roundhouse and turntable

[glsummers]

Will a walthers 90' indexed turntable match up with an atlas roundhouse with two added 3 stalls making it a total of nine stalls?

[rogertra]

Will a walthers 90' indexed turntable match up with an atlas roundhouse with two added 3 stalls making it a total of nine stalls?

Any turntable will line up with any roundhouse.  All that is critical is the distance between the turntable pit and the roundhouse doors.

The turntable will remember up to 60 stopping positions.  I'm going to have 20 stopping positions even though there will only be 10 tracks actually in use.  Three inside the roundhouse and one on the right side (In the photo) and four on the left side, (In the photo) where the three tracks are in the last photo.  The fouth will be add later today. 

In addition, there are "In bound" and "Out Bound" track for a total of 10 powered tracks.  The other short tracks are run-off and wheel and truck storage tracks and there for effect only.

As mentioned above, 10 powered tracks requires programming 20 stopping places, one for each end of the table for each powered track, so you can stop either end of the table at any track.  So there you go.

BTW, the Walthers "Built Up" turntable is excellent and gets "Two Thumbs Up".  It's much better than the piece of crap they sold several years ago as an unbuildable kit.

'Table and roundhouse reinstalled.



Tracks reinstalled plus new garden trackage.



'Table bridge repainted from the Walthers' grey.


 
Next job is to cover that awful Walthers' "weathering" in the pit with a more realistic cinder, weeds and puddles pit.   

[SteamGene]

I just got home from a long, fun trip, and my new Walthers 130 footer sat waiting for me by my desk computer.  It's out in the train barn now.
Gene

[glsummers]

Thanks for showing the pictures. When you get the indexed Walthers turntable does it tell you how to get the turntable to stop at each of the designated tracks no matter how many you have? I have never put in a turntable so this is a first for me and I have many questions and very little answers. Thanks to all who respond. Larry

[rogertra]

Thanks for showing the pictures. When you get the indexed Walthers turntable does it tell you how to get the turntable to stop at each of the designated tracks no matter how many you have? I have never put in a turntable so this is a first for me and I have many questions and very little answers. Thanks to all who respond. Larry

Yes, it comes with instructions.

[rogertra]

Well gents.

I finished building and wiring the little sub-panel to control all the
run-off tracks around the turntable.  Each roundhouse stall and garden track
as well as the 'table bridge is powered by a push button to prevent
accidental movements.

I had to rush out last night and purchase a pack of red push buttons as I
only had three in stock.  Really should have checked first but in the rush
to get it going.........

About half a hour ago, I completed the wiring and decided to test everything
on the panel before installing it on the facia.  Turned on the power.  I had
five locos sitting in stalls or on garden tracks and all of them, bar one,
sprang into life when I opened the throttle.  The loco on track one didn't
move until I pushed the button.

"RATS!" thought I.  "What the heck can the problem be?"  I checked my
wiring.  That was correct. so I removed all the locos bar one from the
tracks and left it sitting on the 'table bridge.  Turned on the power.  It
didn't move until I push the button.  OK, place it on track two, turn on the
power, it didn't move. Mmmm, the plot thickens.  Do  the same thing for
track three.  Again, it didn't move.  Until the button was pressed.  I try
track four, I turn on the power, and it moves, as it did on five through
eight.

Anyone care to guess the problem?

Remember at the top I said only had three push buttons in stock and I rushed
out to buy more?

I did, but I didn't read the package.  I purchased "Normally Closed", not
"Normally Open" push buttons.

DOH!

Back to the electronics store tommorrow.  :-(

More haste, less speed.

[glsummers]

That is so funny, but what makes it so funny I did the same thing when wiring push button switches. I sure do appreciate your input. Larry

[glsummers]

Roger what size turntable are you using? Is that a 90'? Who's roundhouse are you using? What size of area are you using? A lot of questions but I am just in the process of getting my roundhouse area started. Is there anything I need to keep in mind building the benchwork size? You already did it so I thought you might have positives and negatives I should watch for. Thanks. Larry

[rogertra]

Larry.

It's the Walthers Cornerstone Built-Up 90ft turntable.

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-2840

The site has downloadable template links which give you all the required dimensions.

The roundhouse is the Walther Cornerstone Roundhouse that is currently on special, I just ordered another one, for US$24.98.  It's a typical poorly designed Walthers kit with no locating lugs and everything butt jointed etc., etc., but it looks good once it's been put together.  You need to add corner bracing etc as there's nothing really to hold the walls together, typical of Walthers kits. 

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3041

Overall dimensions of the whole site will vary depending on what roundhouse you are using but mine measures about 33 inches from the back wall of the roundhouse to the far edge of the turntable pit.  Of course the width will vary depending on how many roundhouse and garden tracks you have but the minimum width will be the overall width of the turntable, available from the links above.

My subroadbed is a laminate of 1/2" fibreboard and 1/2" plywood.  I needed to cut a hole through both to take the turntable.  Again, dimensions are available at the link.  I didn't screw my turntable down but held it in place with white glue, left to dry overnight with a suitable weight sitting in the turntable pit.  In my case the 4 Litre container of white glue, which sat nicely in the pit. 

I used white glue because white glue and plastic are not compatable.  Therefore, if ever I need to remove the turntable, with a little careful prying, the turntable pit will snap free of the white glue.  However, I built the whole turntable/roundhouse complex on its own subroadbed so that the whole unit will be removable and can be used, with modifications to the approach tracks as required, in any other model railway I build as the roundhouse/turntable footprint is always the same, no matter the orientation.

Hope this helps.

[glsummers]

Roger that answered a lot of questions. I sure appreciate your input. This is a great forum put on by Bachman. There are a lot of great guys out there in the greatest hobby in the world. Thanks again. Larry

[jayo]

It'd be nice if Bachmann made roundhouses and turntables that were compatible with EZ track!  Bach Man, you hear me?

[r.cprmier]

Sounds to me like you went out in a rush and bought normally closed puch buttons.