Sugarloaf Lift Rollback

[ExcelsiorTheFathead]

This seems to be the big news of today.  Was anybody there?

 

Thank goodness it stopped.  I would freak out if I was on the lift because I've seen this video:

Edited March 22, 2015 by ExcelsiorTheFathead

[digger jr]

That's scary as hell. I've jumped out of out of control golf carts before. I also have a fear of heights. Hope everybody is ok:)

[lowrider]

 I hope Jack Michaud's mother wasn't on this one too.

Edited March 22, 2015 by lowrider

[ExcelsiorTheFathead]

No matter how you slice it, this is another black mark for Sugarloaf.  If I was a customer there I'd be loudly expressing my concern and lack of confidence.

[trailertrash]

It was a shit show. It will be interesting to see if this lift opens at all the rest of the season. This lift doesn't service the normal carving trails plus the Banked Slalom was happening on the other side of the mountain. This lift failing isn't surprising to anyone who knows the mtn well. It was bound to happen.

 

Apparently at Sugarloaf, lawsuits are cheaper than new lifts.

[powdahbonz]

The only good news for them in this instance from an inspection/maintenance issue is that according to Sugarloaf, the lift had just been inspected on 3/20(day before) but the gear box failure was an internal issue not visible to inspection. That requires sampling of fluids, looking for metal, signs of metal fatigue, etc. The court of public opinion and social media certainly are not painting a bright picture for the mountain and looking for blood which is just plain stupid. Unfortunate that the public opinion heaps the most blame on the people that can least likely impact this. This is a corporate failure, CNL Properties-Boyne, to recognize when capital investment in infrastructure takes priority. Not the failure of the people that keep working with what they have to operate.

[lowrider]

 Gear box failure is a drive issue but fails to explain why rollback occurred since brake should easily handle the load. If it proves that the load cannot be sustained without the added resistance of the drive than there are a whole lot of  potential problems on every chair lift we ride.

[ExcelsiorTheFathead]

MEDIA ADVISORY: Sugarloaf Releases Preliminary Findings on King Pine Lift Rollback
March 22, 2015

 

Carrabassett Valley, ME (March 22, 2015) - One day after a rollback incident on the King Pine lift at Sugarloaf, investigators from Sugarloaf worked in conjunction with an engineer from the State of Maine Board of Elevators and Tramways to investigate the cause of the accident that resulted in injuries to seven guests.

 

The investigation began yesterday, shortly after the evacuation of the lift was complete. Though it is ongoing, the investigation's preliminary findings revealed that the trigger for the incident was a major mechanical failure in one of two gearboxes connecting the lift's electric motor to its drive bullwheel. A bullwheel is a large, metal wheel, around which the lift cable - which supports the chairs - is tensioned.

 

Just one day before the incident, the gearbox passed a sophisticated routine preventive maintenance procedure intended to identify potential problems.

The gearbox failure effectively de-coupled the bullwheel from the lift's primary service brake, which is located on the drive shaft between the two gearboxes, and its anti-reverse brake, which is the first of three redundant backup mechanisms for preventing reverse travel.

 

At this point, the emergency bullwheel brake, which uses calipers to apply braking pressure to the flange of the bullwheel itself, was applied by the lift attendant. This brake slowed the speed of the rollback and ultimately brought the lift to a stop. The application of the emergency brake by the lift attendant likely prevented a more extensive rollback.

 

The final braking mechanism, known as a drop dog (a large metal pin that drops into the bullwheel to prevent rotation), apparently failed to deploy as designed.

 

"The cause of the gearbox failure and the failure of the drop dog to deploy as designed both remain under investigation," Ethan Austin, Sugarloaf's Director of Marketing said. "It is likely that determining the root cause of these failures will require extensive analysis."

 

Lift mechanics routinely check gearbox oil levels as part of their daily pre-operating checklist. But much like an automobile transmission, the machinery inside of a lift gearbox is not easily observed, so Sugarloaf contracts for routine maintenance tests that can indicate potential problems before they occur.

