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Walthers turntable question

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  • Member since
    September 2002
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Walthers turntable question
Posted by ndbprr on Sunday, January 17, 2021 9:37 AM

The turntables have code 83 rails. Can they be replaced with code 100 rails or do I need to transition to code 83?

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
  • 21,342 posts
Posted by MisterBeasley on Sunday, January 17, 2021 9:49 AM

Walthers makes transition tracks from Code 100 to Code 83.  Do the turntable and stall tracks with Code 83 and transition only on the lead track or tracks.

I don't know how the track attaches to the turntable.  Simply replacing them might work, but the larger rail might not fit.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: west coast
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Posted by rrebell on Sunday, January 17, 2021 9:58 AM

You could just shim up the turntable to match trhe code 100. Much easier than what I had to do which was to shim the other tracks as my main track is code 70.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: 4610 Metre's North of the Fortyninth on the left coast of Canada
  • 9,231 posts
Posted by BATMAN on Sunday, January 17, 2021 10:54 AM

The easiest solution is to use transition tracks on the leads, once you start trying to adjust, shim and do whatever else the small cost of a couple of transition tracks looks like a good deal. 

Make sure to use code 83 in the RH.

Brent

"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."

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    July 2006
  • From: west coast
  • 7,584 posts
Posted by rrebell on Monday, January 18, 2021 10:29 AM

For shimming you would shim the whole turntable, less than one pack of styrene even if you bought shims new and of course there are other things that could be used as shims. to shim up my track to code 83  I used about one stick of styrene, not much at all.

  • Member since
    November 2013
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Posted by snjroy on Monday, January 18, 2021 12:07 PM

rrebell

For shimming you would shim the whole turntable, less than one pack of styrene even if you bought shims new and of course there are other things that could be used as shims. to shim up my track to code 83  I used about one stick of styrene, not much at all.

 

Yes, the issue is the height of the 100 code rails that lead to the turntable. Width is not the issue (it's the same scale - and there are no jointers). So the trick is to adjust the height of the turntable using shims (as decribed above), or get the appropriate height of the shoulder on the benchwork. I used my router to remove the material and get exactly the right height. Don't forget to compensate for the roadbed, if you use that. 

Simon

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    February 2005
  • From: Vancouver Island, BC
  • 23,321 posts
Posted by selector on Monday, January 18, 2021 2:26 PM

The Code 100 rails can't be shimmed up to via the turntable.  The bridge rails don't go across the pit apron, so the Code 100 rails must, and they won't match in height that way.  Instead, use transition rails, or do what I did...file two parallel grooves in the apron and set your Code 100 in those grooves.  Now they'll meet the bridge's rails at grade.

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