Reworking the layout

[Terry Toenges]

I guess patience if the key here. A slower moving TT is a much quieter TT.  If I keep the throttle at about 1/8 power, the noise isn't that loud, but it turns so slow. I realize in real life they do turn slow so that's more prototypical anyway. When I go to program it with the MRC, I guess I can adjust the max speed to keep it slow.
There is some room in the shed to add some foam insulation around the control box. I had a 1" thick piece on top of the box when I was using it before and it seemed to help a little. I'll have to use some thinner foam around the sides inside the shed.

[jward]

Keep in mind the real ones sound like coffee grinders.

[bbmiroku]

Of course, you could always slice a guy in half around the belly and glue him onto the turntable after putting a black piece of cardboard or something under him.  Keep it slow like he is pushing it.  The turntable at the B&O roundhouse in B'more is hand-powered.

[Terry Toenges]

My mind has been hard at work contemplating the possibilities of putting someone pushing it. It would be better if just the turntable itself tuned and not the whole inside pit. I don't believe that is doable without some major work.. More than I would want to attempt. I pondered that too but these turntables are expensive if I would screw it up. I already thought about cutting off the piece where the little house thing goes on the revolving part.
I'm not crazy about the color and I want to paint it. All those short approach tracks are screwed on with little bitty screws (32 of them). I woud have to unscrew those and remove them.

[Terry Toenges]

I got the turntable apart. It might not be so hard to alter after all.
I am thinking about removing the part of the ring that the deck is attached to so that I just have the deck that turns. I thought the whole base turned but it doesn't, just the ring and deck.
The only thing I wonder about is the spring loaded detent thing. There are notches around the ring that the plunger engages when the TT stops at each track. I removed the plunger and tried the TT and it still stops at the right places.
Any thoughts from anyone?

[Terry Toenges]

I had high hopes but I can't do it. I was hoping it was the center that was doing the rotating but it's not. There is a big gear that sticks out into the pit with a raised circle on top with a gap in the circle. That is what engages the indentations under the ring and causes the TT to move.
If I had two TT's, I could flip one upside down underneath the other and let the underneath one do the moving. I could cut the ring off the upper track deck and attach that deck to the lower one in the middle. I would have to cut a hole in the layout so they would fit. All I would need for the upper one would be the base and the track deck. There wouldn't be any electronics on the upper one. The bottom one would take care of all the alignment.
It's not something I'm going to do but it could be done unless I found someone with a TT that didn't work anymore where I could scavenge the deck and base.

[jward]

i am looking forward to following your progress.

[Terry Toenges]

After I thought about it, I would still need power to the top deck. The track in the #4 slot is wired and connected to the turntable motor. In order for the loco to move on the deck, there has to be power from another track connected to another short track around the apron.

[Trainman203]

All of this why I want a wye on my layout.  Rural shortlines usually had them instead of turntables at the end of the line unless there wasn't enough level ground.  Both railroads back home had wyes, they are gone now.

[Terry Toenges]

The mailwoman just brought the track I ordered. I now have all the various straights and curves I need. All that's left to buy now are the crossovers and some turnouts. Those have to wait until next month.
I have 4 left ones and need 2 more. I have 2 right ones and need 6 more. For now, I can get by with buying 1 more left and 3 more right because they are critical to the main geometry of the layout.
Two of the rights are on the lower spur and they can wait as well as the right for the caboose track since it's the straight leg that's connected in the oval. I can substitute a 9" straight temporarily so the oval will be complete. The one left on the upper spur has the straight leg connected with middle oval so I can sub a 9" there.
I had to rearrange the turntable tracks since the 4th track to the left of the shed has to be powered in order to make the TT go around.

[Terry Toenges]

I changed it again. I put a  siding and passenger platform by the town part. This was way I can fit the Mogul and one passenger car on the siding. I had to give up some of the spur trackage. Porter and one freight will fit on the switchback tail.


This is how I had it before the siding.

[Terry Toenges]

I worked in it some more and regained some spur trackage.

[Terry Toenges]

This is the last change. I need to go with this one and quit tinkering with it. Now, I have to refigure all my track pieces again. The track is kind of close by the switchback. There is 1/2" between the roadbeds along the length of that right turnout. The E-Z track is 1 15/16" wide. The cars are 2" wide = 1/32" track overhang on each side. My widest loco is my custom Mogul at 2 3/8" because of the wide cab. That is 13/32" overhang on each side. There is still 1/16" space for the Mogul to pass a car or any of my other locos that is on the switchback. The stock mogul is 2"wide, the Heisler is 1 7/8", and the Porter is 1 5/8" so there won't be any issues there.

[Len]

Looking good.

Len

[Terry Toenges]

I got my Bachmann bridge today. It looks like I 'll have to buy a second one and butt them together. The guy that gave me dimensions gave me bum scoop. I asked him the length of the walls. He gave me the whole length. The walls are only 7 7/16" long and I need 13" for the Mogul. The height and width will work. Inside doorway is 2 7/16" wide. Mogul is 2 3/8" wide. Inside doorway height is 2 7/16" and Mogul is 3 1/2". I can put the bridge on a 1 1/8" foundation for clearance and not use the base. Maybe use strip wood.