Where can I find a turntable that will handle a 2-8-4 Berkshire w/tender? Nothing I've seen so far is big enough. Didn't they make them back in the day?
Dale
FuzzyoneWhere can I find a turntable that will handle a 2-8-4 Berkshire w/tender? Nothing I've seen so far is big enough. Didn't they make them back in the day?
I'd be very surprised if it didn't fit on a 130' Walthers turntable.HO ScaleN Scale
In fact the wheelbase of some 2-8-4s with tender might even be short enough for the Walthers 90'.
Layout Design GalleryLayout Design Special Interest Group
As near as I can tell, there aren't any turntables commercially offered that are bigger than the 90' ones and also smaller than the absolutely gigantic Walthers 130' ones. A 90- or 100' table doesn't fit any Berkshire that I know of, unfortunately. I have one of the Walthers ones from the latest run (just got it last week) and it's beautiful, but at 130' it's so big that not everyone will have the space for them.
As near as I know, most prototype turntables for this class of locomotive were 115-120', which aren't readily available. On the other hand I'm just guessing but I'd guess that a prototype turntable is a lot easier to use. If you put a locomotive with a 115' wheelbase on a 120' table, it's pretty easy to get it lined up +/- a couple of feet in 12" scale. On the other hand, in HO scale that means that you have to have the wheels lined up within about 8mm before you move the 'table. I'd rather have the additional space!
blw As near as I can tell, there aren't any turntables commercially offered that are bigger than the 90' ones and also smaller than the absolutely gigantic Walthers 130' ones.
As near as I can tell, there aren't any turntables commercially offered that are bigger than the 90' ones and also smaller than the absolutely gigantic Walthers 130' ones.
In practice, the size difference may not be as great between the two. Because the way the Walthers roundhouses are made (to work with either TT), they must be set farther off the 90' TT than the 130'. That eats up some of the "saved" space.
Note that one needs only the wheelbase on the TT, not the full loco and tender overall length (on the model, at least -- on the prototype, some required the weight to be balanced). For this reason, a 90' TT might work on the model. But we'd need to now more about the measurements of the Original Poster's loco.
cuyama Fuzzyone: Where can I find a turntable that will handle a 2-8-4 Berkshire w/tender? Nothing I've seen so far is big enough. Didn't they make them back in the day? I'd be very surprised if it didn't fit on a 130' Walthers turntable.HO ScaleN Scale In fact the wheelbase of some 2-8-4s with tender might even be short enough for the Walthers 90'.
Fuzzyone: Where can I find a turntable that will handle a 2-8-4 Berkshire w/tender? Nothing I've seen so far is big enough. Didn't they make them back in the day?
The 2-8-4 fits on the Walthers 130' turntable. I have three Berkshires that all fit comfortably on the 130' turntable.
Rich
Alton Junction
I know that what I am about to type is rank heresy in this, `Ready-to-run, ready-to-install,' universe, but have you ever considered finding some good photos of the turntable used to turn your loco's prototype and, gasp, SCRATCHBUILDING?
Turntables are not space science. They are, mechanically, quite simple - and anyone who can handlay track in gauge is capable of sufficient accuracy to build one. The complexity comes in powering the table for rotation and getting it to line up - and that can be avoided by using some variant of 0-5-0 power, preferably below the tabletop.
The two turntables on my layout are true to their prototypes (I have the photos to prove that) and utterly unlike anything offered commercially. Neither was a difficult build.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
GASP !
I looked up a number of Berkshires before I posted - they all have prototype wheelbases in the range of 110 feet. The models usually are a little longer due to greater spacing between cab and tender, so it would be a pretty big surprise if any Berkshire models fit - comfortably or not - on a 90' turntable. Offhand the Berks with the smallest tenders that I can remember are the B&A ones, and even they are six axle tenders with fairly considerable capacity. I don't have plans of the B&A ones handy but I'd be pretty surprised if they are 25'-30' shorter than the NKP, Erie, C&O and L&N Berks.
tomikawaTTI know that what I am about to type is rank heresy in this, `Ready-to-run, ready-to-install,' universe, but have you ever considered finding some good photos of the turntable used to turn your loco's prototype and, gasp, SCRATCHBUILDING?
