HO Round Table or Transfer Table Which Way to Go?

[lwmlwm44]

Hi am planning on putting in a table of some sorts for my DCC Engines.

Am wondering which is the best way to go............are there advantages between using the round table or transfer table or is it basically a matter of preference.

I would like to have the unit DCC Controlled and using a Bachmann DCC with the 10 addresses unit.   See one from Walthers   a table that is dcc or Non DCC controlled and not for sure if it is compatible with Bachmann

Any advice orexperiences in this matter would be appreciated.   Using Bachmann EZ Track on my layout and understand most turntables and transfer tables are adaptable to this track

Larry

[HO-Ron]

A round table is used to turn engines around. A transfer table is used to move diesels from one shed to another. It will not turn a engine around. Your choice with one caveat. The transfer table is some what modern. The turn table was used "mainly" in the steam era and transition period.

EZ Track has a road bed. Yards where tables are located do not have a raised road bed. The track basically sits in the ground. It is up to you if want to transition your track from main line (raised) to sidings and yards (not raised). All the turn tables I know of are meant to be used with un-raised track. Also true of transfer tables, but...... here there might be more leeway. I suppose there is a way to fudge the turn table too but the roundhouse is another matter. You would in either case have to raise the storage building to meet the EZ track.

Either way, good Luck.
HO-Ron

[Pacific Northern]

I would opt for the turntable and roundhouse configuration as I am modeling the transition period and do have a need to turn locomotives. 

As to using EZ track, there is no problem to create a transition from using EZ track with the raised ballast to a yard setting where you could easily use any manufactures track not on a raised ballast bed. You would never use EZ Track with any of the roundhouse structures.

[jward]

transfer tables are usually in heavy repair shop facilities where space is at a premium.
turntable were used in many servicing facilities, and still are in many of the larger facilities.

[lwmlwm44]

THaks for the scoop..........would like to be able to change the direction of the locos and never dawned on me that is not possible with a transfer table.   I like the looks and style of a turntable much better and wll probably go that way..........am aware that I will need to have a transition track between my ez track and the turntable as well as the tracks leading into a shed.

I have 9 DCC engines 4 steamers and 5 diesels and will be using all of them on the turntable...........even if turntables were more used for steamers in the real world

Anyone aware of a DCC controlled round table that would be compatible with Bachmann DCC sets.

Larry

[Woody Elmore]

Be aware of the fact that a turntable and roundhouse take a lot of room due to the radiating tracks. You may want to try a template before starting to install one.

[Terry Toenges]

I used two layers of Woodland Scenics 1/4" foam up against the EZ Track for yard areas and where the tracks are embedded in the ground.
Lay your track on a sheet of foam and cut along the sides of the track. Do it again on another sheet of foam.
Put your track down and butt the first layer of foam up against the roadbed. Then put the second layer of foam on top of the first and butt it up to the roadbed. You can fill in the gap between the foam and the track.
This gives you close to ground level appearing track. Add some ground cover (dirt, oil, whatever) and you can bring it up to level with the track.
This is with the foam down, but no ground cover -

Just painted foam with no ground cover yet.

I took it down before getting around to the ground cover.

[GN.2-6-8-0]

Yeth' Roundhouse's and their turntables in this case a 135 footer from Diamondscale do tend to be spacehoggs  the benchwork shown here is 6ft wide by 10ft long.

[SteamGene]

The already assembled Walthers 90' and 130' turntables work with DCC.  You want the smallest turntable that will fit your largest engine - or largest planned engine.  As noted, a turntable and a roundhouse are space hogs. 
Gene

[CNE Runner]

Larry, I have a 12'x 30" shelf-type layout and use a turntable to rotate my engines. After some careful research, I decided upon the Atlas unit because it was fairly inexpensive, easy to wire, and was surface mounted. However, I am not sure I would go down that road again as Walthers makes a 90' built-up turntable that looks (from their advertising anyway) very nice...it is very pricey. After kitbashing a three-stall roundhouse, it became readily apparent that the structure took up too much real estate. I am putting the roundhouse up for sale at a train show next week and will build the Laser-Art single stall enginehouse instead. I can only imagine how much layout space that beautiful structure GN.2-6-8-0 illustrated. Of course a building like that one could be the centerpiece of your whole layout.

Ray

[BestSnowman]

Yeth' Roundhouse's and their turntables in this case a 135 footer from Diamondscale do tend to be spacehoggs  the benchwork shown here is 6ft wide by 10ft long.

What is that diesel closest to the bottom of the image?

[GN.2-6-8-0]

its not a diesel its a U.P turbine....

[BestSnowman]

I didn't even think of a turbine, thats even cooler. I need to get one of those for my layout, I also wouldn't mind being able to expand my layout to include a turntable/roundhouse like that 

[Paul M.]

GN 2-6-8-0, is that your layout? Very nice...

[Tylerf]

Wow that is a truely inspirational roundhouse. I have never seen anyone build one so huge I've only seen prototype photos of them. Very nice