Index Walthers 90' Turntable

[mwalther]

How can I index a Walthers 90' Turntable. Also, if it is the only "turning track" on the layout, and I can recognize which end is which, can I use only one toggle to switch polarity on the turntable alone (not another to switch the remainder of the layout)? If so, could I construct a wiper system to automatically swtch the polarity on the turntable alone intead? Any ideas about how to construct a wiper system? Thanks

[Sperandeo]

Hi Mark,

My book, "Easy Model Railroad Wiring" (from Kalmbach) has a thorough discussion of how to wire turntables for reversing polarity, including some ideas on wiper and other automatic switching systems. That much is relatively easy.

Indexing is a more complex question. The best system I know about is made by New York Railway Supply – [e-mail]. It's not cheap but it works extremely well, and it can also handle polarity reversing.

Good luck,

Andy

[Anonymous]

If you do a search on 'turntable' in this forum, you'll also find some discussions where folks have purchased an Atlas turntable and used that as the base of the turntable pit and mounted the nicer turntable bridge on top. That'll give you the indexing function that the Atlas has while improving the appearance of the turntable. I actually may try this in the future, since I have an Atlas turntable that serves my needs for now, but doesn't look particularly prototypical for the area I'm modeling (New Mexico sort-of).