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Walthers TT and Atlas Round house

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Walthers TT and Atlas Round house
Posted by tomcat on Saturday, June 21, 2014 8:09 AM

Does anybody know if you can use a Walthers 90' TT with the Atlas 3 stall round house ?

Will the stopping points on the TT meet up with the stall tracks inside the roundhouse , or do I have to use a TT and roundhouse from the same manufacturer.

Thanks in advance

Tom from Down Under.

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Posted by jrbernier on Saturday, June 21, 2014 8:31 AM

  It will work fine.  I have an Atlas 3 stall roundhouse with a Walthers 90' turntable.  The Atlas stalls are a 15 degree spacing.  The Walthers turtable can stop at any position you want.  Now, if you have an Atlas turntable and a Walthers roundhouse, you will have problems as the indexing f the Atlas turntable is set for 15 degrees and the Walthers stalls are set at 10 degrees....

Jim

Modeling BNSF  and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin

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Posted by MisterBeasley on Saturday, June 21, 2014 12:19 PM

Be aware, though, that the Atlas roundhouse is short, because the Atlas turntable is only 9 inches across in HO scale.  So, an engine that barely fits on the turntable will barely fit in the roundhouse.

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

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Posted by tomcat on Saturday, June 21, 2014 1:14 PM
Is the Walters roundhouse bigger than the atlas I looked on their web but the sizes don't make sense to me
Would it be better to go with the Walters tt and round house? 9' across seems a bit small for the steamers and things I want to put in it !
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Posted by richhotrain on Saturday, June 21, 2014 1:41 PM

A 90' turntable in HO scale measures nearly 12 1/2 inches in diameter.

Rich

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Posted by MisterBeasley on Saturday, June 21, 2014 1:46 PM

After giving this some thought and looking at my own Atlas TT and roundhouse, I'm going to have to sort of disagree with Jim.  The stall spacing is, as he stated, 15 degrees, but that is based on a turntable diameter of 9 inches.  If you set a Walters turntable to index at 15 degrees, it will not line up with the ends of the Atlas roundhouse tracks unless you cut back the apron.  You could do that, but then there would be very little space between the turntable and the roundhouse doors.

I did some measurements.  From the doors to the end of the stall tracks is 9 inches, so that's the maximum length locomotive that will fit with the doors closed.  From the end of the apron to the doors is another 4 inches.

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

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Posted by jrbernier on Sunday, June 22, 2014 7:12 AM

Mr B,

    My Walthers 90' TT aligns perfectly with all three stalls of my Atlas Roundhouse.  I think you are describing that large grey extension(or 'apron')to the base of the Atlas Roundhouse.  It sticks out 1.5" so that it will align with the Atlas TT.    I just removed the grey extension and used some .040" styrene to replace it in front of the stalls.    This allows one to get the TT/Roundhose alignment perfect.  My TT is raised 3/16" to match the cork roadbed, and the Atlas Roundhouse aligns perfect.  BTW, the stalls are 9.5" inside my Atlas Roundhouse(just measured them).  If you remove the walk-way at the rear of the stalls, you will have 10" of clear space.  Since my 'terminal' is not a large classification yard or division point(local engines 'live' there), the stalls are perfect for the GP9's and Bachmann 2-8-0's that 'live' there.  It took me a few minutes of thought and a re-read of your post to realize that you were describing that 'apron'  My 'engineering' just removed it  as part of the 'site preperation'!

Jim

Modeling BNSF  and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin

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Posted by MisterBeasley on Sunday, June 22, 2014 8:07 AM

Yes, I think we're on the same page.

It's been a while since I built this, but as I recall, the floor is a continuous piece from the edge of the turntable to the back wall of the roundhouse.  At least part of the apron area would have to be removed.  This will work with a 90 foot turntable, but if you've got a large one like a 130 footer, the apron would have to be removed completely, and the roundhouse doors would be right at the edge of the turntable pit.

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

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Posted by zstripe on Sunday, June 22, 2014 9:31 AM

Big Smile The closer you put the roundhouse to the pit....the less side clearance you have for the door openings. What is wrong with putting the rounghouse further away, if you have the room. The pit tracks would be straight...but they could gently curve, to match the roundhouse tracks. Whats built first, the roundhouse? Or the turntable? Real life of course.

Take Care!

Frank

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Posted by richhotrain on Sunday, June 22, 2014 9:37 AM

Quite frankly, if the OP has the Walthers turntable, he should install the Walthers roundhouse.  They are designed to be compatible with one another.

Rich

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Posted by MisterBeasley on Sunday, June 22, 2014 9:49 AM

Frank's suggestion would work, but for this roundhouse you would still have to remove the apron.  The stall tracks fit in slots, so they are locked in the position you see them.

Turntables require precise alignment to avoind derailments, too.  I would worry about getting that exactly right if I were trying to use curved approach tracks and stall tracks.

I like Rich's suggestion.  Get the Walthers roundhouse.

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

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Posted by zstripe on Sunday, June 22, 2014 11:08 AM

I would also go with Rich's suggestion. Lot easier that way.

Take Care!

Frank

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Posted by doctorwayne on Sunday, June 22, 2014 12:32 PM

Actually, if your turntable/roundhouse is close enough to the aisle, the easiest solution is a manually-operated turntable - after all, the real ones didn't have indexing.   Whistling
The track spacing, structure layout in relation to the turntable, etc. can be arranged to suit your available space.  

