I am back to the point that I need to get my turntable decisions done. I have space for a 90' pit type and have several to chose from in stock (been building up a stockpile for years). I have two Walthers, the kit version built by me(no warp) and the non DCC already built one. The first works fine but I worry about the long term maintence which I also worry about with the already built one (another issue I have with this one is it is not quite as relistic). I have a few Heljen ones too (never worked as well), also have a few Atlas that could be converted to a more relistic type (these tend to be bomb proof but to get them to be relistic will take a lot of work as I want the pit type). I also have lots of Diamond scale parts like motors and couplings, everything but the bed (the main bridge is too long also). Part of my problem may be too many ways to go. Yes I could go out and buy something else but would like to work with what I have. Any type of hybred ideas might help, thought of takeing the Walthers kit one and merging it with the Atlas underneath it somehow, would be one for an artical if I suceded, LOL.
If you go Atlas, you want the new version motor, as it has a belt drive and must be quieter than my "wake the dead" gear-drive one.
If you have two Walthers 90', aren't they very similar? Might be a reason to use that, as you have on-hand parts or even a potential drop in replacement if one goes belly up.
Doing your own pit should be not too difficult to go with Diamond Scale. If you have a longer bridge, I'd think it could be cut down if it's anything like my 75' bridge. Could be made to work. And they do work well, although the ring rail trucks seem somewhat fragile. Mine has proven durable despite that impression.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
I am planning to keep mine simple. First of all, right near the front of the layout so I can clearly see to line up the tracks, no complex and/or expensive indexing systems to buy or maintain (those NYRS ones sure are nice though). Just a simple drive, and I'll build a basic DC controller with a traverse left/right as well as a jog left/right (slower speed) control. We have one like that on the club layout and even without a seperate jog coontrol it's easy too line up. So you go past once in a while - the real ones did too, which is why there was the jog control to nudge it back.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
The two Walthers are like an apple and an orange. I found out someone else built one with an Atlas turntable powering it, trying to find out details.
This is my "pit-bash" turntable built on an Atlas mechanism.
The full thread (gee, 8 years ago?) is here:
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/99558.aspx?PageIndex=1
This was not a quick weekend project. It took a lot of time, but I was winging it and I did a lot of experimentation before I came up with techniques that actually did the job.
The gear-drive motor is loud, but it's a lot quieter buried in the foam layout than it would be on the surface. And, I'm happy to report that after 8 years of operation it has never given me any trouble.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
The biggest complaint with the walthers built up turntable is the pinion gears and contact wipers get dirty. Plus for me, I hate that the power drops out half way around on a sound engine. (That's caused by a split ring wiper to control polarity on the bridge track)
I fixed the later two issues by replacing the center hub & brush system with a slip ring and an auto reverser.
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!
On the ready built, the one gear is not perfect (the one that engages the table), don't know if I can replace that? I am detailing the Walther's ready built but find the detailing is less than the kit so working on some compromises. May install that one for now so I can continue my yard work, the indexing on it works perfect I must say.
rrebellOn the ready built, the one gear is not perfect
Is this the one you are referring that has teething issues?
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3171
There are many post on here on how to clean it up. A lot of them use thrust washers to minimize the movement of the drive gear.
I'd hoped that after Atlas came out with their roundhouse kit (which is very nice, albeit small) that they would bite the bullet and create a more realistic version of their turntable. I've been tempted to try to do something along the lines of the very attractive turntable Mister Beasley showed in his earlier post, but it would be great if Atlas made one for a decent price.
I used a couple of pieces of sound deadening tiles that can be purchased from auto stereo shops to reduce the sound coming from my atlas TT. I am still using the old drive but this does cut the noise down quite a bit. I ended up using a router to make a hole in my benchwork to get it to fit but it was quite interesting getting it installed. I made the hole 1 inch bigger than the TT footprint.
DigitalGriffin rrebell On the ready built, the one gear is not perfect Is this the one you are referring that has teething issues? http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3171 There are many post on here on how to clean it up. A lot of them use thrust washers to minimize the movement of the drive gear.
rrebell On the ready built, the one gear is not perfect