Hi all,
please excuse my ignorance in this area I am new to model railroading - I live in the UK and I love your diesel loco's (far more colourful and interesting than ours) I have a collection of santa-fe diesels and I purchased a Heljan N gauge Roundhouse - the problem is what turntable would any of you recommend. I bought an Atlas and sold it again as the track angles would not line up with the roundhouse - please help, I have become stuck before I even started!
many thanks in advance for any help offered
Darren
Darren,
Welcome to the forum!
I believe the Heljan turntable is set to stop at every 10 degrees, so any turntable that has that seting will work. The Atlas one is like every 15 degrees.
There are turntable dimensions for the Heljan TT on Walthers website
http://www.walthers.com/instructions/extras/0933/09330000002613a.pdf
which states the roundhouse base must start 1 15/16" from the outside of the turntable which is 10 3/8" in diameter (i.e. 5 3/16" + 1 15/16" = 7 1/8" from the center point).
The New Walthers Cornerstone series TT is a 10 degree TT, so it would work. It's probably the easiest to find TT on the market now. You can get it here:
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3203
& here's the drive unit if you want to motorize it (you definately do, or you'll be cranking your arm off!):
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/942-472
Here's something I found online that shows you a bit about it:
http://www.walthers.com/page/Turntable%20and%20Roundhouse%20Rev.pdf
And here's a neat PDF on engine service ares that might help you out.
http://www.walthers.com/instructions/extras/0933/09330000003260a.pdf
I know that for someone from another country that it's not like you can just hop on down the street and check out the prototype.
I have the Heljan manual turntable (B646) that should go with the Heljan 6-stall roundhouse (643). I bought these over 20 years ago to use on the N scale layout I was building. I never got to the point of assembling them so they are still in their original boxes and I think they have all their parts. I have just started on a new room-size N scale layout in my basement and if I use a roundhouse and turntable on it, I'll probably use the new Walthers built-up 130' powered turntable with the matching roundhouse units. I assume these will work together.
I know you said you had the Heljan roundhouse, but since I have no intention of using these two items on my new layout, I'll be happy to give them to you for free. I know there was a motor unit available to power the turntable, but I don't have this. I think it would probably be more reliable as a manually operated unit.
Let me know if you're interested in these items and we can communicate about how best to ship them to you.
Bob
The 120' manual turntable that pcarrell referenced in the Wathers catalog looks the same as the Heljan model I have. Walthers bought out the dies for a number of the old Heljan structures a number of years ago and are now selling them under their Cornerstone series. The Heljan manual turntable kit that I have has a bridge 9" long, the same as the manual 120' turntable in the Walthers.
RFinch wrote: Darren,The 120' manual turntable that pcarrell referenced in the Wathers catalog looks the same as the Heljan model I have. Walthers bought out the dies for a number of the old Heljan structures a number of years ago and are now selling them under their Cornerstone series. The Heljan manual turntable kit that I have has a bridge 9" long, the same as the manual 120' turntable in the Walthers.Bob
Learn something every day! I had no clue! I knew they got the trestle kit from them, but I didn't know the rest.
Cool!
Very kind offer, yes please.
You can contact me at darrenbeddows@talktalk.net are you sure I can't give you something for them - let me know how much postage would be to -
Shrewsbury
Shropshire
United Kingdom
kind regards
I can't get my head round the amount of knowledge you all have regarding the subjects - I keep looking at all the posts and think "that's great I use that" and "M'mm that's useful" or "I'll have to get one of those and do it that way" there are just so many great ideas from you all and I hope you don't mind this Brit troubling you for help.
Thanks again for all the help regarding turntables.
The only stupid question is the one you don't ask. Ask away! Even if you think it's too basic or silly. I can't tell you the number of times I've seen a really basic question asked and someone answers it in a way I would never have thought of.
You do your part and ask, and we'll do our part and try to sound intelligent when we answer, OK?
Darren, I would highly recommend getting the Walther's motorized turntable, the new 130' one. It is not locked into a 10 degree index, you can program it to stop wherever you need it to. It operates very smoothly, and is beautifully detailed.
I added the running lights, but otherwise, that's what you get...
The old Heljan one you're asking about is difficult to make work properly, even with the motorizing kit, and I'd be wary of one that's been collecting dust for 20 years... the pit had a tendency to warp, making it even worse.
You might have a bit of a problem getting the Heljan roundhouse to mate with it un modified, but if you position your tracks first, it wouldn't be too difficult to trim the roof and wall panels to make the round house fit.
The Walthers turntable is considerably more expensive, but for looks and ease of operation, it's well worth the investment.
Lee
Route of the Alpha Jets www.wmrywesternlines.net