My space is so limited that my roundhouse is severely out-of-round and my 90' turntable is only 89' long:

 

Wayne

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Posted by zstripe on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 5:32 AM

Tom,

I don't know if you are aware of it...but Walthers cornerstone series has two different roundhouses. The Modern one, that you can add stalls to. And a three stall stand alone, the one below:

Walthers Cornerstone
Three-Stall Roundhouse
Walthers Cornerstone #3041
 

Kit - 14 x 14-1/4 x 4-11/16"
Walthers Part # 933-3041, p. 384 Walthers 2014 HO Scale Reference
HO scale, $49.98, currently in stock at Walthers
Download the Instruction Sheet (839 K bytes, PDF format)

Take Care!  Frank
 
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Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 5:39 AM

All three of the Walthers Cornerstone roundhouse kits have 10 degree spaced stalls.

Rich

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Posted by tomcat on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 6:31 AM

Ok I was looking at that roundhouse , I guess what I really need to know is ,,,,, what is the longest engine I could put in the Walthers 3 stall stand alone type as pictured above... would it be about 30cm (12inch) loco?

Does a Bigboy fit on a 90' Walthers TT ?

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Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 6:41 AM

tomcat

Ok I was looking at that roundhouse , I guess what I really need to know is ,,,,, what is the longest engine I could put in the Walthers 3 stall stand alone type as pictured above... would it be about 30cm (12inch) loco?

Does a Bigboy fit on a 90' Walthers TT ?

 

You need the 130' version for a Big Boy.

You need the modern roundhouse with the extension for longer steamers.

Rich

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Posted by MisterBeasley on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 9:15 AM

richhotrain presented an enigma:

You need the modern roundhouse with the extension for longer steamers.

The trouble is, the modern roundhouse wouldn't be era-appropriate, would it?

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

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Posted by jrbernier on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 10:53 AM

  And the 130' turntable to hold a Big Boy!  Those roundhouse/turntables take up a lot of real estate....

Jim

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Posted by zstripe on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 1:30 PM

Tomcat,

The dimensions for that stand alone roundhouse are given beneath the pic. 14x14-1/4x4-11/16.

Like others said, you need the 130' turntable for a big boy.

Dimensions for a HO scale Rivarossi ''Big Boy'' is:

Dimensions: 20 x 1.8 x 2.5 inches; Shipping Weight: 2.9 lbs

Walthers Modern roundhouse with extended stall is 20-1/8 inchs, close for a Rivarossi Big Boy

Take Care!

Frank

 

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Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 2:01 PM

MisterBeasley

 

 
richhotrain presented an enigma:

You need the modern roundhouse with the extension for longer steamers.

 

The trouble is, the modern roundhouse wouldn't be era-appropriate, would it?

 

Picky, picky.

Rich

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Posted by zstripe on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 2:12 PM

I don't know why Walthers calls it a Modern Roundhouse. A.T.S.F. San Bernadino Ca. Roundhouse very closely resembles the Walthers in 1941 pic.:

 

Take Care! Big Smile

Frank

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Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 2:17 PM

I agree with you, Frank.  That Walthers Modern Roundhouse would be appropriate to house the Big Boy.

Rich

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Posted by zstripe on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 2:29 PM

Rich,

I was also reading that the Walthers turntable 130' bridge track was 18-7/8 inch's in length and it would hold a Big Boy....yeah all the wheels, but part of the pilot and tender will overhang, especially on the Rivarossi Big Boy. Big Smile

Take Care!

Frank

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Posted by doctorwayne on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 3:50 PM

zstripe
I don't know why Walthers calls it a Modern Roundhouse. A.T.S.F. San Bernadino Ca. Roundhouse very closely resembles the Walthers in 1941 pic.....

 

Well, as far as steam is concerned, 1941 was pretty-much modern. Smile, Wink & Grin

 

Wayne

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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 4:01 PM

zstripe
but part of the pilot and tender will overhang, especially on the Rivarossi Big Boy

Thats what they had to do with the full size Big Boys. (Cheyenne, Wy 126ft TT)

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Posted by zstripe on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 4:10 PM

Help!  I'm being attacked by both ends. NAW! Just kidding.

Take Care! Big Smile

Frank

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Posted by tomcat on Wednesday, June 25, 2014 1:26 AM

What is the longest train that will fit into the Walthers round house without the extension ?

 

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Posted by richhotrain on Wednesday, June 25, 2014 5:07 AM

Cannot resist the urge to correct.  You mean locomotive, not train.  

When I first got into the hobby about 10 1/2 years ago, I told the owner of my LHS that I wanted to buy a "C&NW train" like the one that I had as a kid.  "Oh", he said, "you mean a locomotive".  

Well, excuuuuse me.  LOL

Anyhow, if we are talking HO scale, the stall in the Walthers modern roundhouse measures 17 1/2 inches from front to back.

Rich

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Posted by tomcat on Wednesday, June 25, 2014 5:43 AM

OOOOOPS !!! My very bad

Of course i meant locomotive . When I posted that message I was writing excatly what my other half asked me to. So it was her amature mistake..lol

ok so back to the issue at hand.... 17 1/2 inches so thats fairly long to handle most steamers anyway, I was thinking of saving myself the cost of getting an extension for my Round house and if I did own a big boy I could just have him sitting on a storage track in the maintenence yard.

So was I right in seeing in an earlier post that even a Walthers 130' TT the tender wheels on the Big Boy will overhang ?

Does this post any operating problems while on the TT ? If so can they be corrected ?

BTW thanks for all the replies..... Keep them coming..

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