ANSI B77.

1-2006

American National Standard

for Passenger Ropeways –

Aerial Tramways, Aerial Lifts,
Surface Lifts, Tows and Conveyors –
Safety Requirements
ANSI B77.1-2006
 ANSI
B77.1-2006
Revision of
ANSI B77.1-1999

American National Standard

for Passenger Ropeways –

Aerial Tramways, Aerial Lifts,

Surface Lifts, Tows and Conveyors –
Safety Requirements

Secretariat
National Ski Areas Association

Approved April 17, 2006

American National Standards Institute, Inc.
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Contents
Page

Foreword.............................................................................................................. iii
1 General requirements................................................................................... 1
1.1 Scope ........................................................................................................... 1
1.2 Purpose ........................................................................................................ 1
1.3 Reference to other codes and standards ..................................................... 2
1.4 Definitions..................................................................................................... 2
1.5 Quality assurance program .......................................................................... 6
2 Aerial tramways ............................................................................................ 7
2.1 Design and installation ................................................................................. 7
2.2 Electrical design and installation ................................................................ 19
2.3 Operation and maintenance ....................................................................... 23
3 Detachable grip aerial lifts .......................................................................... 29
3.1 Design and installation ............................................................................... 29
3.2 Electrical design and installation ................................................................ 47
3.3 Operation and maintenance ....................................................................... 52
4 Fixed grip aerial lifts.................................................................................... 59
4.1 Design and installation ............................................................................... 59
4.2 Electrical design and installation ................................................................ 75
4.3 Operation and maintenance ....................................................................... 80
5 Surface lifts................................................................................................. 87
5.1 Design and installation ............................................................................... 87
5.2 Electrical design and installation ................................................................ 97
5.3 Operation and maintenance ..................................................................... 101
6 Tows ......................................................................................................... 107
6.1 Design and installation ............................................................................. 107
6.2 Electrical design and installation .............................................................. 113
6.3 Operation and maintenance ..................................................................... 116
7 Conveyors ................................................................................................ 121
7.1 Design and installation ............................................................................. 121
7.2 Electrical design and installation .............................................................. 125
7.3 Operation and maintenance ..................................................................... 128
8 Normative references ............................................................................... 133

i
 Page
Annexes
A Wire rope and strand requirements .......................................................... 135
A.1 Physical properties ................................................................................... 135
A.2 Testing - Wire rope and track strand ........................................................ 138
A.3 End connections and splices for wire rope and strand ............................. 139
A.4 Maintenance and replacement ................................................................. 141
B Measuring the diameter of wire rope ........................................................ 145
C Examples of allowable broken wires in different
wire rope constructions .................................................................... 146
D Signs ........................................................................................................ 147
E Operator control devices .......................................................................... 154
F Combustion engine(s) and fuel handling .................................................. 155
G Welded link chain ..................................................................................... 161
H Roller and leaf chains ............................................................................... 163
I International system of units (SI) metric
conversion factors ............................................................................. 165
Index................................................................................................................. 167

ii
Foreword (This foreword is not part of American National Standard ANSI B77.1-2006.)

This standard deals with passenger transportation systems that use cables, ropes or
other flexible elements for power transmission in the system. These systems include
aerial tramways, detachable and fixed grip aerial lifts, surface lifts, tows, and convey-
ors.
This standard is a revision of American National Standard for Passenger Ropeways -
Aerial Tramways Aerial Lifts, Surface Lifts, Tows and Conveyors - Safety require-
ments, ANSI B77.1-1999. Section 1 provides the scope and general definitions for
systems covered in this standard. Sections 2 through 7 cover the specific passenger
transportation types. Five (5) Normative Annexes and four (4) Informative Annexes
are included in the standard. Normative Annexes are considered part of the stan-
dard. Informational Annexes are presented for the information provided and are not
considered part of this standard.
The B77 standard had its inception in 1956. At that time, the industry dealings with
recreational passenger transportation had reached such proportions that safeguards
were required for the protection of the public and progress of the industry. At the re-
quest of the Eastern Ski Area Operators Association, one of the original sponsors of
the project, a general conference was held in New York City. As a result of that con-
ference, the American National Standards Committee B77, composed of operators,
users, authorities having jurisdiction, designers, and manufacturers of aerial passen-
ger tramways, was established to develop safety requirements. The first standard
was approved by ANSI on June 8, 1960, and revisions were developed and ap-
proved in 1970, 1973, 1976, 1982, 1990, 1992 and 1999.
Because of the diverse nature of the industries that may use this standard, it is rec-
ommended that authorities having jurisdiction consider an effective date of one year
from the approval date of the standard. The "effective date" of this standard is a crite-
rion selected by the committee and not by the American National Standards Institute.
Suggestions for the improvement of this standard will be welcome. They should be
sent to the ASC B77, c/o National Ski Areas Association, 133 South Van Gordon
Street, Suite 300, Lakewood, CO 80228.
This standard was approved for submittal to ANSI by the Accredited Standards Com-
mittee (ASC) B77 on Aerial Passenger Ropeways. Committee approval of the stan-
dard does not necessarily imply that all the committee members voted for its
approval or the approval of every requirement in the standard. At the time this stan-
dard was approved, the ASC B77 Committee had the following members:

