Large Turntables???

[Nick8564]

I have a 2-8-8-2 on my layout, and I want a truntable and roundhouse to put it in. Im having troubles finding a good turntable for this large locomotive. Im also trying to find the best bang for the buck, Im a college student trying to build a layout, and with no job this hobby gets expensive. Can anyone give me reviews or suggestions on any large turntables that will work well with DCC. Thanks
Nick

 

[Russ Bellinis]

I think the most inexpensive method would be to start with the Atlas turntable. The table will be too small, but you cut a hole in the benchwork big enough for a long turn table and put a board on the bottom of the hole. Scratch build and mount a long enough bridge on top of the Atlas table to fit your locomotive and run jumper wires from the Atlas rails to the rails on your new bridge. The Atlas table is now part of the bottom of your pit with a bridge on top. You would probably have to engineer a drive to work from under the Atlas table to clear the bridge. If you cover the original Atlas deck with ground foam and scenery material to hide it, it will look just like the bottom of a turntable pit.

 

[green_elite_cab]

I have a 2-8-8-2 on my layout, and I want a truntable and roundhouse to put it in. Im having troubles finding a good turntable for this large locomotive. Im also trying to find the best bang for the buck, Im a college student trying to build a layout, and with no job this hobby gets expensive. Can anyone give me reviews or suggestions on any large turntables that will work well with DCC. Thanks
Nick

Walthers makes a 130' long truntable, which is long enough for a 4-8-8-4. its expensive though, i think its $250 or something. you could probably find it cheap at train shows. it can be mototized and used with DCC.

 

[kchronister]

The Walthers 130' turntable actually comes motorized and with indexing capabilities. It's actually rather hard to find - Walthers and most of their distributors are out of stock on it and no ETA (well, I think they show an ETA, but it just keeps pushing back every month). If you can get one less than $250 I'd say grab it, generally you'll find this is an item that sells at full price.

 

[Nick8564]

I was looking on the net and it seems by the time I buy other brand turntables, put them together and buy motors and indexing kits its the same price, or more than the walthers.

 

[green_elite_cab]

I bet you could kitbash a turntable. i suppose you could get like a 130' long deck girdeer bridge and mess with it

 

[hminky]

Try the Heljan 14" turntable. It is sometimes discounted to $22 dollars but usually under $30. There is also a motorizing kit for under $30.

Just a thought
Harold

 

[1shado1]

Try the Heljan 14" turntable. It is sometimes discounted to $22 dollars but usually under $30. There is also a motorizing kit for under $30.

Just a thought
Harold

My memory may be faulty, but I'm not sure that a 2-8-8-2 (Riv or Proto Heritage) will fit on a 14" table. Anyone know for sure??

Jeff

 

[Russ Bellinis]

I think the locomotive will, but I doubt if the tender will make it with the loco.

 

[green_elite_cab]

if its longer than an Auto Rack then it won't fit on the 14" turn table

 

[1shado1]

I think the locomotive will, but I doubt if the tender will make it with the loco.

No disrespect intended, but that seems fairly obvious. LOL. Heck, a Big Boy will fit on a 14" turntable without the tender.

Jeff

 

[Russ Bellinis]

No disrespect intended, but that seems fairly obvious. LOL. Heck, a Big Boy will fit on a 14" turntable without the tender.

Jeff

Actually I was being bit "tongue in cheek" with the response. It seemed obvious to me that the 14 inch turntable wouldn't be long enough. I think he is either going to have to spend the big bucks for the Walthers or "scratch/bash" one.

 

[1shado1]

Actually I was being bit "tongue in cheek" with the response. It seemed obvious to me that the 14 inch turntable wouldn't be long enough. I think he is either going to have to spend the big bucks for the Walthers or "scratch/bash" one.