Very dramatic. But as the original poster has indicated in other threads that he is new to the hobby, that may not be a very helpful suggestion at this point. In any case, he was looking for commercial offerings long enough for his Berkshires and we've established that they exist.
But by all means, Chuck, please share with us your scratchbuilding prowess by including photos of your scratchbuilt turntables in a new thread. We read a lot about your layout but I can't recall yet having seen photos of any of it.
Diamond Scale turntable kits have been around for many decades, and are generally thought of highly by people who have tried them. They come in several designs, in lengths from 51' to 134'.
wjstix Diamond Scale turntable kits have been around for many decades, and are generally thought of highly by people who have tried them.
Diamond Scale turntable kits have been around for many decades, and are generally thought of highly by people who have tried them.
I've built a Diamond Scale turntable for a friend, and was generally less than impressed, although their indexing system works very nicely. It's certainly not one which I'd recommend for a beginner, and, in my opinion, scratchbuilding, as Chuck suggested, would be easier. I built mine from a couple of used Atlas girder bridges, a block of wood, and some flex track. The pivot is from a hand mixer, while the pit walls are Masonite. Not including the stripwood used for the deck and its support ties, cost was under $5.00. Only a few inches from the aisle, it's manually operated and, like the real ones, indexing is "by-eye".
By the way, the prototype was able to turn locos with wheelbases longer than the turntable by jacking up some of the wheels on the tender's rear truck.
Wayne
Fuzzyone Where can I find a turntable that will handle a 2-8-4 Berkshire w/tender? Nothing I've seen so far is big enough. Didn't they make them back in the day? Dale
Dale, CMR (Custom Model Railroads) has a range of turntable kits in 90', 105', 120' and 135' sizes. I have the 105' model, and my Rivarossi NKP Berk fits quite comfortably on it. They're a nice kit to build, laser-cut from acrylic sheet stock, and with their motor drive unit, work very well. (Hey, the prototype doesn't have automatic indexing - why should we? ) You can get a programmable, indexing setup from Berkshire Junction, I believe - at least you used to be able to - if you really need to have it.... Here's a link:
http://www.custommodelrailroads.com/turntables-3.aspx
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Gary M. Collins gmcrailgNOSPAM@gmail.com
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"Common Sense, Ain't!" -- G. M. Collins
http://fhn.site90.net
The Berkshires are just a bit too long for the 90' Walthers turntable. If you change tenders to the Bachmann Hicken they will fit on the 90' turntable.
I opted to swap tenders rather than use the larger 130' turntable as it just seemed too large for my layout.
Dale, just to show you that there is indeed a table out there for you, here's a photo - as you can see, NKP Berkshire fits easily, even with the drawbar connected in its most extended position; The only things I changed on the turntable bridge were the handrails and the arch:
gmcrail Dale, just to show you that there is indeed a table out there for you, here's a photo - as you can see, NKP Berkshire fits easily, even with the drawbar connected in its most extended position; The only things I changed on the turntable bridge were the handrails and the arch:
Tell us who made the turntable and what size is it.
don7 gmcrail: Dale, just to show you that there is indeed a table out there for you, here's a photo - as you can see, NKP Berkshire fits easily, even with the drawbar connected in its most extended position; The only things I changed on the turntable bridge were the handrails and the arch: Tell us who made the turntable and what size is it.
gmcrail: Dale, just to show you that there is indeed a table out there for you, here's a photo - as you can see, NKP Berkshire fits easily, even with the drawbar connected in its most extended position; The only things I changed on the turntable bridge were the handrails and the arch:
I already did. See my post above in re: CMR (Custom Model Railroads) turntables. This one is 105'.