Jon Mauch*, Chairman - Breckenridge Ski Resort

Sid Roslund*, Committee Administrator - National Ski Areas Association

Organization Represented Name of Representative

Acordia Resort & Recreation ...................................................... Maynard Russell
Wally Shank
Aerial Engineering ...................................................................... Jim Ellis, P.E.
John Ellis, P.E. (Alt.)
Alta Ski Area ............................................................................... Onno Wieringa*
Beneficial Designs, Inc. .............................................................. Peter Axelson
Colorado Tramway Board........................................................... Lawrence Smith, P.E.*
Crystal Mountain......................................................................... Michael Call
Deer Valley Resort Company ..................................................... Chris Anderson

iii
Organization Represented Name of Representative
Doppelmayr CTEC, Inc............................................................... Paul Ehlert, P.E.
Mike Kingsley
Jan Leonard, P.E.
Larry Wollum*
Ericksen Associates, Inc............................................................. Nils Ericksen, P.E.
Fincor Automation, Inc................................................................ Roger Paucek
Geise Engineering ...................................................................... Sam Geise, P.E.
Gmuender Engineering, LLC...................................................... Joe Gmuender, P.E.
Hunter Mountain ......................................................................... Scott Berwick
Hyland Ski and Snowboard Area................................................ David Thomas
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort................................................... Chuck Melichar
Killington Resort ......................................................................... Jeff Temple
Leitner-Poma of America, Inc. .................................................... Tom Clink
Brian Kelly, P.E.
J.F. Mugnier
Nelson Tusberg, P.E.
Loveland Ski Area ...................................................................... Cindy Olson
M-Tek Consulting, Inc................................................................. Marc Wood, P.E.
Magic Carpet Ski Lifts, Inc.......................................................... Dave Kelly
Mountain Management Services, LLC ....................................... Chris Stoddard
Mountain Wire Rope Service...................................................... Dale Walters
Mt. Bachelor, Inc......................................................................... Rick Brooks
National Ski Patrol ...................................................................... Mary Davis
Northstar-at-Tahoe ..................................................................... Tim Silva
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway .................................................... Terry Zakotnik
Parametrix, Inc ........................................................................... James Bunch, P.E.
Jim Fletcher, P.E.
Pol-X West, Inc........................................................................... Les Okreglak, P.E.
Professional Safety Services...................................................... Norm Sothan
Resort Consulting Services ........................................................ Douglas Clyde
Sandia Peak Ski Area................................................................. George Boyden
Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort ................................................. Richard Taxwood
State of Michigan........................................................................ Mark Doman, P.E.
State of Vermont Tramway Board .............................................. Bob Pirie
Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation ......................................... Doug Allen*
Stevens Engineering .................................................................. Ross Stevens, P.E.*
Stratton Mountain Resort............................................................ Michael Nellis
Tamarack Resort ........................................................................ Jim Spenst
The Canyons .............................................................................. F. Scott Pierpont*
Tram Support.............................................................................. Douglas Sowder, P.E.
Tramway Engineering, Ltd.......................................................... Charles Peterson, P.E.
USDA - Forest Service ............................................................... Chris Hanrahan*
Scott Mitchell
Michael Lane (Alt.)
Robert Moore
Curt Panter
Utah Ropeway Safety Committee .............................................. Brian Allen, P.E.
Vail Mountain.............................................................................. Clyde Wiessner
Walt Disney World ...................................................................... Dennis Clark*
Wild Horse Enterprises LLC ....................................................... Rick Gregorio
Willis (MountainGuard Insurance Program). .............................. Jimmy Lawrence
Selden Hannah, P.E.
Retired ........................................................................................ Chuck Dwyer, P.E.
Stan Judge
Steve Hyland
Gordon Linebaugh
John Pentesco, P.E.
LeRoy Schultz, P.E.

