Anyone here re-design/kitbash an Atlas turntable into something that more closely resembles a prototype? I can’t see spending hard earned bucks on a nicer looking one than spending a little bit and getting a good indexing system that the Atlas one has. The problem is it just doesn’t look as good!
Some ideas/hints/tips and pics would be great!
Thanks,
Matt
There have been quite a few people who have made Atlas conversions. I know that Mr Beasley and Fergermeister have both done it. I have one waiting in the wings to do when I get the benchwork in place.
Thanks very much… That thread certainly gave me some ideas. I bookmarked those pages as I’m not ready to start on a project like that yet, but probably within the next few months I will need to get crackin on it.
I’ll take some other ideas if anyone has some!
Thanks folks,
Matt
There are prototypes for a covered TT. Doesn’t Steamtown have one? The Atlas one is indeed basic and could use some dressing up, but there are covered pits out there. They were often used where extreme snowfall would make constant shoveling of the pit a chore. Cover the pit and the problem goes away.
There’s also a covered turntable in the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Museum in Baltimore. I modified an Atlas deck turntable years ago, and it looked a lot like the link, except I made the timber a darker brown to look like it was old and creosote-covered. I put the superstructure and support for the overhead wires above the center, with angled supports off to each side, in line with the track. I dressed up the plastic “hut” that covers the drive motor with a tarpaper (400-grit sandpaper) roof, and added a scratchbuilt control cubicle at one end of the track span. I laid a few tools, chains and other items on the deck near the control cubicle. The effect was okay overall, (not as good as a pit turntable, but a lot easier and cheaper).
I’ve done it. My gallows is based on the Pacific Coast Railway turntable at San Louis Obispo, California. My approach of just painting the covered deck doesn’t look as good as those that actually planked the deck with wood strips … but I avoid having to get all of the tight clearances to work at the end of the planks.
Here is my result:
http://s112.photobucket.com/albums/n183/mkbradley_photos/Turntable/
Three problems I struggle with: 1) ballast getting into the mechanism causing gear grinding 2) Somehow as time went on, the turntable base became slightly warped, meaning the “bridge” rocks a little, causing vertical kinks sometimes that can cause derailments 3) there is some slop in the hortizontal location for some of the stalls which can cause derailments. I replaced the gear once and that helped but did not eliminate the problem completely. I sometimes align the bridege track with a “nudge”.
Completely replacing the turntable would be a major tear-up of the corner of my layout, so I’m willing to live with these relatively minor issues.
This is the approach used by Bob Grech and looks better:
He is the master in my book …
Wow! Those are both beautiful! And nice photography, too!
Thanks for the introduction. Without further ado…
http://www.trains.com/TRC/CS/forums/1162765/ShowPost.aspx
For a quick view - this is what it looks like:
Remember, though, that it’s a small turntable, not suitable for long modern engines or old large steamers. It will handle short steamers (like the 0-6-0 shown) or early/transition diesels.
I recently completed my Atlas TT kitbash. It will be used for turning engines only in a kind of backwoods setting. I used balsa for the planking, blocks from A.C.Moore, stain and india ink/alcohol weathering. Based on the famous gallows TT at Laws CA, I consider it “stand off” scale only but I’m pleased with the result. Permanent mounting on the layout, filling in the mounting hole spaces, plus appropriate scenery is my next task. This project was really fun!
The prototype:
My model:
Wow! Thanks for the super ideas!!! I will surely use many of these to dress up my TT here at some point. The point someone made above about the length is important for me to consider for the future. The Atlas can handle my switchers, F-units and GP9 no problem, but as I will want to add a Mohawk, Niagara and a couple Hudsons someday, I will have to install a longer one.
So for the here and now, I believe I will take many of these ideas to create a more visually appealing look to the Atlas,(because out of the box it truly is an eyesore!) but I don’t want to get so far into a project that would take many many weeks to complete. (only to have to replace it a few years from now)
Anyway, nice job everyone! I am impressed!!!
Matt