 

The tests include oil analysis, which can reveal microscopic particles of metal that indicate undue wear inside the machinery, and vibration analysis, which can reveal gears out of balance and incipient failure.

 

An oil analysis was conducted on the King Pine lift on January 19, and a vibration analysis was conducted on March 20 - one day before the incident. Both tests were conducted by outside contractors who specialize in gearbox analysis, and neither revealed any irregularities.

 

The gearbox last underwent major servicing, including the replacement of worn components, just before the start of the 2011-2012 winter season. The work was performed by a contractor who specializes in gearbox maintenance.

 

"Our first concern remains with those who were injured, and those who went through a truly frightening experience," Austin said. "Based on what we know now, we're grateful that this situation wasn't any worse. It's too soon to say what, if any, changes to operational protocols will be made, and part of that determination will hinge upon what's revealed by the next stages of the investigation."

 

Austin said the lift will remain closed pending further investigation.

For previous statements release by Sugarloaf regarding this incident, please visit www.sugarloaf.com/media-room.

##

Contact:
Ethan Austin
Director of Marketing
eaustin@sugarloaf.com
207-237-6899(o)
207-450-4289©

[lordmetroland]

Gear box failure is a drive issue but fails to explain why rollback occurred since brake should easily handle the load. If it proves that the load cannot be sustained without the added resistance of the drive than there are a whole lot of  potential problems on every chair lift we ride.

This whole thread is like one of those "Signal 30" movies in Driver's Ed. Before yesterday, I was a carefree rider of chairlifts. "What could possibly go wrong?" Next time I go riding, I'll be haunted by the images of those guys in hard hats dodging chairlift shrapnel.

[lowrider]

 I'd rather be hit by a flying body than a barrel of water or a stack of concrete blocks ! With all the bystanders screaming at the riders to jump I'm assuming a lot of people have seen that self destruct video before. Local bump had a bull wheel drop a few years ago when a counterweight cable broke they retrofitted two of three lifts with hydraulic tensioners but not a third.  They did beef up the stops on the rails supporting the bull wheel carriage. Could never understand the rationale behind the decision not to do all lifts. TSSA (gov't safety guys never made it mandatory to do the same with other lifts of similar design. Counter weight cables are now a high priority replaced frequently at a cost of about $800.

[Apex Insider]

We were there testing plates but luckily on the other side of the mountain. It was my first time at Sugarloaf and I was falling in love with the mountain. The sheer variety of terrain was mind blowing. I loved the little chutes that formed into natural quarter pipes. And the fall line carvers with varying pitch were an absolute blast. But, even before the accident, I couldn't help but notice that the lifts were ancient. For such a world class mountain, it's a real glaring failure. 

 

I will still go back next year but I sure hope this accident is a wake up call for Boyne.

 

BTW, great meeting Jack for the first time and all the other rippers there for the Banked Slalom.

 

Henry

Edited March 24, 2015 by Apex Insider

[ExcelsiorTheFathead]

MEDIA ADVISORY: Sugarloaf Rollback Investigation Reveals Apparent Lift Design Issue

March 25, 2015

 

CARRABASSETT VALLEY, ME - A team of investigators, including Sugarloaf personnel and engineers from Boyne Resorts (Sugarloaf's parent company), have completed a preliminary review and investigation of the rollback of the King Pine Chairlift on Saturday , March 21, 2015.

 

Investigators determined that a fracture of the main drive shaft of the lift's secondary gearbox initiated the rollback, and that the lift's bullwheel brake engaged and operated properly. 

 

Investigators also identified an apparent manufacturer design issue in one of the lift's components as contributory to the accident.

Sugarloaf and Boyne engineers have also identified a retrofit for the system that corrects the issue. 

 

"Our first thoughts remain with those injured, and our sincere hope is for their speedy recovery," Sugarloaf General Manager John Diller said. "I'm grateful that we now have a clearer understanding of what occurred."

