Turntables and Wyes

[tomikawaTT]

Both wyes and turntables are used for turning single-ended locomotives and cars (like boat-tails on streamlined passenger consists, or open-platform observation or business cars.) Where possible, the prototype preferred wyes - three turnouts are a lot less trouble and expense than one turntable! However, many places had either extremely expensive real estate or geographical situations that made wyes impractical. (The McCloud River Railway had a turntable located on a steep hillside. One side was in a deep cut. On the other side, the ring rail was supported by a trestle.)

The roundhouse was one way to make a virtue out of necessity. Since the turntable was there anyway, why not use it to serve multiple engine maintenance tracks and save all those turnouts?

In Rapid City, SD, in the early '80's, the old turntable was gone, but the three-stall roundhouse remained - served by a three-way switch where the pit had been.

[Anonymous]

The Great western railroad in Colorado used wye's exclusively along all 63 miles of its trackage and all of the big towns along the way,They do have an engine house in Loveland.but never any turntables.The GW was built for sugar beet hauling from the beet fields to the factories,they had siding's every few miles where they could pile beets until they were loaded into Gon's.factories were located in Loveland,Longmont,Windsor,
Eaton,Johnstown and others.This is the Railroad I'm modeling.they had about 25 miles of sidings and yards total.A very interesting railroad.

[BR60103]

A wye would be used where the real estate was cheap or they needed the extra length. The most complicated part is a switch.
A turntable would be more complex mechanically, and not be easily adaptable for larger locomotives.
A wye could be adapted into a junction
If you need to turn trains, you can build a reverse loop around the roundhouse. (see Toronto)

[Anonymous]

It's all good!
Turntables can only turn rolling stock no longer (or not much) than the bridge. However, a wye, given a long enough spur, can turn a whole train.

[icmr]

I say if you have steam engines then a turntable would be good but if you have modern locos then a wye would be my choice.



Victor

Happy Railroading.[swg][swg]

[Anonymous]

A turntable is usually associated with a roundhouse, so if there was a roundhouse there would have to be a turntable. A wye can be used to turn engines and whole trains, but it takes up a lot of real estate, both in prototype and model form. There is no real answer what is best, either would be used where there is a need and space. If you need to turn a whole train - say a passenger train - then a wye would be fastest.

Bob Boudreau

[Anonymous]

When would a REAL RR use a Wye or a Turntable?

Also when is each best on a Model RR.?