I have had the Walthers 130' turntable for 15 years now, and it works just fine. So, fear not!
Rich
Alton Junction
I realize this is an old thread however it has ma lot of good info so I decided to respond. Last night I purchased a brand new in the box Walthers 130' DCC turntable for a 100 bucks. As it turns out it is an early version that was discontinued. I have read that there have been many issues with it. Typically most of the product info on the net is the bad stuff and you see verty little of the good. So the question is , are all the early models a problem child or only a certain percentage are? I currently have a Bowser installed that has it's own set of issues. Should I continue with it or replace it with the Walthers. Thats of course after I bench test it lol.
Looks like you've cooked-up a pretty good recipe for a turntable, Brian!
Wayne
railandsailJust found a couple of photo of experiments I looked at early on with building a turntable,....a bakers pan and the base portions from an Atlas curved cord bridge
.
Wow. That is a neat idea.
The Baker's Pan turntable pit looks like it could be a "doable" idea.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Nice looking work!
Ed
I never took notice of that 'How To' tab
Brian
My Layout Plan
Interesting new Plan Consideration
intrainingDo you know someone with the patience to answer my questions?
Hi, and Welcome, too!
If you haven't already, take a look at the excellent articles right here on the MR web site.
MR_How-to by Edmund, on Flickr
Get Started tab leads to the Model Railroad 101 site that will answer many basic questions.
Under the How To tab you can select any one of the dozens of informative articles to get a feel for what is out there and get a background for the terminology and "lingo".
Hope that helps,
See you soon... Ed
intrainingI'm new at this; really new. I have several beginner question. Do you know someone with the patience to answer my questions?
to the forum. Ask and most are happy to help but realize this:
Not knowing what you are about to ask, it might be better to start a whole new thread. Steve Otte will not charge you to do that.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Hi intraining,
Welcome to the forums and to the hobby!!
You will get lots of help here, and if you get any negative flack about the questions having been asked before, ignore it!
I might suggest that you start your own thread to ask your questions, that is if they are not specifically related to the subject of this thread, i.e. turntables. To start a thread, go to the top of the forum that you want to post in and click on "Create a New Discussion Topic". The subject areas of each of the forums are identified on the main menu page.
If you wish, you can also give us a bit of information about yourself and your areas of interest within the hobby, i.e. what scale, what era, what your favourite roads are or how much space you have for your layout, etc.
Cheers!!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
to the MR Forums, intraining!
You've come to the right place, as anyone here without the patience to answer your questions won't! The rest of us will.Wayne
There are plenty of people on this forum that will be happy to answer your questions. Just start a thread asking your question and you will get answers.
Joe
Thanks for your suggestion, Dave. That's basically what I had in mind, although a friend has offered to supply a machined steel shaft, keyed into a block of machined steel onto which the bridge could be grafted. I'd revert to manual operation, though, regardless of how the turntable deficiencies are corrected.
I do like that fake drive system, too!
Wayne:
Here is my solution for the Walthers out-of-round bridge wheels.
These are the wheels that came with the kit. It's hard to see in the picture but the two halves of the wheel molds weren't lined up:
These are the replacement wheels. They came from a Grandt Line boxcab kit but any straight axle small dia. wheels would do. You only need two sets of wheels. In this case I didn't use the wheels with the gears molded in. If you want to use Wayne's method with two wheels face to face you will need four wheel sets (I guess that's obvious):
The bogie frames needed a bit of modification and the bridge mounting points had to be filed down a bit to get the wheels at the right height:
With fake drive system attached:
I also added a brass bushing to the bridge shaft:
The bridge rotates very smoothly. I used an old train set power pack to run it. It is not indexed.
If you want to see my thread on the turntable project, here it is:
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/261225.aspx
I have two like-new Bowser turntables that I was lucky enough to find, both in North Georgia. I found a 16" in Trainmaster in Buford, and a 14" in a Lindy's Trains location.