 

Gear Box Failure:

The incident on King Pine occurred at approximately 11:30 Saturday morning, when a shaft in one of the two gearboxes that transfer power from the lift's electric motor to its bullwheel fractured. 

 

The gear boxes in the King Pine lift, along with every other lift at Sugarloaf, were subjected to a routine vibration assessment by an outside contractor the day before the incident, and no anomalies were detected that indicated such a fracture was imminent or likely. 

 

The fracture of the shaft resulted in the loss of both the primary service brake and the anti-reverse brake, leaving two additional braking systems intended to prevent a rollback. 

 

The failure of the shaft, in and of itself, should not have resulted in the rollback that occurred, if the lift's remaining systems had performed as intended. 

Bullwheel Brake Activation:

 

Though further investigation is still needed, findings suggest that an automatic system to activate the lift's bullwheel brake (identified as "emergency brake" in previous statements) activated properly. Additionally, the lift's operator quickly activated a manual control to apply the bullwheel brake. 

 

Bullwheel brake activation is, by design, not instantaneous, because an immediate stop of a moving lift can create sudden and dramatic movement along a lift's haul rope, potentially causing enough movement to cause skiers to fall out of chairs, a deropement of the lift, and other significant damage. 

 

In the time between bullwheel brake activation and the actual stoppage of the lift, the lift traveled backwards for a total of nine chair lengths, or approximately 460 feet, due to the weight of skiers on the lift, which was full. 

 

The investigators also found that a further system to prevent a rollback failed, due to an apparent design flaw. 

 

The Drop Dog:

The final system intended to automatically engage to prevent a lift rollback is commonly referred to in the ski industry as a "drop dog." Lifts are required to have some form of device to prevent the lift from counter-rotating, and variants of the drop dog approach are generally used today. 

 

The investigation revealed that one of the switches used in the safety circuit connected to the drop dog was an inappropriate switch for the intended application. This switch, which is designed to suspend the drop dog above the bullwheel when it senses forward rotation of the lift, can also suspend the drop dog when the lift rotates in reverse. 

 

This switch was provided by the lift's original manufacturer, and is still provided by the company that manufactures components for this type of lift. 

The investigation indicates that, had an appropriate switch been included in the system, the drop dog would have deployed and the rollback would have stopped immediately. 

 

Sugarloaf personnel and Boyne Resorts engineers have designed circuitry to correct this situation. This modification has been reviewed and approved by a licensed Maine lift inspector, and is being installed on other lifts at Sugarloaf that employ the same type of switch. 

 

There are six such lifts at Sugarloaf - Skidway, Sawduster, Snubber, Double Runner East, Double Runner West, and Bucksaw. Upon reaching the above conclusions regarding the drop dog switch this morning, and acting on an abundance of caution, Sugarloaf personnel made the decision to temporarily shut down the Skidway, Sawduster, Snubber, and Double Runner lifts until the modification was installed. The Bucksaw lift was not scheduled to operate today or tomorrow and will be modified before it is operated again on Friday. 

 

Sugarloaf and Boyne Resorts have been in touch with the lift's parts manufacturer to share their findings. 

The investigation of the incident by the State of Maine Board of Elevator and Tramway Safety (Tramway Board) is ongoing.

[ExcelsiorTheFathead]

An Update on the Timberline Lift

 

April 2, 2015

 

CARRABASSETT VALLEY, ME - Following the initial findings in the investigation of the King Pine lift accident, Sugarloaf's lift maintenance team conducted a thorough inspection of the gear box on the Timberline lift this week. The inspection had been scheduled for this summer, but given the similarity of the lift to King Pine, the lift maintenance staff elected to perform the inspection immediately.

 

The Timberline lift is the most similar in design to King Pine of any of Sugarloaf's lifts. Many of the components in the Timberline lift, including the braking systems, were updated to newer designs when Timberline moved to its current location, but the gear boxes remain essentially identical to those found in the King Pine lift.