iv
Organization Represented Name of Representative
Observer Members
Aerial NDT Inspection, Inc. .........................................................Scott Shanaman
Bridon American Corporation......................................................David Sleightholm
Busch Entertainment Corporation ...............................................Tim Viox
Carrick Engineering Corp............................................................Jonathan Carrick, P.E.
Larco, LLC...................................................................................Dave Larson
North Carolina Dept. of Labor .....................................................Thomas Petty
NYS Department of Labor...........................................................Blaise Thomas
Ropeway Technical Services, Inc. ..............................................Donald Larson
State of California........................................................................Jorg Ludwig
Walt Disney World Co. ................................................................John Harrison

* National Tramway Standards Board Member

v
AMERICAN NATIONAL STANDARD ANSI B77.1-2006

American National Standard

for Passenger Ropeways –

Aerial Tramways, Aerial Lifts,

Surface Lifts, Tows and Conveyors –
Safety Requirements
by the authority having jurisdiction based upon the
Section 1 design engineer’s specifications and the applicable
General requirements provisions of this standard.
1.2.2 New materials and methods for passenger
1.1 Scope ropeways
This document establishes a standard for the design, Adoption of technological improvements in materials and
manufacture, construction, operation, and maintenance advances in techniques is essential to enable the
of passenger ropeways. For this standard, passenger industry to keep pace with progress. If a designer or
ropeway categories include: manufacturer proposes to use materials or methods not
– aerial tramways (single and double reversible); covered by this standard, those materials, methods, or
– aerial lifts (detachable lifts, chair lifts, and similar both, shall be clearly identified, and complete design and
equipment); test information shall be provided to the purchaser or
– surface lifts (T-bar lifts, J-bar lifts, platter lifts, owner and the authority having jurisdiction (see 1.4 –
and similar equipment); authority having jurisdiction).
– tows (wire rope and fiber rope tows) 1.2.3 Exceptions
– conveyors.
Strict application of the provisions of this standard may
1.2 Purpose not be appropriate in every instance. Wherever it may be
The purpose of this standard is to develop a system of proposed to depart from the provisions of this standard,
principles, specifications, and performance criteria that the authority having jurisdiction may grant exceptions
will meet the following objectives: from the literal requirements or permit the use of other
devices or methods that provide features comparable to
a) Reflect the current state-of-the-art in passenger those included in this standard.
ropeway design, operation, and maintenance;
1.2.4 Installations
b) Be acceptable for adoption by government
agencies and others. 1.2.4.1 Existing installations

It is recognized that certain dangers and risks are Existing installations and those with design review
inherent in machines of this type and their operation. It is completed by the authority having jurisdiction prior to the
also recognized that inherent and other risks or dangers effective date of this standard need not comply with the
exist for those who are in the process of approaching, new or revised requirements of this edition, except
loading, unloading, and departing from passenger where specifically required by the authority having
ropeways. This system is intended to result in passenger jurisdiction.
ropeways that are designed, constructed, operated, and Operation and maintenance shall be in compliance with
maintained in a manner that helps reduce danger and those requirements specifically listed (not included by
exposure to risk to passengers and maintenance and reference) in the operation and maintenance subsection
operational personnel, and to encourage improvements (2.3, 3.3, 4.3, 5.3, 6.3, 7.3) and normative Annexes A
in productivity, efficiency, development, and progress and D.
consistent with the objectives.
NOTE – Additionally, items listed under (2.3.1.1, 3.3.1.1, 4.3.1.1,
Such a system with these stated objectives constitutes a 5.3.1.1, 6.3.1.1) are considered of special importance.
Compliance on ropeways with design review prior to this
safety standard.
standard shall be required.
1.2.1 Other ropeway classifications
Passenger ropeway configurations that do not fall within
the categories specified in 1.1, but fall within the general
category of passenger ropeways, should be evaluated