Idea for upgrading the Skyride

The Frontier Lift would be nice to have back, but there's too many obstructions now in it's path.

RideMan said:

skifan23 said:
I understand what some of you are saying but...

It's not a Poma thing, it's a modern chairlift design which is used by two major companies, Poma/Leitner and Doppelmayr CTEC. It's like comparing B&M to Intamin.

A company called CWA makes the cabins. Hypothetically they could make cabins that are open air as well as different colors. They could probably even use the same towers.

The Sky Ride was built by Von Roll AG of Switzerland.
In 1982, Von Roll merged with Habegger AG.
In 1996, Von Roll/Habegger was bought by Doppelmayr
In 2002, Doppelmayr merged with Garaventa
(see: history page at garaventa.com)

Carrosseriewerke Aarburg (CWA, now CWA Constructions SA) has been building aerial tramway gondolas since 1954, and in fact if you ride the Space Spiral, you will find that the Space Spiral is also credited to Von Roll, and the cabin credited to CWA. In 2001, CWA was purchased by Doppelmayr.

So given the fact that Von Roll was known to use Carrosseriewerke Aarburg gondolas, it is very possible that Cedar Point's Sky Ride may already have CWA gondolas, and in any case, the entire system was constructed by companies that are now a part of Garaventa/CTEC. :)

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

'

I had no idea that you knew so much about ski lifts! I guess they have other uses too, but I've always refered to them being used at ski resorts because I'm addicted to skiing as much as coasters.

In addition to Von Roll being merged with Doppelmayr, other companies like Hall and Borvig were merged also.

And yes, I bet the cabins are early CWA cabins!

Doesn't this resemble the skyride?
http://www.chairlift.org/pics/gore/gore2.jpg

If they were ever changed, they probably would end up looking like this: http://www.chairlift.org/pics/gore/gore4.jpg

I guess you guys are right, it wouldn't have the 'amusement park look'

Dave's timeline of the mergers in the ski lift industry is correct, except that in the Doppelmayr/Garaventa merger Doppelmayr retained it's name so the company is called Doppelmayr CTEC in the U.S.

From the Doppelmayr website:

Doppelmayr CTEC is the North American branch of the Doppelmayr ropeway manufacturing company which is a subsidiary of the Doppelmayr/Garaventa-Group.

Of course the timeline is correct...it came from data included on the Garaventa and CWA Constructions web sites. I had too much time on my hands this morning (I'm making up for that idleness this afternoon, though!).

There was something else, but the phone is ringing, so I have to go...

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

I like the BGW skyride in that it has three stations at a triangle and can get you around the park pretty well.

Would that be impossible to do at Cedar Point? It would from from the midway down to the Magnum area. Then over to the Thunder Canyon area and back up to the midway.

I guess nothing is impossible if you have the will...and the cash.

Where exactly was the Frontier Lift?

The station was roughly between Coasters and Iron Dragon, and the other station is still there next to Mine Ride.

It'd be interesting to see them add to Sky Ride, but the ride looks fine the way it is. It'd overcrowd the area by Iron Dragon, Corkscrew, Power Tower, Top Thrill Dragster's station.

The person on the other page said about the cabins constantly move on the newer versions wouldn't work at CP. I agree since the ski resorts don't see the grandparents or the other people who would have difficulties getting into a moving cabin.

Dutchman said:
Skyride has had at least two sets of tubs. The original ones were cylindrical. They were replaced with rectangular tubs (late 60's-early 70's?), possibly at the time of the instalation of the Frontier Lift.

I have heard somewhere that the currect Skyride cabins are the ones from the Frontier Lift, just repainted.

Thanks Jeff. Does anyone have a picture of the station that remains next to the Mine Ride, or know where to find one?

The Skyride's original tubs were the Cylindrical style.They were replaced wiht rectangular cabins in the early 1970's, about the time that the Frontier Lift was installed The Frontier Lift was a later installation, and it came with the rectangular tubs. I have heard that after the FL was removed that they kept the best of the cabins for use on the Skyride.

At least one of the FL tubs makes an appearance in the Halloweekends stuff every year. Beyond that, it's hard to say which ones are which because they've all been painted.

I really like the old lift. When you think about all of the stuff that now crosses the path of the old ride, it's amazing.

Actually, that's car #8. There's 40 cars, but only 39 of them are actually on the ride. #8 is missing.

...and even with that one car missing, doesn't that still leave you with two spares? I thought Sky Ride normally ran with up to 37 gondolas...

(I forget what the switch settings are, or were...)

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

20, 26 and 38 cabins. It leaves 1 spare at full capacity. I think maybe there was a 32 or 34 cabin option too, but I can't recall. Usually its either 20 or 38 cabins.