I am getting ready to build a small layout indoors.
Part of this project will be building a small turntable with about six slots in the roundhouse.
Are there any plans floating around that i could adapt for my use?
There is Garden Texture’s Multi-Stall Engine House 30197. It’s the 9th thumbnail on this page - https://www.gardentexture.com/buildings - on the bottom of the opening picture.
It’s not clear if this site is still active but there is a phone number (678-215-5538) for ordering on this page - https://www.gardentexture.com/ordering-drawing-sets
I have no experience with this company so, as they say, caveat emptor!
Is that Garden Texture’s building or were you indoors? I like the outside framing!
I may be wrong but I believe they are no longer in business.
Doc Watson
a small layout and a six-standed roundhouse??
please define “small”
Korm Kormsen said:
a small layout and a six-standed roundhouse??
please define “small”
What about if I reduce it to four? HahHaha I never built one outside so I figure "what the he heck! "
Doug;
They are usually referred to as “Stalls” , as in “Single stalled”, multi-stalled, four stalled, etc…roundhouse, or engine house.
I have two, two stalled engine houses on my pike. both have stalls long enough to accommodate two tender locomotives, like a 10 wheeler. They are equipped with chargers for charging the batteries on my locomotives, so that I don’t need to take them off the track. Mine are out of doors. I have stored locomotives, with full charges, in the engine houses, over the Winter without harm. I avoided round houses, as they tend to take up more room, and are harder to properly construct; but if you want a challenge…go for it. By having an indoor pike, it will be worth-while piling on the details…with your talent; your structure will turn out great.
Fred Mills
Don Watson said:
I may be wrong but I believe they are no longer in business.
Doc Watson
They are gone.
Garden Textures sold the above kit as a three stall version. They offered an expansion kit of one stall that could be used to make the structure as large as you want.
The kits were pretty cool being made of cedar with some plastic (Grandt Line) and brass detail parts. Most of their kits were in 1/24th scale but I think some of their last models were 1/20.3. One of the guys here in NM has this kit and to get his locos to fit he had to add a 1" tall brick wall fake foundation and extend the height of the doors so he could raise the structure up. It is an impressive construction but as Fred noted, heavy, somewhat fragile when not on the ground and not New Mexico weather proof.
John and Doc are right Garden Textures is gone in that they no longer offer kits. They now sell the plans only through Bob Kelly images. https://www.gardentexture.com/
Doug several of the members here on LSC have built turntables and could give you insights on their builds. The only critical measurement I can think of would be determining the standoff of the engine house so the tracks line up straight. This will be driven by the length of the bridge on the turntable. If you are going to use approach tracks then a cardboard model of the outside walls should be enough to plan the dimensions. Then it is just a matter of deciding how tall, how deep. Should be no problem to build as we all know you can make anything out of wood.
Just for inspiration:
My current engine houses are not radial like a round house as they pre date my Mik’s turntable. Small branch lines or logging lines often used such a building.
The WW&F did have turn tables back in the day and had one three bay roundhouse with one bay being a through track and one being longer than the other two. At the other end of the line was a single stall engine house facing the turn table straight across from the entry lead.
I guess what I am saying is you can do whatever you want and a prototype can be found
Fred Mills. said:
Doug;
They are usually referred to as “Stalls” , as in “Single stalled”, multi-stalled, four stalled, etc…roundhouse, or engine house.
I have two, two stalled engine houses on my pike. both have stalls long enough to accommodate two tender locomotives, like a 10 wheeler. They are equipped with chargers for charging the batteries on my locomotives, so that I don’t need to take them off the track. Mine are out of doors. I have stored locomotives, with full charges, in the engine houses, over the Winter without harm. I avoided round houses, as they tend to take up more room, and are harder to properly construct; but if you want a challenge…go for it. By having an indoor pike, it will be worth-while piling on the details…with your talent; your structure will turn out great.
Fred Mills
I expect to have to yell for help as things go along. I figure the first part of this project will be building a gallows for the turntable.
I contacted Pacific Coast Garden Railroad Supply (the builder) last night for an update on the directions. They answered in a couple hours! Great to have good service!