On30 48' Scratch built turn table

[Randy May]

I seen a turn table in a 1970's model railroad magizine that looked like this,,,,I'm not sure how authentic it was, but I always thought it looked cool,in a rustic mtn. older times setting,,,the magazine model was HO, this one is for On30,,,48'scale feet,,,just long enough to turn the Mogal and the Consolidation around,,,anything bigger is out of luck,,,,fortunatly the Consolidation is this empires biggest and longest motive power,( the turntable is 12" diameter,1/2" thick partcle board,,built with a deck,,,with the heavy timber overhead supports,,hardware accents will be added later),the table will be manual with just the two approaches,,its at the end of the peninsula section I'm working on,,,,Randy May

 

[nkp174]

Looks good. I recall the San Juan Central having a similar turntable.

It'll look great once you've added the hardware (I presume cables & arm strong bars to push it?) Will you be giving it the classic india ink & paint treatment?

 

[Randy May]

nkp174;,,,thanks for the lead on the San Jaun Central,,,,I'll see if I can find a picture of it for the hardware modeling of my turntable,,,,,I did this from memory,,,,,the one I remembered from the MR magazine is probably the one your refering to,,,,,hopefully,,,,,,Randy May

 

[Dave R.]

Randy, excellent work, it would be great on any scale. I recently saw a similar t-table on a DVD, I'll have to go back and watch it again to find the details. This was footage of the the engineer and the fireman, by themselves, turning a Connie and it's tender by hand. There was no table, rail end support or super-structure, only rails on a wooden frame that turned on a center post.
Amazing! I can't imagine how they balanced it all.
It may have been the SJC t-table mentioned; it was in the SW.
Dave

 

[Randy May]

any info pictures that would look like this turntable

Thanks for the comments Dave; if you come across any pics that look like this turntable I would be thankful,,,,,,i made this one by memory so far,,,,thanks Randy May

 

[nkp174]

Here's a picture of the San Juan Central's main yards...including the turntable (can't see the hardware...but is this what you remember?)

HOn3 sure is great for packing in a huge layout...But I'd be sort of inclined to go with Nn3 if I was going that direction. I'm firmly into On3.

 

[Randy May]

turntable

Thanks for the picture,,,,,I can see the support lines in your picture,,,,,this turntable is what the call a gallows support frame system,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,heres a picture I have found today,,,,,it also gives you the idea of how the support lines come down from the gallows frame:thumb:,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Randy May

 

[Dave R.]

The footage I have is from the early '60s of a Consolidation being turned with a steel beam Armstrong Turntable on the "Camden, Moscow and San Augustine RR" in East Texas.
I found some nice pic's of an Armstrong Turntable being restored for the "Connecticut Eastern RR", interesting, but I like the wooden structures better.
Dave

 

[Randy May]

gallows wooden turntables

Heres another gallows style older times wooden turntable showing the support lines,,,,,,,,,,I noticed in these photos they dont have beams/butresses on the sides of the gallows as is the 1st one I've modeled????? ,,,,,,,,,,but these turntables in the photos I'm finding now aren't using a full deck turntable,,,,,,,I need another turntable for my mtns. area in the future modeling for the Shay and the Climax,,,,,I think I'll model one of these no deck turntables for that one,,,,,heres another great picture of one I like:twisted:,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Randy May

 

[nkp174]

If I recall correctly, decks were only used if snow was a major problem...so that is why the TT above is opened like a normal TT...as most gallows TTs were. I can't recall any that had solid decks...but I recall my father mentioning that (unless I don't remember it correctly).

Gallow's type merely means that it was built with similar construction techniques to that other type of gallows that people used to occasionally hang from...it is the type of construction.

 

[Dave R.]

Great pic, Randy. Any ideas on how it was turned?
BTW, I really like your water-tower too.
Dave

 

[nkp174]

Great pic, Randy. Any ideas on how it was turned?
BTW, I really like your water-tower too.
Dave

If you look on the left...you can see an angled wooden pole...and a metal fixture at approx the same angle on the right...those are the armstrong poles...I thing you can understand why it is "armstrong"

 

[Randy May]

Dave;,,,,,,,,, nkp174 is right on how they turned theses tables,,,,,,,,muscles/manpower,,,,,,,,,,"Manual",,,,,,,,but thats the ironic joy of modeling this era,,,,,,,is that your modeled "Manual" turntable really was manual!!!! Randy May

 

[nkp174]

Dave;,,,,,,,,, nkp174 is right on how they turned theses tables,,,,,,,,muscles/manpower,,,,,,,,,,"Manual",,,,,,,,but thats the ironic joy of modeling this era,,,,,,,is that your modeled "Manual" turntable really was manual!!!! Randy May

sign1

 

[nkp174]

I was looking at pictures of the Austrian Zillertalbahn...when I noticed this picture:

That is a 30" gauge 0-8-2 sitting on a turntable with a solid deck. I thought that was interesting. And it is being turned with "armstrong" power.

 

[Randy May]

very cool nkp174;
this one ( the deck ), must be on a steel frame since there is no wooden gallows framework, you were right on! about the decks for snowy areas, couldn't be a more snowy place than Austria!,,,great pic!!!thanks a million Randy May