randy questions:
right now, what's occurring at this site as we speak?
te: some earth movement and tree clearing. some material moving on switchback road
mh: 600' from rr to gilman, then 1200' from there to mountain core
te: we were initially looking at using either rock creek or bolt lake as rr unloading site. rock creek seemed logical with staging at gilman, bolt lake is exposed to all of the town (visual impact)
mh: what technology do you think
rw: funicular advantages
- impervious to wind
- can be converted to classy people mover afterwards
- 120-200 passenger cars possible
- go up very steep grades
- very reliable
disadvantage:
high lines need a "convex" hill -
- used heavily in logging industry
- hydraulic pole
- better for a short term project
rope con - device made specifically to transfer ore
mh: is this a conveyor system or a car hauled on cable?
rw: it is different than a conveyor system
- can be very long
- bogeys run on track system - they come back to the system - all the machinery comes back to the station (no going out to grease components)
- can span up to a kilometer
te: how steep a hill can it run up?
- depends on what you're hauling, 20-25% grade
mh: problems with this site:
- not just aggregates need to be moved, all sorts of
rw: a funicular can be built like a train - upper limit is how big a cable you want to build - realistically 30 tons
can work up any grade - convex or concave - if abrupt changes in topography, then you need to build bridges or tunnels
mh: a funicular can't be terribly expensive?
rw: $3m/mile, for laying track (just a hypothetical) - most expensive thing is laying track
ballpark: $20m installed with both types of cars?
te/mh: passenger gondola (tram)planned from bolt lake - this can be used to haul material, right?
rw: you can do that, we are now replacing jackson hole tram (12-15m job) - and that's a big tram - canon mountain has a tram, crystal mtn in washington is looking at one - trams are in 10-25m range - you can have a passenger tram on one side and a material tram on the other
te/kfb says material ropeways on website says they will handle up to 40 tons?
rw: that seems heavy
kfb: tram vs. funicular in weather
rw: tram can operate in some high winds, funicular has almost no weather limitations
te: either from rr to gilman then to top - or just from bolt lake
rw: would go from bolt lake to mountain core with a funicular
newer tech is better - use concrete ties and better steel - system lasts forever
mh: do we have any idea to estimate funicular cost?
rw: will send a message to our N.A. funicular/tram guy - will give you a budgetary price for free
mh: would like to haul 100 ton material loads, 40 feet long material
mh: speed?
rw: very fast - could get 1000 tons an hour?
rw: will get order of magnitude estimate - will try to get something back to us by email by middle of next week.
mh: regulatory controls?
rw: colorado tramway control
mh: safety system?
rw: we make our own control system - a triple redundant system - some will use 3 different processors (computer systems) - componentized -same control system as detachable chair lifts
mh: load limits?
rw: current limits on electric motors will not start if overloaded
rw: cables are inspected all the time - they just don't break - all funiculars have track breaks - place where cable attaches to front of car has a load cell - if that load cell fails to feel a load, clamps track breaks.
te: can funicular cars be modified to carry containers
rw: yes - you can build a container crane that picks up containers, configure "truck" on funicular to accept these containers
mh: how long will it take to build (with no extravagant tunnels/bridges)
rw: 18 mos. typically, you could rush it if you needed to -
mh: critical path is track alignment?
rw: yes - other things are off the shelf
te: two funiculars - one to gilman and then to the top,
rw: funiculars can turn corners - from bolt lake to gilman and then to mountain core - make a transfer
