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Triangle Triple
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Ryder Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Nov 28, 2001 Posts: 121 Location:	Posted: Dec 06, 2001 - 11:01 PM GMT Why did Killington make the South ridge triple in the shape of a triangle? I am very curious of this lift(never been to big K). Are there any other triangle chairs? I think it was a stupid idea because doesn't it expose you to the wind, and it cost more with twice as many towers. Also does anyone have pics of the turn half way up, and the stations. __________ My other car is a T bar

Anonymous Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Sep 01, 2001 Posts: 1434 Location:	Posted: Dec 06, 2001 - 11:24 PM GMT I asked that question to the Killington guide when I skied there in 1986. She told me that because of erosion issues the engineers somehow felt it made sense to design and construct the lift that way. I've ridden it many times and it's a must do for the chairlift-obsessed. The ride up is the one that bends; when you reach the midpoint section, you pass through two towers that have bullwheels (!) on them. These towers are about 20 feet apart or so (I'm going back 15 years in memory so the cobwebs may have infested the actual experience). The angle is about 45 degrees so you need two bullwheels to keep riders from potential injury. It's quite a thud to unexpecting riders! It's also a frigid lift to ride. IBRAKEFORTBARS disguised as 'anonymous'

Chris Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Apr 19, 2001 Posts: 2720 Location:New Hampshire	Posted: Dec 06, 2001 - 11:59 PM GMT Breckenridge, CO has a t-bar with the same exact design... curves while riding up. Makes for some laughs because a lot of people lose it on the corner __________ SnowJournal.com

Anonymous Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Sep 01, 2001 Posts: 1434 Location:	Posted: Dec 07, 2001 - 12:58 AM GMT Years ago, when killington was determined to achieve the early and late season activity, a retractable mid-station was present at the famous triangle turn. I think they used it for loading skiers at the mid station to ski the upper flat area, a good location for early/late skiing. The killington peak chair operated in the same way. I Remember skiing the big K on June 1 some time in the early eighties, I think it was the year they operated till June 21 (83-84?) Good Skiing on that day! Jon P.S. I think I remember a forest fire sometime around the mid eighties in that area of the triple? I could be wrong, but the trees above the jug looked a little krispy

Anonymous Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Sep 01, 2001 Posts: 1434 Location:	Posted: Dec 07, 2001 - 1:14 AM GMT the lift was an idea pres smith (founder of killington) got when he saw a triangle lift in europe. The turn was infact for early season loading purposes. Yan built the lift (lift engineering of carson city nev.) The early season loading thing never really worked out. This was the first turnkey lift at killington meaning all other lifts before killington had ordered and assembled themselves. yan did the entire fabrication and installation. -Dave (Chairlift.org)

ThatNYguy Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Sep 08, 2001 Posts: 1748 Location:Circling near Albany, NY	Posted: Dec 07, 2001 - 2:40 AM GMT There was a ski area in western NY, now dead that had a "floating" bull wheel. This lift was a poma. Russ

Anonymous Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Sep 01, 2001 Posts: 1434 Location:	Posted: Dec 07, 2001 - 7:46 AM GMT I rode a poma at Les Arc about 10 years ago that was 1-11/2 miles long and had several turns like the southridge chair at Kill. For a surface lift quite a challenge. Paid more attention after the first turn. skileader

Anonymous Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Sep 01, 2001 Posts: 1434 Location:	Posted: Dec 07, 2001 - 12:31 PM GMT There are also several turns in one T-bar at St Anton in Austria. They even had video cameras to monitor the blind spots

Anonymous Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Sep 01, 2001 Posts: 1434 Location:	Posted: Dec 07, 2001 - 6:13 PM GMT The floating bullwheel was very common of early poma brand double chairs. There is still one at sterling forest new york, I have pictures I am waiting to develop of this chair. -Dave

Anonymous Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Sep 01, 2001 Posts: 1434 Location:	Posted: Dec 07, 2001 - 11:23 PM GMT All the old Pomas at Okemo, or at least the Black, Red, and Green had floating bullwheels at the top end. Jon

PatrickSullivan Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Sep 16, 2001 Posts: 695 Location:	Posted: Dec 09, 2001 - 4:20 PM GMT Even though the Knight T-Bar at Pats Peak was a Mueller, it had a floating bullwheel!

