Hi am planning on putting in a table of some sorts for my DCC Engines.
Am wondering which is the best way to go............are there advantages between using the round table or transfer table or is it basically a matter of preference.
I would like to have the unit DCC Controlled and using a Bachmann DCC with the 10 addresses unit. See one from Walthers a table that is dcc or Non DCC controlled and not for sure if it is compatible with Bachmann
Any advice orexperiences in this matter would be appreciated. Using Bachmann EZ Track on my layout and understand most turntables and transfer tables are adaptable to this track
Larry
A round table is used to turn engines around. A transfer table is used to move diesels from one shed to another. It will not turn a engine around. Your choice with one caveat. The transfer table is some what modern. The turn table was used "mainly" in the steam era and transition period.
EZ Track has a road bed. Yards where tables are located do not have a raised road bed. The track basically sits in the ground. It is up to you if want to transition your track from main line (raised) to sidings and yards (not raised). All the turn tables I know of are meant to be used with un-raised track. Also true of transfer tables, but...... here there might be more leeway. I suppose there is a way to fudge the turn table too but the roundhouse is another matter. You would in either case have to raise the storage building to meet the EZ track.
Either way, good Luck.
HO-Ron
I would opt for the turntable and roundhouse configuration as I am modeling the transition period and do have a need to turn locomotives.
As to using EZ track, there is no problem to create a transition from using EZ track with the raised ballast to a yard setting where you could easily use any manufactures track not on a raised ballast bed. You would never use EZ Track with any of the roundhouse structures.
transfer tables are usually in heavy repair shop facilities where space is at a premium.
turntable were used in many servicing facilities, and still are in many of the larger facilities.
THaks for the scoop..........would like to be able to change the direction of the locos and never dawned on me that is not possible with a transfer table. I like the looks and style of a turntable much better and wll probably go that way..........am aware that I will need to have a transition track between my ez track and the turntable as well as the tracks leading into a shed.
I have 9 DCC engines 4 steamers and 5 diesels and will be using all of them on the turntable...........even if turntables were more used for steamers in the real world
Anyone aware of a DCC controlled round table that would be compatible with Bachmann DCC sets.
Larry
Be aware of the fact that a turntable and roundhouse take a lot of room due to the radiating tracks. You may want to try a template before starting to install one.
I used two layers of Woodland Scenics 1/4" foam up against the EZ Track for yard areas and where the tracks are embedded in the ground.
Lay your track on a sheet of foam and cut along the sides of the track. Do it again on another sheet of foam.
Put your track down and butt the first layer of foam up against the roadbed. Then put the second layer of foam on top of the first and butt it up to the roadbed. You can fill in the gap between the foam and the track.
This gives you close to ground level appearing track. Add some ground cover (dirt, oil, whatever) and you can bring it up to level with the track.
This is with the foam down, but no ground cover -
(http://www.sarget.com/XMT001M1.jpg)
Just painted foam with no ground cover yet.
(http://www.sarget.com/751522-R1-12.jpg)
I took it down before getting around to the ground cover.
Yeth' Roundhouse's and their turntables in this case a 135 footer from Diamondscale do tend to be spacehoggs ;D the benchwork shown here is 6ft wide by 10ft long.
(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm50/lkemling/100_0773.jpg)
The already assembled Walthers 90' and 130' turntables work with DCC. You want the smallest turntable that will fit your largest engine - or largest planned engine. As noted, a turntable and a roundhouse are space hogs.
Gene
Larry, I have a 12'x 30" shelf-type layout and use a turntable to rotate my engines. After some careful research, I decided upon the Atlas unit because it was fairly inexpensive, easy to wire, and was surface mounted. However, I am not sure I would go down that road again as Walthers makes a 90' built-up turntable that looks (from their advertising anyway) very nice...it is very pricey. After kitbashing a three-stall roundhouse, it became readily apparent that the structure took up too much real estate. I am putting the roundhouse up for sale at a train show next week and will build the Laser-Art single stall enginehouse instead. I can only imagine how much layout space that beautiful structure GN.2-6-8-0 illustrated. Of course a building like that one could be the centerpiece of your whole layout.
Ray
Quote from: GN.2-6-8-0 on March 26, 2009, 05:49:32 PM
Yeth' Roundhouse's and their turntables in this case a 135 footer from Diamondscale do tend to be spacehoggs ;D the benchwork shown here is 6ft wide by 10ft long.
(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm50/lkemling/100_0773.jpg)
What is that diesel closest to the bottom of the image?
its not a diesel its a U.P turbine.... ;D
I didn't even think of a turbine, thats even cooler. I need to get one of those for my layout, I also wouldn't mind being able to expand my layout to include a turntable/roundhouse like that :)
GN 2-6-8-0, is that your layout? Very nice...
Wow that is a truely inspirational roundhouse. I have never seen anyone build one so huge I've only seen prototype photos of them. Very nice
Did I count that right? 30 stalls? wow.
Sort of makes my 90' turntable and 3 stall puny. But its on 2 feet wide and tracks are on both side for a loop.
(http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u134/pdleth/00001.jpg)
To be honest that roundhouse and TT belong to a friend of mine,it was built to showcase his Union Pacific and Pennsy brass steamer collections.
Below is another Roundhouse (scratch built) under construction on our AMRS club layout.
It will have a heavy repairs backshop but no transfer table simply thru tracks.the turntable also is a 135ft Diamond Scale unit with full indexing.
One member doing all the work....'s his baby :o
(http://i293.photobucket.com/albums/mm50/lkemling/Jerrysroundhouseunderconstruction.jpg)
Quote from: pdlethbridge on April 03, 2009, 10:56:49 AM
Sort of makes my 90' turntable and 3 stall puny. But its on 2 feet wide and tracks are on both side for a loop.
(http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u134/pdleth/00001.jpg)
Thats still a nice turntable, I was going to put something like that on mine but it would have dominated all of the remaining space on my layout.
It was a walthers 90' that I motorized. Works like a charm. Much better than my brothers 4 times more expensive Bowser unit.
Quote from: pdlethbridge on April 03, 2009, 03:54:49 PM
It was a walthers 90' that I motorized. Works like a charm. Much better than my brothers 4 times more expensive Bowser unit.
You actually motorized one of the 90' Walthers Turntable kits and it worked correctly?
I highly modified the power pick ups for the bridge track and have very good power pick up. I put a digitrax dh 123 decoder on the motor and it runs as smooth as glass. I adjusted the CV's for max top speed and acceleration and it works like a charm. There is a digitrax auto reverser controlling it and there is no problem doing a 180 with the polarity.
Model railroading is a hobby in which the axiom "Less is More" is often true. Engine facilities take up HUGE amounts of space as the pictures show quite clearly. If all you want to do is turn a locomotive, consider a small wye. A wye big enough to turn small steamers or four axle diesels will fit in the corner of a layout made of 2ft wide shelves. MRC makes an auto reversing module that will work with any DCC system and handle the polarity for you.
Rusty
You see ads all the time with a Lionel steam locomotive with the tender backways. I feel the same way when I see locomotives in a roundhouse backwards. The pool workers that must work in a roundhouse that is full of smoke.