Can Walthers Turntable Approach Tracks be located "anywhere?"

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Understanding that the Roundhouse Stall Tracks should be 10 degrees apart, do the engine approach/departure tracks’ left and right hand rails need to be in line with the rails on the stall track when laying a straight edge along the approach track, across the t.t. bridge to the stall track OR can the approach/departure tracks be located anywhere? I have the non-DCC version of the Walthers 130’ t.t.

Rails 10 degrees apart only applies to programming the stall end of things correct? Is this measured by the centerline of track or one of the rails? The Walthers instructions don’t seem to be detailed enough (but that could easily just be me…).

Anything I should know about bringing the approach tracks to the edge of the pit if slightly curved? I realized that I have to leave enough cab/boiler overhang for the Big Boy with the adjacent A/D engine track etc. Anything else to consider?

Thanks for the help,

Jim

2

Oh yeah, I forgot to ask if there is a specific length of stall track needed (minimum) to reach the pit’s edge?

I seemed to remember reading long ago, that it should be 3 and 3/4" but can’t find that now. I have a pre-built roundhouse (Walthers/six stall) and it has stall tracks already installed and they DO measure 3 and 3/4". Is this critical in any way?

Thanks again,

Jim

3

It doesn’t matter where the approach tracks allign with the turntable but the distance the roundhouse is from the turntable does. Obviously with any angle the farther a way from the intersection point you go the wider the spacing between the tracks. There is only one location where the tracks will be centered in the door openings.

4

Jim,

I have the same setup as you.

I have the Walthers Cornerstone 130’ non-DCC turntable and the Walthers Cornerstone roundhouse, 9-stalls with add-ons.

My roundhouse tracks measure exactly 3" from the edge of the pit to the edge of the roundhouse floor.

It does matter where you place the approach tracks to the turntable. You have to avoid placing tracks in the NO TRACK area which is discussed in the instruction sheet as follows:

“Your new turntable automatically reverses track polarity when turned. As a result, the unit has two electrically insulated areas where the track on the bridge is not powered. These are indentified on the underside of the lip by the “NO TRACK” lettering. Working approach and fan tracks must be installed away from these areas - we suggest placing them at 90 degrees to the approach tracks.”

You also need to be careful with the placement of approach tracks on opposite sides of the turntable.

Take a look at this thread.

http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/744/p/181396/1987593.aspx#1987593

Rich

5

Ah that’s a little different from what I was thinking.

6

Thanks guys. I’ve got it installed now. I had a friend come over who’d installed the N Scale 90’er and his template had the radial (10 degree) lines on it which made things much clearer. We placed it under my template so that we could line things up properly and so far so good! The HO 130’ directions are very vague and have at least one error. The HO version should definitely have a radial lined template and rewritten directions.

I do have one (maybe…) last question: I found on the outboard end of my zero position sensor (and square rod), a small glob of what resembles hot glue or very rough silicone AND the rod has dropped out of it’s tab or slot (can’t go look right now). I was concerned that it was damaged in shipment because it looked, maybe, melted a bit or at least abraded.

I emailed a buddy who has another N Scale pit and his has the same glob (only MUCH bigger and Blue!) so it must be there for a purpose. Is it to seal the back side of the sensor (on the wll inside the pit) or to hold the sensor and rod end up/into the pit’s outboard wall?

I was relieved to see that the “glob” should be there though!

Thanks, Jim

7

AFAICR (As far as I can recall…), there are three places, spots, to avoid. First is the optical ‘eye’ for calibration, or the primary reference point for the controller to begin indexing, and the second and third are the two ‘dead spots’ where the split ring…um…splits. Anywhere else, down to tiny sections of mm here and there, are free game.

-Crandell