rocket21 Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Sep 13, 2001 Posts: 8404 Location:USA	Posted: Dec 09, 2001 - 5:13 PM GMT What do you mean visually by a floating bullwheel? What do they look like? __________ NewEnglandSkiHistory.com

Anonymous Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Sep 01, 2001 Posts: 1434 Location:	Posted: Dec 09, 2001 - 10:25 PM GMT The Triangle Triple, as someone above said, was an idea of Pres SMith. It was for early season BEGINNER skiing on UPper Pipe Dream (one of the nicest beginner slopes at K). IF love chairlifts, you must ride this lift. They don't operate it much, however- Only on big weekends (MLK, Pres., etc.) It has two bulwheel that turn the lift around at the old midstation. It's like being on a fun house ride. They have a basket there to catch people's gloves and ski poles. This lift is reealy cold as it sits exposed in the wind and it also was very costly. I tihnk K might have also used it for sumemr sightseeing. This is one of the most interesting lifts ever built. Dave www.geocities.com/tigerskier

Anonymous Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Sep 01, 2001 Posts: 1434 Location:	Posted: Dec 09, 2001 - 10:39 PM GMT MORE INFO ON THE TRIANGLE TRIPLE, effectionately known as "The Freezer." THIS IS FROM MY KILLINGTON SITE http://www.geocities.com/tigerskier/southridgetriple.html Dave www.geocities.com/tigerskier

rocket21 Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Sep 13, 2001 Posts: 8404 Location:USA	Posted: Dec 10, 2001 - 12:29 AM GMT The towers look almost like Hall towers...what does the "floating bullwheel" look like? __________ NewEnglandSkiHistory.com

Anonymous Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Sep 01, 2001 Posts: 1434 Location:	Posted: Dec 10, 2001 - 2:15 AM GMT Someone correct me if I'm wrong but this is how the 'floating bullwheel' works. I saw this on Poma chairlifts at Killington (when they still existed on the Snowshed slope) as well as at this great little place in the Catskills of NY called Holiday Mt. You could see the 'floating bullwheel' from Rt. 17 as you drove through Monticello. Anyway, most bullwheels are supported by a metal frame or on a concrete pillar. The bullwheel is then connected by fat metal cables to a concrete counterweight. In the 'floating bullwheel' concept, the counterweight is heavy enough to support the bullwheel as well as provide enough tension to the cable and chairs. So, what you see at the summit unloading station is the spinning bullwheel...with nothing underneath it! Or above it. The frame containing the axle upon which the bullwheel spins is connected in the back to two strong steel cables which drape over two small tower-like posts angled at 45 degrees or so. The cables bend down about 90 degrees and suspend the counterweight. You can watch the counterweight rise and fall as skiers disembark from the lift. Also the bullwheel wiggles a little bit as skiers exit their chairs and the chair spins around. I hope you can get a visual from this description. Did I describe it right? IBRAKEFORTBARS disguised as Tom Foley, a motivational coach, who'se thrice divorced and who lives in a VAN..BY..THE..RIVER!!!!

rocket21 Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Sep 13, 2001 Posts: 8404 Location:USA	Posted: Dec 10, 2001 - 3:49 AM GMT so if the cable snapped or derailed, the bullwheel would drop? Its height is maintaned by the previous tower and the counterweight cables? This sounds really interesting. I don't think I've seen one before. __________ NewEnglandSkiHistory.com

PatrickSullivan Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Sep 16, 2001 Posts: 695 Location:	Posted: Dec 10, 2001 - 4:43 AM GMT They mostly use these designs for limited space type operations. I even seen a floating drive bullwheel. very sketchy designs. They can also be supported by angle beams that are drilled into rock. Patrick

ThatNYguy Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Sep 08, 2001 Posts: 1748 Location:Circling near Albany, NY	Posted: Dec 11, 2001 - 12:49 AM GMT To clarify my original post, the floating bull wheel I spoke of was in the middle of the poma lift ( the vinyl disk attached to a bar). This lift made a turn at that point, so this lift had 3 bull wheels. Russ

ThatNYguy Profile \| Galleries Rank: Member Since: Sep 08, 2001 Posts: 1748 Location:Circling near Albany, NY	Posted: Dec 11, 2001 - 12:51 AM GMT To clarify my original post, the floating bull wheel I spoke of was in the middle of the poma lift ( the vinyl disk attached to a bar). This lift made a turn at that point, so this lift had 3 bull wheels. Russ

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