Large Scale Central

POC's New Turntable Part Two - 12 Photos

Track and Trestles
#1

[b]This part will cover the completion of the turntable bridge itself.

Code 250 rail is cut to length and glued evenly along the sides of the turntable following lines scribed earlier. This represents a home built turntable so using pieces of rail instead of steel angles is appropriate to “use what is on hand” shortline style. All glue used is “Welder” by Homax Products. The track behind is Llagas 250 aluminum with plastic ties. The turntable is 29" long so the track section is cut to 29-1/4" in length to allow a 1/8" overhang at each end.

The long ties are prestained (Behlen’s Dark Mahogany) cedar and are 6-1/2" long. They are placed evenly appox. 1" apart.

The track section is turned upside down and the ties are separated from one another and trimmed to remove all the connecting sprues. An additional two ties were added to the track section also to get the right number needed.

Set the track section on top of the turntable and move the individual ties so they all slide between the long ties on the TT bridge.

They will merge so… Secure the track with a few brad nails through the spike holes in the track ties. You don’t need many.

Planking is 1/8" cedar cut to various widths to fit between and to the sides of the TT deck. Glued and brad nailed through the long wooden ties. The side rails are approx. 1/4" high by 3/8" wide.

The armstrong handle is 1/8" aluminum tubing. A stronger handle could be made from brass tubing but then you’ll have to paint to cover the brass look. The siderail section holding the handle is 3/8" high and wide. I drilled the angled hole for the handle on the drill press by taping the piece to a scrap 2x4 section with one side cut to a 30 degree angle. The 2x4 was clamped firmly to the drill press and the piece itself was gouged with an icepick to keep the drill from slipping as it penetrated.

This and the following three views show the turntable in various positions on the pit base.

The brass plates on each end are for an alignment mechanism I’m planning for after the turntable is installed and the track approach brought in. I will wait for next Spring to permanently install the turntable pit as the rains are due and it makes no sense to subject it to an extra winter’s abuse when it doesn’t even have track to it yet. The turntable bridge itself of course lifts right off for winter storage but if it holds up like the other one it will be able to stand up to whatever nature throws at the rest of the year. That’s it, rude, crude & simple (like me :slight_smile: ) and anyone can do it. It could be built also for a full pit. You will notice the lack of a support rail around the edge. Besides simple I anticipate that it will provide good solid support for any engine that will fit on it. The half pit and shallow depth are compromises anyway so the lack of a support rail shouldn’t be any big deal.[/b] :wink: Part One at: http://www.largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/13654/poc-s-new-turntable-part-one-1Part three (latching mechanism) at: http://www.largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/15687/poc-s-turntable-part-3-the-l

#2

Super work, Richard. Looks VERY nice.

Gads, you have really expanded your line since we were there…

#3

Bruce,

I concentrated on getting the final benchwork done this year. In fact we had an impromptu “last galvanized deck screw” ceremony that was written up in the Port Orford Today handout paper. The teeming throng attending consisted of RR officials (me), a great crowd (Ron Kerr) and the press (Evan Kramer)…all three of us. hehe! I can hardly wait for the huge crowds that will come for the golden (gilt painted) spike ceremony. :slight_smile:

That and the fact that we had an unusually short season this year kept me from getting any additional track laid and very little new roadbed. Maintenance suffered too and while mostly simple things they’ve piled up considerably. I hope to get caught up on maintenance next year and get all the track in. I hope one day you will be able to visit us again, perhaps with Ken as well when he comes out to visit his son.

#4

Richard,

Do us all a favor and make an article out of these two posts, so we can find them later.

Thanks,

Steve

#5

I’ll ditto what Bruce said…It’s definitely worth another visit, I’ll have to work on that. Don’t feel bad. With all the high temps and humidity we had this year, most of the emphasis was keeping what was planted alive.

#6

Nice TT.
It’s been real tough to get anything done outdoors here this Summer too. I’m hoping to make up for it this Fall.
Probably wish full thinking :wink:
Ralph

#7

Looks great Richard.
“That’s it, rude, crude & simple (like me )” Thats the why I like things on a RR and it makes it different from all others.

#8

Nice Work Richard!

#9

Excellent Richard. Nice easy to build design that comes off looking very good. Thanks for posting all the detail. The expansion is coming along nicely too. I like the slight curvature that hides the other end of the railroad from view.

#10

Lawd, that’s some wonderful stuff… Beautiful work!!! :slight_smile:

#11

Thanks much for the replies. It’s nice to know “simple” is still appreciated otherwise nobody would listen to me. hehe!

#12

Nicely done Richard. I’m with the rest on simple and functional. Like the looks of the extension too

#13

Richard,
Brilliant. I’m going to save your images to my HD so I can refer to them.
Dave

#14

the idea to save one quarter of the space, by placing it on the layouts edge seems worth to be copíed.
how easy or how hard does the bridge turn?

and yes, very well made - as always.

#15

Thank you. Your replies are appreciated.

Korm,
The original idea for the partial pit came from TOC (Dave Goodson). Fr. Fred has one on the IPP&W also. It’s a great space saver for a raised railroad, especially one concerned mostly with realistic type operations as opposed to absolute modeling fidelity.

The bridge is quite easy to turn but not everyone lets it just sit completely flat as I have done. I don’t have any 30# plus locomotives so weight isn’t an issue. I’m hoping for the maximum stability when swinging the locomotive and table out over the layout edge as well as simplifying lining up the approach track. Of course a smooth surface beneath the turntable is undoubtedly important and someone with very hefty lokies should test the table’s resistance loaded before doing as I’ve done. Small metal strips placed strategically beneath the turntable in such a way as to provide adequate stability points while raising it just a tiny fraction should reduce drag considerably if needed I would think.

#16

Richard,

First, I have to agree with Jon. That slight curve to hide the rest of the railroad is great. I also would like to see this preserved as an article for future reference. Your work is always inspiring and I thank you for sharing. You and TOC are on our short list and I’ve really got to make that happen.

#17
Ric Golding said:
Richard,

First, I have to agree with Jon. That slight curve to hide the rest of the railroad is great. I also would like to see this preserved as an article for future reference. Your work is always inspiring and I thank you for sharing. You and TOC are on our short list and I’ve really got to make that happen.


Well I’ll surely roll out the barrel for you should you be able to make it happen!

#18
Richard Smith said:
Well I'll surely roll out the barrel for you should you be able to make it happen!
What's in the barrel?
#19
David Russell said:
Richard Smith said:
Well I'll surely roll out the barrel for you should you be able to make it happen!
What's in the barrel?
maybe 00 Buck...
#20
David Russell said:
Richard Smith said:
Well I'll surely roll out the barrel for you should you be able to make it happen!
What's in the barrel?
Well.....the first barrel will be a community share barrel and will be filled with rooster. The second one will be liquid to celebrate the first. ;) :)