As you are getting on the blue bird quad, have you ever asked yourself, how does this lift slow down when we load, speed up, then slow down when we unload without ever changing speeds?  What goes on up there that allows that to happen?  Well, here is a closer look at what is going on behind the scenes in the motor room.

As the chairs come into the terminal there is a metal plate that the actuating wheel strikes as it enters.  This opens the grip and allows the chair to detach from the haul rope.  The haul rope continues around the bull wheel and never decreases its speed.  The chair is then propelled around to the load area by a set of tires running over the tread plate on top of the grip.  These tires slow the chair to a manageable speed for loading and unloading.  After you sit on the chair and begin to exit the terminal the tires push the chair through another strike plate that clamps the grip back onto the haul rope which is moving at its full speed, around 1000 feet per minute. As you come into the top terminal you will notice that the chair speed slows just before the unload ramp.  This is because the process of detaching from the haul rope repeats at the top terminal to allow the chair to slow and for you to exit the chair comfortably.

Top of grip, the flat black part is the tread plate, the yellow circle is the actuating wheel.

Wheel assembly propelled by belts and pulleys

Electric motor, primary mover.

Diesel Motor, secondary mover.

Within the motor room and towers there are thousands of parts moving constantly to make this process happen repeatedly throughout the day.  Along with safety mechanisms, haul rope and carriers, for everything to happen correctly, precision is key.

So next time you are getting ready to load the Blue Bird Quad, take note and give thanks to the miracle of vertical transportation.

KEEP THE FUN ALIVE!

-Cory