Any experience and/or comments re these turntables?
Junk…
Whoooo… I’m glad someone asked that question, as I was considering buying one. Not now, though.
Thanks for the input.
Walthers 90"er is reasonable, but rather poor if you intend to motorize. If you’d do a search on this site, under turntables, you should find several threads, one recent, that describes what must be done to get it to work well.
I have a Walthers 90’ TT - the bearing is no good and the basic TT pit is not really ‘round’. However, it can be rebuilt into a good TT. You need to get a good ball bearing unit at you local HW store to fix it. Mine has an Atlas TT under it that actually drives it and gives it 15 degree indexing for my Atlas roundhouse.
Jim Bernier
I had one a long time ago. I can’t remember specifically what was wrong with it but I know it wasn’t a very good piece. I have the Walthers 90’ and 130’ and they are much better products. The 130’ came as a motorized unit and I haven’t gotten around to motorizing the 90’ TT.
I rebuilt my Heljan TT with a capstan bearing from an old video, works great now. The bearing provides one wire for track power, a rail on the outside of the pit with a wiper on the bridge is the other wire for track power.
Just needs motorising? one day!!
Ken.
I have used both the N scale and HO versions and never had any serious problems with them. I used the 14" HO one on my past S scale layout. I used it as-is out of the box with the exception of using S scale wooden ties and code 70 rail. I never powered it and used it as an “armstrong”. It gave faithful service for 4 years before switching back to HO scale. I sold it to another guy in S and I heard he was still using it.
I now have an N scale version redone with HO ties and code 70 rail. It’s unpowered and hasn’t been a problem in any way.
I have to say it isn’t in the class of the new Walthers 130’ turntable but then again…it was only $20. I understand the NEW Walthers 90’ HO table will be a miniature version of the bigger one. My friends who have used the giant one have nothing but raves and cheers for it. My understanding of the OLD Walthers 90’ table is it sucks. Don’t know for certain but all the comments I’ve heard were not favorable.
Roger
THis is a very interesting thread. I have the Walthers 130, 90 and the Heljan 98. Our layout has three in the works and we (club) was justing going to start building them (90 and 98) got the motor kits for powering turn tabels from walthers with the mounts and wipers. One of the group wants to take the 90 ft and rebuild the pit with an “N” scale rail and wheel set to pick up power.
I wil let them in on this BEFORE they get started.
heljan was great with the roundhouse
but the turntable was of poor quality it works but not that good
its a cheap kit
K