OK, I understand. Sorry Russ. I wasn't sure about the 2-8-8-2 fitting, because I haven't had one since the mid seventies, and my memories of the length are somewhat fuzzy. I do remember that one of my many Rivarossi locos had a special gizmo that allowed either the lead truck wheels, or the last tender wheels (I can't remember which), to lift from the track, so it could be turned on a particular length model of turntable (Can't remember which) that it would normally be just a bit too long for. I had thought maybe it was the Riv Y6b, but seeing as my memory is so faulty, I probably shouldn't have brought it up!

Best Regards,

Jeff

 

[Russ Bellinis]

OK, I understand. Sorry Russ. I wasn't sure about the 2-8-8-2 fitting, because I haven't had one since the mid seventies, and my memories of the length are somewhat fuzzy. I do remember that one of my many Rivarossi locos had a special gizmo that allowed either the lead truck wheels, or the last tender wheels (I can't remember which), to lift from the track, so it could be turned on a particular length model of turntable (Can't remember which) that it would normally be just a bit too long for. I had thought maybe it was the Riv Y6b, but seeing as my memory is so faulty, I probably shouldn't have brought it up!

Best Regards,

Jeff

That was why the U.P. ran the "centipede" tenders on the Challengers and Big Boys. They could make the tender wheelbase short enough to fit on their existing turntables and just let the back of the tender hang over.

 

[1shado1]

That was why the U.P. ran the "centipede" tenders on the Challengers and Big Boys. They could make the tender wheelbase short enough to fit on their existing turntables and just let the back of the tender hang over.

Right. There's even a photo of a UP Challenger in my MR Steam Locomotive Cyclopedia, with what the photo refers to as "metal chuck blocks" placed under the third from the rear set of wheels from the back of the tender, holding the rear of it high enough to be turned on a 'table that appears to be about 10 feet(?) too short. Pretty neat!

Jeff

 

[doctorwayne]

You might want to check out Bowser. They make 14", 16", and 18" turntables: the pit, motor and bridge are offered are offered separately as a semi-kit. They no longer offer their indexing kit, since the motor set-up is supposedly sensitive enough to allow manual indexing. I've taken this information from an older catalogue, so I can't say what the price is. They probably have a web site nowadays.
Wayne

 

[hminky]

Try the Heljan 14" turntable. It is sometimes discounted to $22 dollars but usually under $30. There is also a motorizing kit for under $30.

Just a thought
Harold

I was suggesting the turntable for the mechanism, which is the hard part. It is too short, you need at least an 18" turntable. The Atlas turntable though suggested a great deal is really a dreadful little mechanism for turntable indexing. It lurches along at 15 or 30 degree intervals.

Harold

Bowser has a website at:

http://www.bowser-trains.com/

and the turntables are expensive

 

[oleirish]

oleirish

OK, I understand. Sorry Russ. I wasn't sure about the 2-8-8-2 fitting, because I haven't had one since the mid seventies, and my memories of the length are somewhat fuzzy. I do remember that one of my many Rivarossi locos had a special gizmo that allowed either the lead truck wheels, or the last tender wheels (I can't remember which), to lift from the track, so it could be turned on a particular length model of turntable (Can't remember which) that it would normally be just a bit too long for. I had thought maybe it was the Riv Y6b, but seeing as my memory is so faulty, I probably shouldn't have brought it up!

Best Regards,

Jeff

My 2-8-8-2 Y6B is 17" long
JIM

 

[green_elite_cab]

to bad you can't manualy turn your turntable, by means og gears or something under the layout. just have like a dial or something sticking out of the side of the table, and you can just spin it so that it reaches the right track, instead of these motors.

 

[1shado1]

to bad you can't manualy turn your turntable, by means og gears or something under the layout. just have like a dial or something sticking out of the side of the table, and you can just spin it so that it reaches the right track, instead of these motors.

My n-scale Walthers turntable kit from the mid 90s came manually operated. The motor was an option. I would think it wouldn't be too tough to adapt most turntables to be operated manually (crank and gears).

Jeff