 

The inspection focused on the gear boxes and drive shaft, as the King Pine investigation identified a fracture of the drive shaft as the initial triggering event for the accident on that lift.

 

While the Timberline inspection did not reveal any damage that would suggest a similar event was imminent or at all likely, it did reveal an abnormal level of wear and tear to the drive shaft. As a precautionary measure, our lift maintenance team has elected to take the lift out of service until a new drive shaft can be installed.

 

Our lift team is working on sourcing a new drive shaft and we are hopeful that we will be able to locate one in time to reopen the lift this season. The lift is likely to be closed this weekend, and will remain closed until a new drive shaft can be installed.

 

While Timberline is down we will provide transportation via passenger snowcat from Spillway Crosscut to the summit on days when summit conditions are favorable. The summit will also remain open to hiking when conditions allow.

 

We will update you as soon as the work on the lift is complete, or when any new information is available.

[skidad62]

Really sucks. That email went to all seasons pass holders this week.

Edited April 4, 2015 by skidad62

[Corey]

They did the right thing. Kudos to them for having the courage to do it, whether it was actually courage or a team of lawyers imagining the repercussions of a second failure on their watch.

[ExcelsiorTheFathead]

Heck, I thought that this was the second failure on their watch.

 

These are the properties owned by Boyne.  It occurs to me that next season I will probably be riding at a Boyne resort, and a number of BOLers are probably riding regularly at some of these places. 

 

    Big Sky Resort, Montana
    Brighton, Utah
    Crystal Mountain, Washington
    The Summit at Snoqualmie, Washington
    Cypress Mountain, British Columbia
    Boyne Mountain, Michigan
    The Mountain Grand Lodge and Spa at Boyne Mountain Resort, Boyne Falls, Michigan
    Boyne Highlands, Michigan
    The Inn at Bay Harbor, Michigan
    Crooked Tree Golf Club, Michigan
    Gatlinburg Skylift, Tennessee
    Loon Mountain, New Hampshire
    Sugarloaf, Maine
    Sunday River, Maine

 

If we were to go with the theory that this is symptomatic of a company-wide lack of attention to maintenance and upgrades, it couldn't hurt to let the mucky-mucks know that we are somewhat concerned for our safety.

 

Boyne has a contact form at http://www.boyneresorts.com/contact-us, but it probably goes to a hole.

 

Near as I can figure, the executive responsibility for these resorts is divided between two brothers:

 

John Kircher is President of Boyne Resorts' western operations in Utah, Washington and Vancouver, and British Columbia.
     33914 Crystal Mountain Boulevard
     Crystal Mountain, Washington 98022

 

Stephen Kircher is President of Boyne Resorts' eastern operations including Maine, Michigan, Montana and Tennessee.
     1 Boyne Mountain Road
     Boyne Falls, Michigan 49713

Edited April 4, 2015 by ExcelsiorTheFathead

[lonbordin]

In Indiana the elevator/carny ride inspector is the one doing the inspection of the two resorts in Indiana.  I'm alerting them to the possibles and hoping it will motivate them to do a more thorough inspection before the start of next season.

 

Resorts are squeezing across the board and lift work is big dollars... we all know it comes down to a risk vs cost assessment.

[Allee]

I liked this bit on the second media release : "Investigators also identified an apparent manufacturer design issue in one of the lift's components as contributory to the accident." In other words, sue them, not us!

 

I often stare at the chairlift cable going uphill and think that it's amazing that the things work at all, and that they don't fail more often than they do. It's not just Boyne that are guilty of running equipment well past its use by date though - RCR is still running chairs at Kimberley that were new when God was a boy, and I think we can all name resorts that are still running ancient, creaky double fixed grips with no safety bars.

 

I'm glad that there weren't any serious injuries though. That must have been as scary as hell for the people on the lift.

