone) to put the bar down.

Sometimes I don't put the bar down, but if there's a footrest, I almost always do only because its easier on the body, less wear and tear.

What bugs me is when the lift operator or a person riding the lift pulls the bar down when people aren't ready and the bar nails you on the head. Luckily my helmet absorbed the blow, but if I didn't have one on, I'd be absolutely pissed! (and possibly concussed)

 

[dlague]

You'd have to be a special kind of asshole to refuse to allow someone (anyone) to put the bar down.

Sometimes I don't put the bar down, but if there's a footrest, I almost always do only because its easier on the body, less wear and tear.

What bugs me is when the lift operator or a person riding the lift pulls the bar down when people aren't ready and the bar nails you on the head. Luckily my helmet absorbed the blow, but if I didn't have one on, I'd be absolutely pissed! (and possibly concussed)

Another good reason to wear a helmet.

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[Jully]

Another good reason to wear a helmet.

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Hah! I'm always shocked at how fast some people put the bar down! Not when they put it down with respect to loading, but the actual speed with which they pull it down. A concussion could definitely be possible if it hit you in the right spot without a helmet on!

 

[Jcb890]

Another good reason to wear a helmet.

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Absolutely! I didn't wear a helmet for years when I first started. Then one day I thought to myself "Do I actually have any real/good reasons for why I'm not wearing a helmet?" and I didn't come up with any good reasons not to wear one. I've been wearing a helmet since and it kind of seems stupid not to.

 

[Jcb890]

Hah! I'm always shocked at how fast some people put the bar down! Not when they put it down with respect to loading, but the actual speed with which they pull it down. A concussion could definitely be possible if it hit you in the right spot without a helmet on!

This instance I'm talking about was rather funny (only because we had on helmets). I'm almost 100% positive the lift operator slammed the bar down on us. My wife, my mother and I all hopped on the lift. They both like to put the bar down, so I knew the bar would be coming down. The problem was that none of us expected it so early, so we all got nailed on the head with the bar with some force and we all looked at each other and started yelling at one another accusing each other of being the people who pulled the bar down early. I honestly think we all may have gotten concussed if we did not have helmets, it still stung a bit even with the helmet on, so the bar hit pretty hard/solidly.

 

[Jully]

It is not unnoticed by me that some of the faster bar down people lift the bar up 4 towers from the top. I like to wait until 1 tower from the top, but if someone is sitting on their poles, they need a little extra time to pull their poles free.

4 towers from the top is pretty ridiculous. Its funny how some people are so eager to put it down when you are 5 feet off the group leaving the terminal, but put it up real early up top when you are often at your highest point (think Skyline at Sugarloaf).

I sit on my poles, but it doesn't take me 4 towers to get them free! I always do it after the last tower unless it is a tower that's 3 feet from the top terminal on a fixed grip...

 

[dlague]

4 towers from the top is pretty ridiculous. Its funny how some people are so eager to put it down when you are 5 feet off the group leaving the terminal, but put it up real early up top when you are often at your highest point (think Skyline at Sugarloaf).

I sit on my poles, but it doesn't take me 4 towers to get them free! I always do it after the last tower unless it is a tower that's 3 feet from the top terminal on a fixed grip...

I take my poles out while getting off the lift. But you are right some pull down the bar fast with out notice. The other one is someone that wants the bar down, expects you to do it and then expects you to put it up.

 

[drjeff]

Especially on high-speed chairs, you'd be surprised how many times a "quick bar down" isn't from a person you're riding the lift with, but with someone from the group behind you grabbing/pushing the bar on your chair as they slide out to the load line!!

As for fixed grips, sometimes us tall guys (I'm 6'3" before I get into my boots and up on my skis) will cause it by the bump of the chair from the liftie causing the chair to pitch forward a bit more to have the seat pitch in a way that our rear ends can find it ;-)

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[Smellytele]

Especially on high-speed chairs, you'd be surprised how many times a "quick bar down" isn't from a person you're riding the lift with, but with someone from the group behind you grabbing/pushing the bar on your chair as they slide out to the load line!!/QUOTE]

I have never had that happen