I’m guessing it was about five years ago I saw in one of the magazines, possibly Classic Trains, a turntable built into sloping ground that was essentially little more than half a pit with the ground falling away on the other side. I can’t remember for sure but my guess was this was an armstrong TT. There’s no reason you need a full pit if all you need to do is flip the equipment end for end. I’m thinking of incorporating this idea at the terminus of my branchline that I am finalizing the plans for. It would save space in that the TT could be placed closer to the aisle with the bridge swinging out over the edge of the layout. Am I missing something? Does anybody see a downside. The branchline is only going to have a couple 4-6-0s on the roster and a twin stall engine house.
McCloud River Railroad. Uphill side was an excavated amphitheater, downhill side ring rail was carried on a very skinny curved trestle structure. Yes, it was armstrong and center balanced.
Note that a 360 degree ring rail is still essential. Cutting an arc out at the fascia is an open invitation to having a locomotive attempt a swan dive.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with full-pit turntables)
The Narraganset Bay R.R & Navigation On30 club has two of these TT on their modules.
http://www.trainweb.org/nbrandn/Modules.htm
This outstanding layout can be seen this week end at the West Springfield train show.
I agree with Chuck. It’s been done on the prototype in many locations, especially shortlines and small-time branches. I think In recall seeing an arrangement like that on a branch of the “Standard RR of the World”. But the no prototype railroad EVER built a turntable into the fascia, and I’d discourage it on a model. Even if the locomotives always stay put, there’s always the problem of stray elbows.
So I was missing something. I hadn’t thought of the ring rail but of course you are right. Seems pretty obvious when yout think about it. I had considered the swan diving loco, but thought I might risk that. I still like the idea and maybe I’ll build a bumpout in the fascia to accomodate the pit floor and ring rail. That would greatly lessen the chance of one of my 4-6-0s leaping to its death. I think the tressle for the downhill side of the ring rail would make this even more interenting.
I bought a Scale Structures turntable kit a few years ago with the branchline in mind. It allows the TT to be 70 to 90 scale feet. I hadn’t noticed this before but their picture on the Walthers website shows the pivot point of the TT right at the edge of the benchwork with no ring rail to the outside. I’m guessing this was done just to show the TT and not a recommended design feature.
Assuming you can’t redesign to avoid -
The shaft in the center will have to carry the load with the partial ring rail just for decoration. You’ll also have to remember to leave it clear of the aisle after each use.
For safety, I would have sides on the turntable bridge. Some kind of popup piece at the ends that comes up when the end passes the layout edge out and goes down when coming back in would be nice also.
Good luck
Paul
I also missed the following;
It would save space in that the TT could be placed closer to the aisle with the bridge swinging out over the edge of the layout.
I agree with the others, this is disaster prone.
I think that you’re missing out on the unique aspect of the prototype by modelling only half of it. If you opt for half of the half pit/half trestle version, who’s to know what the unmodelled portion is supposed to look like? [(-D]
A 70’ (or even a 90’) turntable doesn’t take up all that much room, and whether you model that unusual prototype or something more common, the whole area will be a focal point on your layout.
I don’t know how much space you have with which to work, but I managed to include an industry with its own siding, a station and platform on a double-tracked mainline, a turntable, and (just in case you want to keep that element of danger) an additional track almost right at the edge of the layout. It’s only 31" from fascia to backdrop, although I did have to cheat a bit on the turntable, as it’s only an 89-footer [swg]:
Wayne
I already have two standard turntables, the 130’ one in my main yard and a 90’ one at the junction with the branch line. I thought the half pit one would make an interesting addition at the terminus of the branchline. Saving a few inches is a side benefit of that. It isn’t just the few inches at the turntable I will be saving. Since the branchline track is going to run close to the inside rim of the TT, it will allow me to run that line closer to the edge of the benchwork which saves me considerable real estate for a significant length.
Of course I am going to have to have more than half the TT inside the frame of the benchwork because I am not going to wan