 

Edited April 8, 2015 by Allee

[lowrider]

 I would guess that you have a better chance of winning the lottery three times in a row than being on a chairlift that malfunctions. How long after a device is installed is the manufacturer liable ?  Multiple owners, dozens of different mechanics and abuse  by people and nature  it is impressive how durable these machines are. Well paid mechanics and lift operators who are competent and aware of normal operating sounds and procedures are you assurance of a safe trip up the hill. The lifts I enjoy using the most are the older well maintained ones with simple mechanical safety switches fixed grips and no computers or loading carpets. Sorry Allee,  now that my kids have grown up I'm not even worried if they have safety bars. My main concern is the haul cable how old is it and where was it made ? A few years ago a lot of cable was coming from China some of it was kind of stretchy ? Interesting your reference to RCR they seem to be milking the hell out of their infrastructure. If their level of maintenance is a reflection of the cosmetics of their resorts appearance it leaves me wondering. This lean snow year isn't going to help if there are issues they need to deal with. I guess if your into bling you can always ride Sunshines new bubble chair with seat heaters. I seek out runs with primitive lifts Norquay has one. Teepetown at Sunshine was one and Lake Louise's  back side are good examples. Powder King has diesel powered lifts one chair  and one t-bar. Mt Sutton  in Quebec has an ancient two person lift over 50 years old with towers similar to the Teepe Town chair at Sunshine but with more primitive chairs the safety bars are like nothing I have ever seen before you almost need instructions on how to close them. When something goes wrong everyone gets sued ! Only sure thing is we will be the ones paying.
 

[ExcelsiorTheFathead]

The King Pine lift re-opened a couple of days ago as a brand-new Dopplemayr.

 

Seems like money well spent.

 

The old lift that failed was a Borvig, a brand that I've never heard of myself.  Apparently, they are common in New England.  The deroping incident back in 2010 was on Spillway East which was also a Borvig lift.  After that both the Spillway East and West chairs were replaced with a new quad.

Edited January 6, 2016 by ExcelsiorTheFathead

[trailertrash]

It's only a new bottom terminal. The rope, chairs, top terminal and supports are the same.

[dingbat]

The King Pine lift re-opened a couple of days ago as a brand-new Dopplemayr.

 

Seems like money well spent.

 

The old lift that failed was a Borvig, a brand that I've never heard of myself.  Apparently, they are common in New England.  The deroping incident back in 2010 was on Spillway East which was also a Borvig lift.  After that both the Spillway East and West chairs were replaced with a new quad.

West Quad at B East is a Borvig. Love that lift, but of course, it's set up right. Lost use of it all Summer and Fall due to the nonsense at the Loaf. State mandated tear down and inspection of the drive. Once you've got it apart that far there's stuff that's not worth not replacing while you've got it open and lots of it has to be custom made. Took something like nine months to get some of the parts. West Quad came out of Berthod Pass. Supposedly ran up so steep you could reach out the back of the chair and touch the haul rope behind you.

[lordmetroland]

West Quad came out of Berthod Pass. Supposedly ran up so steep you could reach out the back of the chair and touch the haul rope behind you.

 

Just hearing about the old lifts at Berthoud brings a tear to my eye.

[dingbat]

Looks like our lift was the Frontier Quad servicing the West Face. Ever ride it?

[lordmetroland]

Looks like our lift was the Frontier Quad servicing the West Face. Ever ride it?

 

I moved to Colorado the last year Berthoud Pass was in operation, '90-91, so I got to ride it a few times that year. The lifts looked brand new. I spent the next several seasons hiking that face, wishing the lifts were still running. That place was crazy. Two lifts serving something like 1,200 acres. Maybe four patrollers on duty on any given day. It was a token effort. If you went missing, there was a good chance your corpse wouldn't be found until spring. Then again, there usually weren't more than 50 people on the mountain, so the patroller/skier ratio was quite high, I guess. You can imagine the type of regulars they got. My favorite mountain ever.