Turntable?

[djf1]

Looking at the product lines in HO I feel that I as a Large scale enthusiast, dont enjoy the same selection of accessories.
I own 2 Annies and a beautiful Spectrum 2-8-0 Consolidation Engine. I'm still pretty new at this, but my son and I really enjoy spending time with the engines and I want to take it to the next level and add some more accessories on the layout. Namely I'm looking for a turntable and a shed to store the 3 trains. The layout is indoors and I'm not interested in purchasing some of the $2 grand turntables I found on the internet.
Looking at the HO scale I find even that Bachmann produces them, but nothing for G scale.

Is Bachmann going to produce any for G scale, does anyone know of a relatively inexpensive ( below $500) turntables and sheds?

TIA

[ThinkerT]

I think almost no manufacturer sells Large Scale Turntables.  Those tend to be built from scratch.

Engine sheds...there are some out there.  Colorado Model Structures sells modular wall sections and portals that are intended for engine houses, among other things.

[smcgill]

You could build your own buildings   
http://web.mac.com/gardentexture/Site/Home.html
Good luck
Sean

[Wade Colyer]

Hi:

I have a 16' by 30' layout indoors. I found that a turntable and tracks took up too much room. I worked a wye into the layout and use that to turn engines and whole trains.

Wade

[on30gn15]

does anyone know of a relatively inexpensive ( below $500) turntables and sheds?

Best places to ask that would be
here
http://largescalecentral.com/
and here
http://www.mylargescale.com/

Given that Atlas' turntable in O gauge is $230 it is not likely that one twice the size is going to be below $500.

Given that Bachmann's turntable in HO gauge is $140 it is not likely that one four times the size is going to be below $500.

Come on, think about this, the heaviest HO locomotives probably don't top two pounds - a G turntable is going to have to support things in the area of eight pound locos which are three feet long - we're talking something the size of a small dining table here.

[Montblanc]

The POLA G brand makes an electrically powered G-scale turntable. In France, it costs about 350 euros. I don't know if it is distributed in the US.

Jean-Pierre

[on30gn15]

Just for grins, looked here http://www.xe.com/ucc/ and found

350.00 EUR    =    457.038 USD
Euro         US Dollar
1 EUR = 1.30582 USD         1 USD = 0.765801 EUR

Maybe if the Euro tanks it'll go for garage-sale prices maybe? 

[0-4-0]

It would be cheaper to get from the UK...

http://www.topslotsntrains.com/topslotsntrains/final.asp?id=4453&manufacturer='POLA%20G%20Scale'

£250 is around $391.

[JerryB]

It's a lot cheaper to build your own. There are numerous large scale modelers who have done that with excellent results. It also gives you the ability to make an American style turntable with the length and track configurations that suit your equipment and layout.

As just one example, here are links to a three part builder's log on Large Scale Central that covers construction of a turntable by Richard Smith for his Port Orford Coast Railroad:

Part 1: http://www.largescalecentral.com/LSCForums/viewtopic.php?id=13654

Part 2: http://www.largescalecentral.com/LSCForums/viewtopic.php?id=13655

Part 3: http://www.largescalecentral.com/LSCForums/viewtopic.php?pid=161332

I would guess Richard's total cost was less than the shipping cost for the European prototype plastic unit!

Join (for free) and post your questions on the websites "on30gn15" linked above. You will see lots of solutions for buildings, track, bridges and turntables on those websites.

Happy RRing,

Jerry

[djf1]

Thank you guys for the links! Great stuff... The POLA turntable fits the bill perfectly! Its even powered, which I must say It was not a concern of mine... To be honest I was starting to think that I could hack that IKEA turntable that supports my old 36" 400 pound TV and I bought for 50 bucks...
A big wow to the links posted by Jerry, that looks beautiful and it takes some skill though which I dont have!

I'm really digging this as well : http://web.mac.com/gardentexture/Site/31197_Eng._Hse.html
so thanks Sean for the link!

Thanks to all again;

Danny

[Mark Oles]

Danny,

I built one last year.  If you have the center swivel part, they are really easy and can be cheap.  I think some guys were using lazy susan center bearings.  There have also been others who used a 4' diameter circle of track with two trucks mounted to the center bridge.  This eliminates the center bearing. 
Here's the skeleton of mine holding up an aristo mallet:


I used wood and paint to create the look of a girder bridge:




I need to come up with a better locking mechanism, but for now, I am simply sliding the rail joiners to align and pass power through the rails to the bridge itself.  All the roundhouse apron tracks are powered, so locos can run on and off the bridge.  My 4 year old provides the horsepower for turning the engines. 

Mine is a flat plate with a round bar welded to it in the center.  The base is a 15" diameter 1/4" plate with a 1" ID pipe brazed to it.  In the pipe is a ceramic grinding ball which acts as the center bearing.  However, there is some slop between the pipe and round bar resulting in a little rocking, but nothing too serious.

[Wade Colyer]

Hi:

For a locking mechanism, if you are using code 332 track, the LGB adjustable track 10090 works good. I've used them on a lift-out bridge and they work very well.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LGB-LGB-1009-10090-ADJUSTABLE-STRAIGHT-TRACK-SECTION-/260915083462

Wade

[Len]

For indoor use, you could use an Atlas-O turntable as a base/drive/indexing mechanism for a G-scale turntable bridge built on top of it.

Len