Turntable for Toy Trains?

[Anonymous]

I would like to add a turntable to my Marx layout. I have seen the Atlas and Bowser turntables but they are too big and too expensive for me. Hornby made one in O about the right size years ago, but I don't think it was 3 rail. Lionel made one years ago too, but I heard it wasn't very good.

Anyone build their own or use a lazy susan to make one? How do you go about wiring the turntable track? I don't care about powering a turning mechanism, I can do that by hand.

[Birds]

The turn table is made of two pieces - bottom and top (the platform).

On the bottom you will need two wire rings (the base of an old lapeshade?) of differing diameter. One of these will be your power, and the other will be the common or "ground".

Center the rings on the bottom section and outline the location with pencil. Set the rings aside for now. Screw in about six evenly spaced screws per ring

Drill one hole through each of the pencil outlines on the bottom section. Run a wire from under the bottom and up through each the holes, and then solder one wire to each of the rings. Later, attach the other end of the wires to the live section of track that leads to the turn table.

Attach the two wire rings to the base by soldering them to the six even space screws.

This should give you two rings creating 360 degrees of power.

Next is to wire up the top portion (the platform).

The platform is the length of your track. On the underside of this platform you mount two pieces of tin or copper in a fashion and location so that that they will come in contact with the rings below them - like brushes on a DC motor.

Drill a hole through the platform and pass a piece of wire through the hole to each brush. Solder the wire to the brush.

Next you place a track on the platform and connect the wires to the track.

Now you should have power going between the top and bottom and powering the track.

Birds

[Anonymous]

O.K. I think I can follow that. The wiring makes sense, but I need more ideas about the turntable itself. I'd like to have a tinplate look to go with my Marx metal buildings (Kinda why I like the Hornsby model).

Anyone else have any ideas? pictures?

[Anonymous]

Why don't you use a girder bridge as a platform to build off of? I'm sure there must be a suitable one in tin.

[mitchelr]

My brother (an electrical engineer and machinist) made one for me. I used two cheapie plastic girder bridges I found in a junk box at a train show butted end to end on the top of the platform to dress it up. Looked decent. Sorry I have no photos (it was in the pre-digital camera age[:(] )

I used the turntable on a previous layout. Unfortunately the layout took up too much prime real estate in the family room to suit the Mrs. and it was dismantled. New layout is in a tiny room off of the garage and I have no room. Hope to be able to utilize it again. Turntables and roundhouses eat up tons of real estate.

Hope this helps you a little.

[Anonymous]

Here's my scratchbuilt 32" one. Need to take some more recent pics, now that it's done......Tim

[Anonymous]

Good ideas. Marx makes a girder bridge that might work. Or I could use one from Lionel.

Tim, I like your turntable with the circle of 3 rail track.

[dbaker48]

Impressive turntable Tim !!!!

[c50truck]

Thanks for sharing the photo Tim. I too am impressed. [8D][wow]

Rod L
Sitting along an abandoned Milwaukee line, but within earshot of the BNSF main line.

[cnw1995]

Mine is even simpler. I bought a plastic lazy susan at a local discounter. On it, I placed a single piece of K-Line track that has an attached lock-on. The track overhangs slightly the rim of the lazy-susan. I attached wires to the lockon leaving plenty of extra wire and clearance for me to spin it around half-way. Voila. It spins only short engines and trolleys. I line up the turntable. The trolley goes on. I stop it. Spin it by hand, lining it up. Start the power and the trolley trundles off.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cnw1995

Mine is even simpler. I bought a plastic lazy susan at a local discounter. On it, I placed a single piece of K-Line track that has an attached lock-on. The track overhangs slightly the rim of the lazy-susan. I attached wires to the lockon leaving plenty of extra wire and clearance for me to spin it around half-way. Voila. It spins only short engines and trolleys. I line up the turntable. The trolley goes on. I stop it. Spin it by hand, lining it up. Start the power and the trolley trundles off.

[bow][bow][bow] Now THAT I can understand! Great idea! Where's my construction foreman?

[Anonymous]

Would modifing an Altas HO turntable suit your needs? Build a slightly larger bridge structure and change the motor mount. The indexing and ease of wiring would be an advantage.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dtpowell

Would modifing an Altas HO turntable suit your needs? Build a slightly larger bridge structure and change the motor mount. The indexing and ease of wiring would be an advantage.

Hmmm. Maybe mounting a 3 rail girder bridge on top? Might work. Foreman! Get back in here! We've much planning to do!

[cnw1995]

Atlas also has a turntable in O - about $125 - I've heard mixed comments on how it works - it fits right atop a layout - no turntable pit required. It's also powered.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I'm familiar with the Atlas O table, but it's too big, too expensive for me. I want something that fits in with Marx toy trains. I think your idea for using a lazy susan is the way I'll go first.