News New Gondola Transportation - Disney Skyliner -

[GeneralKnowledge]

Absolutely, and all they have to do is add a few jet engines to operate generators for electricity and it will be cold enough to form ice in them. Hope they have some strong cables because those engines are heavy.

But where would they mount the fuel tanks??

 

[larryz]

I had to look up what this machine is since I have never seen one of these. Normally sheet pilings are installed using a device on the end of a crane that vibrates the pile into the ground. The downside of this is that it is very noisy. This machine connects to the piles already in the ground and then presses the next one into place which creates a lot less noise.

You should watch The Curse of Oak Island when it resumes next season, or go back and stream from season 3 on...

 

[Lift Blog]

The first station is going up. It has two turnarounds. That is highly indicative of something different than a normal lift. The turnaround is generally where cabins get closest to each other, limiting capacity. By splitting every other cabin onto two turnarounds, cabins could be significantly closer together on the entire system. 4,000 passengers per hour? 5,000? 6,000?

 

[DisAl]

This is exactly what I did and it wasn't working. The first link I gave was from doing just that. The search page looked broken as hell too.

A 448 page thread has all sorts of dead beaten horses, so I will try to say what I was saying a different way.
I will believe there is no air conditioning when they either announce it isn't there or I get on one and there is none. The technology exists even if it is expensive and if they put electricity in the support posts you wouldn't have to wait until you hit a station for additional power. This is not me telling other people their local information dealer isn't right, their sources are trash, or that they are wrong. I will have no problem admitting i'm wrong if there is no A/C when all is said and done, and welcome the parade of "I told you so" when/if that day comes.

Not practical at all to "put power on the support posts" since each gondola will only be at any given support for about one or two seconds.

 

[danlb_2000]

The first station is going up. It has two turnarounds. That is highly indicative of something different than a normal lift. The turnaround is generally where cabins get closest to each other, limiting capacity. By splitting every other cabin onto two turnarounds, cabins could be significantly closer together on the entire system. 4,000 passengers per hour? 5,000? 6,000?

Are these the two turnarounds?

 

[Lift Blog]

Are these the two turnarounds?

View attachment 279320

Yes. Not normal. I'm picturing one long straight unload, then doors close. Cabins go through one of the two turnarounds, merge back together on the other side, then doors reopen for loading.

 

[DisAl]

Just speculating, but the second turn around could also be for when they need extra boarding time for wheelchair access so the whole line would not get backed up.

 

[orky8]

The first station is going up. It has two turnarounds. That is highly indicative of something different than a normal lift. The turnaround is generally where cabins get closest to each other, limiting capacity. By splitting every other cabin onto two turnarounds, cabins could be significantly closer together on the entire system. 4,000 passengers per hour? 5,000? 6,000?

My guess would be to use one for handicap/ecvs at a stop for load, if that is even possible?

 

[SLUSHIE]

My guess would be to use one for handicap/ecvs at a stop for load, if that is even possible?

I feel like that has to be the only reason for this. In the past we did talk about the lift having this type of separate loading area, like how they do on certain rides like Toy story mania etc. but it wasn't clear to me how that would really work.

My guess though is that both stations will need to have two turnarounds and there will be dedicated handicap cabins, that will fill specific 'gaps' on the line, say every 20 normal cabins or possibly less. When one of the handicap cabins comes into the station, it will come off the line into the 2nd turn around, and one of the other handicap cabins, loaded or not, will take its place.

Yes. Not normal. I'm picturing one long straight unload, then doors close. Cabins go through one of the two turnarounds, merge back together on the other side, then doors reopen for loading.

I see where you re going with this. Due to the nature of the curve, cabins cannot be as physically close to each other. One of the annoying aspects of the gondola I worked at, is that it had a 'dog' type conveyor. Sometimes during an e stop etc. the cabin would come off the line at speed and then fling onto the conveyor where the other cabins were already stopped and there wouldn't be enough of a gap. If you weren't paying attention the cabins could pinch and derail themselves. Fun times.

I do personally feel though that it will be for handicap loading more than pure capacity. Not sure how my concept works related to the Riviera angle station though.

 

[Lensman]

The first station is going up. It has two turnarounds. That is highly indicative of something different than a normal lift. The turnaround is generally where cabins get closest to each other, limiting capacity. By splitting every other cabin onto two turnarounds, cabins could be significantly closer together on the entire system. 4,000 passengers per hour? 5,000? 6,000?

Where did the 4,500 passengers per hour estimate come from earlier in the thread? Was that Disney's estimate for this system or is 4,500 the estimate for a standard Doppelmayr D-Line?

I feel like that has to be the only reason for this. In the past we did talk about the lift having this type of separate loading area, like how they do on certain rides like Toy story mania etc. but it wasn't clear to me how that would really work.

My guess though is that both stations will need to have two turnarounds and there will be dedicated handicap cabins, that will fill specific 'gaps' on the line, say every 20 normal cabins or possibly less. When one of the handicap cabins comes into the station, it will come off the line into the 2nd turn around, and one of the other handicap cabins, loaded or not, will take its place.



I see where you re going with this. Due to the nature of the curve, cabins cannot be as physically close to each other. One of the annoying aspects of the gondola I worked at, is that it had a 'dog' type conveyor. Sometimes during an e stop etc. the cabin would come off the line at speed and then fling onto the conveyor where the other cabins were already stopped and there wouldn't be enough of a gap. If you weren't paying attention the cabins could pinch and derail themselves. Fun times.

I do personally feel though that it will be for handicap loading more than pure capacity. Not sure how my concept works related to the Riviera angle station though.

Assuming the line itself can handle the extra cabins, it could be both in that this two-turnaround design supports two boarding areas. One could be for loading wheelchairs and mobility scooters but could double as extra capacity when there wasn't an assistance device being loaded.

