I need to mount a turn table to work with ez track. does anyone know which table to get, my current planned roster is 5 2-8-0s and 2 locos in the prarie/ 0-6-0 family
If you are referring to a Spectrum 2-8-0 then the old reliable (Cheap) Atlas is out. You will need a 90' turntable such as the ones available by Bowser and Walthers. Check the web there are other brands available as well.
I was afraid of that.
"Heljan" makes a manual turntable, don't know a thing about it.
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/322-804
Quote from: Yampa Bob on June 09, 2008, 10:28:59 PM
"Heljan" makes a manual turntable, don't know a thing about it.
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/322-804
Look promising, anyone have one of the Heljan turntables? If so what is the quality like?
I would imagine it has 25 cents worth of plastic in it. The size is a nice compromise, and would work for most smaller steamers.
I used a Heljan turntable on my old layout. It came with an electric motor. The plastic from which it is constructed has a tendency to warp slightly and that causes a rough rotation. I never could get mine to make a 180 degree turn without binding. Also it did not have any indexing system to align the tracks to the roundhouse. It looked pretty neat, but I have decided not to incorporate in my new layout and I'm saving my money for a better quality one. Perhaps the one sold by Walthers.
Bill
Quote from: Bill Baker on June 10, 2008, 09:26:31 AM
Also it did not have any indexing system to align the tracks to the roundhouse.
Bill
I do not think indexing is prototypical. From what I know, track alingment depended on the operator's eye. I will have to search around. I might be wrong.
Rich
Quote from: richG on June 10, 2008, 12:54:46 PM
I do not think indexing is prototypical. From what I know, track alingment depended on the operator's eye. I will have to search around. I might be wrong.
Rich
The only working turntable that I have seen close up and personal had a locking mechanism so that the turntable didn't accidentally turn after it was aligned by eye. I suppose if the table was almost but not quite aligned the operator could give the lock a few taps with a sledge hammer, but that can hardly be compared to the Geneva Wheel escapement Atlas uses for indexing. There is a good animation of a Geneva escapement at the link below. It graphically shows how continuous rotation of one part (the crank) can be converted into intermittent rotation of a second part (the table) just as it is done in the Atlas turn table.
http://www.brockeng.com/mechanism/Geneva.htm (http://www.brockeng.com/mechanism/Geneva.htm)