WYE not?

[Anubis]

Hello all,

The new year brings new ideas, right?

Well, not so much in my case. I'm still struggling with the old concept of trying to fit a gallon into a quart pot.....

I really wanted to install a turning wye on my latest layout - which is still in the planning stages, but I simply don't have the physical space.  Wyes are HUGE in On30!

Even smaller radius types, that would enable one to turn a Porter, Davenport or a rail-truck, still have to be of 14" or 15" radius, and that comes out to about 32" x 38" when one adds the extension at the fork of the wye, that enables the loco to reverse clear of the points.

As I said, I don't got the space!

So, now my only option is to install a small turntable, which will take up much less space. I only need it to have a 9" deck.

Rather than building one from scratch, it occurred to me that I may be able to fit 16.5mm track to a proprietary N Scale turntable.

Has anyone else tried this, and could I possibly gain some pointers from your experiences?

Comments welcome.

Many thanks in advance.

[mabloodhound]

As Hunt shows, scratchbuild is one option.   And a kit bash of a small HO turntable is another.   The 'N' scale may be too small for your needs.
Remember, it does not have to be powered if you can reach it.   Many narrow gauge RRs used the manual labor method to turn their locos on the table.   It really can be a simple and fun scratch build.

[pjf]

WYE not a reverse loop. Unless you have an end to end layout you can do with 18 inch radius.  I have a 40"x100" +- layout under the Christmas tree and that includes the reverse loop. Cheers

[Anubis]

Many thanks guys.

As usual, I am delighted with the support that my fellow On30'ers all afford me.

pjf....a reverse loop is a good plan, but I just don't have the space.  My whole layout is only 5 feet wide, with three existing mainline loops. This only leaves 2' 9" between the inner tracks.....

Hunt, I especially want to thank you for the link to Dallas Mallerich's Atlas N Scale turntable 'bash......that was more or less what I was thinking of - at a much less grand style, though.

Boy, that guy does magnificent work.....talk about a perfectionist! 

(He IS a perfectionist of course, and it shows through in his wonderful range of BVM kits 'n' bits...)

I used one of his kits to convert a Bachmann Spectrum HO 3-truck Shay to an On30 'Giplin' style 2-trucker just recently, and I am very happy with the conversion.

His quirky writing style is always a delight to read, as well.

Thanks again......

[rich19]

Some G-scalers with diorama-type micro layouts very effectively build 6-inch turntables from a peice of sewer pipe and a sewer cap. Just glue a piece of rail on it and laminate the deck (= the cap) with stripwood.

[lvrr325]

Well, there always is the ubiquitous Atlas 9" turntable.  Which makes a good temporary piece and will turn anything except the 2-6-6-2 (and maybe the big 4-6-0 and 2-8-0s).   I have one on my layout now, for the time being, because where the table wound up is right on a joint between benchwork segments.   

[Mike_AA9ZY]

How about the new Peco On30 turntable? I haven't seen one yet, but I suspect it might be a little larger than the Atlas and much better looking.