Transfer Table

Model Railroader Prototype information for the modeler
1

Hi all, I want to scratchbuild a diesel transfer table in O scale but I am having a hard time finding pictures of the prototype much less drawings. The few pictures I have found are very small. Anyone can direct me to some drawings or large pictures? Thanks in advance.

2

Phil 361,
Using the term “transfer table” in the Index of Magazines at this site, I found 14 citations for articles on transfer tables.
http://index.mrmag.com/tm.exe?opt=S&cmdtext=transfer+table&MAG=ANY I’ll leave you the task of finding out how many of them are specifically diesel tables. You may have to contact the NMRA’s Kalmbach Memorial Library for photocopies of the articles.
Bob
NMRA Life 0543
P.S. Sorry I forgot to paste the link the first time.

3

Thanks Jrbarney. I really appreciate the tip. I was trying to figure out how to search thru all the magazines but couldn’t do it. Thanks again for the help.

4

Back in the late 50’s there was an excellent article in MR about scratch building one. I think it was '59 but definitely the late 50’s.

5

OK, maybe I AM stupid, but what is a transfer table? I did a Yahoo search and came up with nothing. [:(]
Tim

6

A tranfer table is sort of like a turntable, except that instead of the bridge turning on a pivot in a round pit, the bridge moves from side to side in a rectangular pit. These devices were used in locomotive and car shops, generally very large facilities, to move equipment during the rebuilding process.

7

Thanks, AltonFan!!
Education, what a wonderful thing!!
Tim

8

Every transfer table I ever saw was used by both diesel and steam locomotives, also to move various pieces of rolling stock around for repair/rebuilding, etc. The Santa Fe had a large one at their Topeka Shops that I was fortunate enough to be able to tour with friends who worked for the ATSF in 1969-73. They used it for storage of historical equipment, amongst other things.

9

Sacramento’s historic Sacramento Locomotive Works has a working transfer table–it was recently reconditioned and is used to shuffle the California State Railroad Museum’s collection into the bays of the Shops buildings and out of the weather. Some of the reconditioning was done by folks from a nearby trolley museum who knew overhead wiring, and was done in trade for some trackwork by the CSRM’s MOW crew.