I have a 42-year-old turntable from Atlas! (Closer to 50, actually.) And, it still works just fine. The only reason I bought a new one is that the old-timers only indexed every 30 degrees, and I wanted the 15 degree indexing. Other than that, they haven’t changed the design in all that time.
The only teeny tiny criticism I could make would be that a steel girder bridge would be very heavy and probably wouldn’t have a pit with dirt and grass, it would probably be concrete (or maybe brick?). I think the grass and dirt pit would be appropriate for say a shortline or logging RR with a wood turntable.
I’ve gotten an Atlas turntable and motor like you and I plan to pit-bash it. However, there is a question that looms heavy on me.
If you build the bridge and stop the table from turning and put in a track, then why do you need any more than the motor to build it. What point is the rest of the turntable?
The base is all that needs to be concrete.
I didn’t “stop the table from turning.” The bridge is attached firmly to the deck at the center hub only. The bridge turns with the original deck, which provides the indexing and power routing, including the reversing circuitry. The floor of the pit actually sits about a half-inch higher, and completely covers the deck. The deck is still under there, rails and all, and it rotates. The difference is that you can’t see it rotate.
Ah.
Fantastic job Mr. B. and excellent idea.
Just curious Mr. B. how much room is needed to do a project like this including TT , round house and rails. I’ve been thinking of building up my Atlas TT for some time but have always thought I don’t have enuff room.
The turntable itself takes up a 10-inch circle. The Atlas roundhouse needs about a 16-inch square for the 3 stalls. I’ve added a pair of additional tracks, but those would be optional. I’m squeezed for space, too, but I tucked this inside a loop. Turntables and roundhouses are such attention-getters that I felt I really wanted one. The basic turntable rail is only 9 inches, and will barely fit a Proto 2K 0-6-0. Likewise, the Atlas roundhouse is really designed for this turntable, and will only hold 9-inch engines comfortably. You could stretch that a bit if you allow the nose to stick out the door, and don’t add a track bumper other than the block provided as part of the roundhouse floor.
Mr. B… Fantastic job and “how to” essay.
Kudos… Bob/Iron Goat
I sat back and watched this thread develop. Mr.B , I really like what you did and it works, that’s the main point.Your knowledge that you have developed on stonework, really comes across on this one. Nice job.
[tup]
Great tutorial. Thanks a million:)
I am impressed!
Great “how to”, Mr B!
[bow]
George
Mister B,
Thanks so much for posting your bit of Yankee Ingenuity. I’ve seen many articles and what not concerning converting the Atlas TT into something more realistic, and yours is tops. While maybe not for everyone, your TT is definately a way to get a good looking, good operating TT for less than a couple hundred bucks. I also think you did a fantastic job of explaining how the job was done - the “hey, I can do that too” that ran through my mind while reading your “how to” was the same that I got when reading Art Curren’s articles.
GREAT JOB!!
I took this overhead the other day. The scenery all around the turntable is finished now, so I could take a photo with no pink foam in it.
Saw this again and thought others might enjoy it too as well.
Thanks for bringing this back up , I just finished install a 90’ Walthers TT and been researching around for scenicking the area . There’s going to be a small built up area in back ontop of the tunnel. Anyone have any suggestions for the groundwork , I’ve bee trying to find some good pics , I’m not sure how the grounds would be or if the TT ledge would be even with the surrounding area.
Hi Steve.
I’m new to the forum and your page is the first one I opened based upon your redesign of the atlas tuntable deck into a pit tt. Read someplace that your pictorial was excellent. Is is still on the web? I went to the linked page but I couldnot it. Can you please help me.
Thank You and have a great day.
Boxcar99
good luck to you.
If you go to the first post of this thread, the description and pictures are all there. It’s the only place that all the parts are together in the same place.
I’m not sure who “Steve” is, but welcome aboard anyway! [#welcome]
Hi Boxcar. I am the only “Steve” off hand that I see here although that doesn’t mean much with out nics LOL.
Anyhow if you did mean me I did make a turntable but it was not an atlas one it w3as all made from scratch sorry.
However if you or anyone else wanted a link to my place here it is.
http://fsm1000.googlepages.com
Have fun Boxcar and welcome to our little place on the planet. :)
When I saw that truss bridge sitting on the Atlas turntable, I thought “This isn’t going to turn out well at all.”
Skipping down to the final pictures, I see I was quite wrong. Wow, that’s really nice work!
Ed