The domestic mining industry began to introduce multi-rope hoisting machines. Eight such units are being installed at the mines of the Stalin region. Project organizations are designing a number of multi-rope hoisting machines of different capacity and different purposes.Due to the specific features of the design and location of multi-rope hoisting machines drive is subject to special requirements. The mandatory presence of a tail rope makes the lifting system balanced. The small diameter of the machine drum significantly reduces the torques on the main shaft, facilitates the design of the gearbox and allows the use of relatively fast drive motors. Calculations of design organizations show that for multi-rope machines in the lifting of normal labor in the period of deceleration, as a rule, requires the operation of the drive in the motor mode.