I have used Bowser turntables before, and they are very reliable. I use the factory split pit rail for power pick up, and have never had any issues. It is easy to add a home-made drive system. I use my eyes for indexing.
gary233 Do the Walthers NON DCC work on DCC layouts?
Do the Walthers NON DCC work on DCC layouts?
Mike
doctorwayne if I can't fix the problems with the out-of-round bridge wheels.
CMR uses minature ball bearings for wheels. By that I mean the whole bearing, not just the balls inside. I'll see if I can put a caliper on one later
I got the Walthers' one sorta similar to the one Brent has, but mine is non-DCC and wasn't motorised. I motorised it, using the motor and gearbox out of an old scanner, but I'm not at all impressed by the turntable itself, and will probably replace it....
Many years ago, I built a Diamond Scale turntable (120'-er, I think) for a friend, and wasn't overly impressed by it either, as the pit was noticeably out-of-round. I don't recall how I fixed it, but it also came with a motor and a full indexing kit, and once assembled, it worked, and continues to work, very well.
I scratchbuilt this one from a block of wood and a couple of cut-apart Atlas through girder bridges from the "used" table at my LHS. The handrails are leftovers from Athearn BlueBox diesels, and the bridge wheels are from my "parts department". I was originally going to power it through an electrical hand-mixer, but opted to simply use one of the beater shafts for rotation and as a power feed for one bridge rail. The other bridge rail is powered via the wiper shoes on the bridge wheels. The turntable rotation is powered by one finger of my 0-5-0 switcher, with automatic optical indexing...
The ring rail is cut from a piece of Atlas flex track, and its support and the pit bottom is plywood, while the pit wall is a piece of 1/8" Masonite. Total outlay was, I think, about four bucks for the two Atlas bridges, while everything else was on-hand, left over from other projects....
The turntable is very easy to use and very reliable, with no maintenance required. I'm very seriously considering the same solution for the turntable shown in the first two photos, if I can't fix the problems with the out-of-round bridge wheels.
The kids gave me this for fathers day a few years ago and it has been flawless in all respects and is a breeze to use.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
richhotrain 7j43k I have no problem dealing with a very small proprietor. I've yakked with Mr. Arizona Ballast. I've also done so with Mr. NWSL. And Mr. Reboxx. And Ms. Scenic Express. And Mr. Rail Graphics. And others. Very rewarding and pleasant conversations, all. I've also chatted with a Ms. that works for Mr. Evergreen. And also chatted and/or e-mailed with folks who worked for Mr. Athearn, Mr. Walthers, and Mr. Atlas. Also rewarding and pleasant conversations. Same with Duane and Marie at Tomar Industries. Rich
7j43k I have no problem dealing with a very small proprietor. I've yakked with Mr. Arizona Ballast. I've also done so with Mr. NWSL. And Mr. Reboxx. And Ms. Scenic Express. And Mr. Rail Graphics. And others. Very rewarding and pleasant conversations, all. I've also chatted with a Ms. that works for Mr. Evergreen. And also chatted and/or e-mailed with folks who worked for Mr. Athearn, Mr. Walthers, and Mr. Atlas. Also rewarding and pleasant conversations.
I have no problem dealing with a very small proprietor. I've yakked with Mr. Arizona Ballast. I've also done so with Mr. NWSL. And Mr. Reboxx. And Ms. Scenic Express. And Mr. Rail Graphics. And others.
Very rewarding and pleasant conversations, all.
I've also chatted with a Ms. that works for Mr. Evergreen.
And also chatted and/or e-mailed with folks who worked for Mr. Athearn, Mr. Walthers, and Mr. Atlas. Also rewarding and pleasant conversations.
Same with Duane and Marie at Tomar Industries.
We have a good crew in our field. A VERY small quantity of crooks. And a larger quantity who are just not good business people. All in all, we're lucky they're willing to work for us.