This could be one of the previously unknown reasons for the seeming high cost of the system. I don't think anyone figured on this in the cost estimates.

I can't wait to learn more about this. It's suddenly got even more interesting. What's next? Are they going to spring a 1.21 gigawatt system for powering the air conditioners during the 1 second they can be in contact with a catenary at the towers?

 

[SLUSHIE]

You don't normally load specifically on the curve. People get off on one side, the cabins go around the corner, and people on on the other side. There is no reason people couldn't get in a handicap cabin if it wasn't loaded, but they would likely do that once it has rejoined and people would get on it just like any other cabin.

These dedicated handicap cabins don't necessarily have to be physically different than any other cabin, they just need to rotate in and out so that there is always one available and not impact the normal flow. I don't think this would work if it were 'on demand.' Both stations need to be synchronized so that if there is a handicap cabin coming from the other station, there will be space for it when it gets to the station. So they would be scheduled and give a reasonable enough time for people to get out and another group to get in before it needs to rejoin to make room for another one.

The way this is setup though, it does seem like you wouldn't be able to make round trips, they will probably force you to get off and get back in line if you wanted to go back the other way.

 

[larryz]

I can't wait to learn more about this. It's suddenly got even more interesting. What's next? Are they going to spring a 1.21 gigawatt system for powering the air conditioners during the 1 second they can be in contact with a catenary at the towers?

More like eddy currents caused by copper plates on the gondolas passing by a line of very strong magnets strung between towers...

 

[Nubs70]

Exactly... a Lexus can't hope to measure up to the magnificent Yugo! Just look around today and everyone that ever owned a Yugo has stored them away knowing that in a few years they will be practically priceless. That's why you don't see any at all anymore. They are storing them out of harms way.

You couldn't beat the ROCE on a Yugo.

 

[Nubs70]

More like eddy currents caused by copper plates on the gondolas passing by a line of very strong magnets strung between towers...

How do you get power across a rotating element?

 

[Goofyernmost]

I don't have those answer but I can tell you Disney is a much easier area to build a system then up a mountain. That alone should drive costs down. Not easy getting heavy equipment and materials up a dirt service road on a side of a mountain that may or may not be close to where you have to build. Ski resorts also have a very limited time schedule that building can even happen. Frost then mud etc. etc. Disney has none of those problems.

No, but they do have there own which can easily make at least an equal look. Building many more junctions and turns. Ski areas are straight up the mountain. Facilities at the bottom and at the top. (two only and nothing elaborate, just a turn around. No need to deal with disabilities. No towers built in lagoons. No clearing of land... the sky slopes were already cleared. You can say that it is much easier, but, I don't think you really are doing anything more then guessing.

 

[nickys]

You don't normally load specifically on the curve. People get off on one side, the cabins go around the corner, and people on on the other side. There is no reason people couldn't get in a handicap cabin if it wasn't loaded, but they would likely do that once it has rejoined and people would get on it just like any other cabin.



The way this is setup though, it does seem like you wouldn't be able to make round trips, they will probably force you to get off and get back in line if you wanted to go back the other way.

Last weekend I was down in London, so my DS and I went on the Emirates cable car, to see what it was like.

It was interesting to see the mechanism in action. It was so much easier to understand when you could see the cars coming in pretty fast, then switch onto the slow turning wheel and rejoin on the other side. The "take off" looked (and felt) fast and steep! Did I mention I have a fear of heights? Boy am I glad the Disney ones aren't going high!

Anyway, back to point.... those stations do load on the turn. The cars come onto the slow wheel, slow right down to less than walking pace, doors open, people unload, car continues round and people load. I think there were 5 or 6 cars in the load area at a time. And we were allowed to stay on for the return trip.

ECVs and wheelchairs are allowed, strollers aren't. And they do just stop the whole line if necessary. First time was coming into the other station, which was fine. The second time was when we were right at the top, in the middle over the Thames. (Shudders at the thought)!

Now I had always thought the loading and unloading would be on the straight. So with this set up, I assume the ECVs etc would load "on" the second turning wheel? So could that be stopped without affecting the main turning wheel? I assume so, from what you're saying. But I'm interested why you think this set up means they won't let you stay on for a return trip?


ETA : sorry to bring up the "thing that must not be named", but that day just happened to be the first hot day of the year. T-shirt and shorts weather. Well the cabin was warm, but not unbearably so. And the ride is around 10-12 minutes one way, so we were in it for 20 to 25 minutes. Air conditioning wasn't working (the guy told us that before we got on), and it was bearable. So 5 minutes in Florida should be fine, even in the humid climes.

 

[Creathir]

Just speculating, but the second turn around could also be for when they need extra boarding time for wheelchair access so the whole line would not get backed up.

100% agree, and even proposed this idea at one point (but was shot down by the armchair imagineers in this thread...)

This would resolve the ECV concern everyone has if it is indeed what this is for.

 

[Thebolt]

I think it is less like the Emirates cable car and more like the Alton Towers one, which has a 90 degree turn.
If you have Cardboard, you can get a good feel for that here on youtube: Skyride.
The turn is around the 5m mark.

 

[Lensman]

I don't have those answer but I can tell you Disney is a much easier area to build a system then up a mountain. That alone should drive costs down. Not easy getting heavy equipment and materials up a dirt service road on a side of a mountain that may or may not be close to where you have to build. Ski resorts also have a very limited time schedule that building can even happen. Frost then mud etc. etc. Disney has none of those problems.

It certainly isn't easy building a lift up a mountain!

 

[larryz]

How do you get power across a rotating element?

Hey, I didn't say all the issues have been solved... but they have another year to get that minor detail ironed out.