I’m intrigued by this photo from Holton’s book on the Reading Railroad (Race St, Philly). It’s elevated, right next to the mainline, has two lead tracks, not associated with a roundhouse and looks relatively small. Something that if squeezed onto a model RR might be considered non-prototypical.
That is really neat. Thanks for sharing. Would make a really interesting diorama or part of a layout.
At a guess, since it seems to be next to the coach yard, it was used to turn head end or observation cars. The way the approach tracks are set, it could service trains headed in either direction. It could have served locos, but with no servicing facility, I’d think that using this one for cars, left the loco turntable free for turning locos in the servicing area.
Probably elevated so nothing rolls onto it by accident.
Maybe the folks over on the prototype portion of this forum would have a better idea.
Thanks for sharing,
Richard
It does not appear to be elevated from the adjacent tracks. However, it is on a higher grade level-as are the tracks-than the adjacent buildings to the left.
Dante
I wonder if it was at the end of the line? May have been used to run around the train to head back the other way. Think about it. On at least one of San Francisco’s cable car lines they have a small manual turn tables at the end of the line to turn the car around to face the way it will travel.
Maybe, but my guess is that it’s for turning things like the Observation car, maybe flipping a diner or Combine around.
And yes, it is elevated. Note the bottom left corner, there’s power lines plunging under the track, but not protected like an underground wiring. Also, there’s no slope like a fill would have on either the turntable or mainline side of the track. The TT is appearently supported on a large steel column the same width.
Race St. is one block away from the Reading Terminal train shed.
elevated such as an “EL”, tracks (and turntable) elevated above streets allowing cars underneath.
The area in question is the “Chinese wall” approaching Reading Terminal. The entire right of way, including the turntable and Green Street engine facility is elevated on a stone causeway (that still exists).
That isn’t a “coach yard”, two of those tracks staging tracks for commuter trains and the others are the main tracks approaching Reading Terminal, which was a stub ended train shed. The actual coach yard was a couple blocks away and was also elevated.
While they could have turned observation cars there, considering the Reading didn’t own any heavyweight obs cars and the stainless obs operated in pairs, one on each end of the train (no turning required) and only owned two business cars with obs platforms, the more likely customers would be either combines or engines. The vast majority of trains this terminal served were commuter trains so a quick turn around was required for the engines.
The train shed still exists as a convention center. The locations of the tracks in the shed floor are marked with brass strips set in the floor (although at 3 ft gauge).
Most amazing is that in the late 1970’s the commuter agency connected the former RDG and PRR commuter lines with a tunnel under Reading Terminal. Which meant tunneling under the existing station while it was still in service.
Another “elevated” turntable:
http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=qjb95c8mgx05&lvl=19.57648261465422&dir=185.14044329189662&sty=b
I have seen pics of these in the past with what appeared to be MOW equipment and other weird looking things on them. Some of the pics were in poor shape so it was hard to tell what they were.
Brent
Not exactly, Steemtrayn. While the turntable at Riverside is at a higher elevation than the nearby Key Highway, it’s firmly planted in Terra Firma. I think the example cited by the OP was actually constructed over bridgework in an elevated section of the Reading main line through Philadelphia.
Lee