7j43kIn that case, I'll skip calling. I don't want to distract him from building turntables.
Ha, I get it, dealing with a very small proprietor like this is not the ideal way of doing business these days, but I'm old enough myself (65) to remember that this is the way it was. That's not to say that's the way it should be today. But it is what it is. Not many choices out there for a smaller (65-70 ft) unit for my narrow gauge RR, and I think Diamond Scale offers a unique product in that regard.
I would have been OK with a small deposit with my order, but not full or substantial payment up front. We'll see how it goes.
freeway3 gmpullman That goes back to Rob's Trains in Alliance, Ohio. I used to go there pretty often. I guess Larry Olsen bought what was left of Diamond Scale and thought he was going to continue the line, then sold it to Rob Sundberg, dba Rob's Trains. I think Rob's looks like a dealer, not the manufacturer, for Diamond Scale. Larry is still the manufacturer. Per the website, I called (and called, and called), finally got an answer from Larry. In talking with him, he's 75, and a lone wolf at his business. Doesn't like to do email, and the web presence is dated. So yeah, not what we are used to these days with e-commerce. Despite this, I placed an order with him during that phone call. He said up front the lead time would be about 2 months, and that was OK with me. It's now been about 1 month. He did not take my cc info or request any type of deposit, said he would call me when it's ready to ship and get my payment info. I'll try to remember to reply back to this post when I hear back from him.
gmpullman That goes back to Rob's Trains in Alliance, Ohio. I used to go there pretty often. I guess Larry Olsen bought what was left of Diamond Scale and thought he was going to continue the line, then sold it to Rob Sundberg, dba Rob's Trains.
I think Rob's looks like a dealer, not the manufacturer, for Diamond Scale. Larry is still the manufacturer.
Per the website, I called (and called, and called), finally got an answer from Larry. In talking with him, he's 75, and a lone wolf at his business. Doesn't like to do email, and the web presence is dated. So yeah, not what we are used to these days with e-commerce.
Despite this, I placed an order with him during that phone call. He said up front the lead time would be about 2 months, and that was OK with me. It's now been about 1 month.
He did not take my cc info or request any type of deposit, said he would call me when it's ready to ship and get my payment info. I'll try to remember to reply back to this post when I hear back from him.
In that case, I'll skip calling. I don't want to distract him from building turntables.
(still another) Ed
nealknows trainnut1250 Atlas can be modified if you are handy. What needs to be done to the Atlas Turntable. I have one of the ones with 21 tracks. Need to get the turntable motor. What would I need to modify it other than to add an outo reverser to the turntable track. I run DCC. Thanks! Neal
trainnut1250 Atlas can be modified if you are handy.
Atlas can be modified if you are handy.
What needs to be done to the Atlas Turntable. I have one of the ones with 21 tracks. Need to get the turntable motor. What would I need to modify it other than to add an outo reverser to the turntable track. I run DCC.
Thanks!
Neal
Neal,
I was referring to the appearance of the Atlas TT - which some people don't find especially realistic. There are threads about modifying it to look better and about using it as a base for building a gallows or other style TT. As it runs out of the box, it is fine in terms of operation.
Guy
see stuff at: the Willoughby Line Site
gmpullmanThat goes back to Rob's Trains in Alliance, Ohio. I used to go there pretty often. I guess Larry Olsen bought what was left of Diamond Scale and thought he was going to continue the line, then sold it to Rob Sundberg, dba Rob's Trains.
gary233 Here is the updated plan. I moved the lower loop more to the left and switched the turntable location. Also added a runaround to teh left side of the yard.
Here is the updated plan. I moved the lower loop more to the left and switched the turntable location. Also added a runaround to teh left side of the yard.
That is a nice looking design Gary. Wish I had that much room.
The (RED) is the inner mainline which will begin a 2% grade about the center of teh yard and rise to 7” after 10 feet. It will follow the route of the outer main.