Turntable Design and Build

Where users can chronicle their builds. Start one thread and continue to add on to it.

Moderator: Harold_V

John Landrum
Posts: 31
Joined: Fri Feb 17, 2017 2:05 am

Re: Turntable Design and Build

Post by John Landrum »

Glenn,

Love the idea of the slotted end on the wheel bearing to allow it to rise and fall, brilliant! I will send you some pics of the underside of the turntable. Perhaps if you pm me your personal email I will be able to not clutter up the forum with unrelated pics.
Glenn Brooks
Posts: 2929
Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 1:39 pm
Location: Woodinville, Washington

Re: Turntable Design and Build

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Thanks John, I will send you a PM. But no worry about posting publically on the forum if you wish. The design characteristics etc, may be of interest to others also.

Glenn
Moderator - Grand Scale Forum

Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
Glenn Brooks
Posts: 2929
Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 1:39 pm
Location: Woodinville, Washington

Re: Turntable Design and Build

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Got the wheel brackets welded to the structure and a couple of coats of paint applied, finally. One more coat of paint and then yard the whole thing out into Mother Nature to mount into the foundation to commence the process of rusting into old age. Seriously, I think this thing will have a useful life of what, 40 -50 years?? Wonder where it will be in 2067?

Next step, tweak the rail to correct radius for the wheels and pour a center pivot mount.

Already started the adjoining 22'8" two section 'bridge' sections to span the driveway. Got all four major spans welded up over the past four days. So, the underlying infrastructure should all come together for tracking laying by end of next week.... AHAHAHAHA....I love my project planning timeline methodology: optimistic and clueless, enhanced by endless revisions.

Ensures constant euphoria thinking "almost finished!" :shock: :? :P :shock: :? :P :shock: :? :P

Skeletor Lives!
Skeletor Lives!
IMG_2974.JPG
So heavy now, I need my shop hoist to lift and flip over for final de-rusting with Ospho, flat coat touch up and finish painting with standard delux gloss Railroad Black.
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Moderator - Grand Scale Forum

Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
Glenn Brooks
Posts: 2929
Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 1:39 pm
Location: Woodinville, Washington

Re: Turntable Design and Build

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Well this turkey is almost done. I shouldn't disparage this poor thing, but ... my gawd. A year to construct a three week project. I need better project management skills - or a smaller hobby.

So, today, put the finishing touches (pics below) on the turntable structure: 12 4x4" x 28.5" ties, two 4x6 end ties, all bolted and screwed to the structure. The big take away is I experimented with screwing the side boards down to the ties with 5/16" x3 1/2" star headed construction screws. They work great! Fast, strong, and a pleasure to drive into pilot holes. Best part of the job to date! Saves me the effort of using ugly, hexagonal headed lag bolts or thru drilling and installing old school carriage bolts through each tie.
Laying out the 4x4x28.5" ties
Laying out the 4x4x28.5" ties
Completed turntable deck
Completed turntable deck
In this assembly, and with the two, soon to be adjacent, 12' bridge structures, the tie assembly is bolted to the structure with 5/16" lag bolts at the ends, and thru every 4th intermediate tie. Each tie is laid at 9" spacing, center to center.
Attachment point for thru bolted every 4th tie to structure-added after the fact, as I forgot to drill the bolt holes thru the frame prior to welding it up!
Attachment point for thru bolted every 4th tie to structure-added after the fact, as I forgot to drill the bolt holes thru the frame prior to welding it up!
Each individual tie is held in place with a construction screw driven through the two longitudinal "side beams" into each tie. There must be a railroad name for these longitudinal beams - I just don't know what it is -'stringer' maybe??
5/16" x 3 1/2" construction screw- hex head.  Very cool to work with !!
5/16" x 3 1/2" construction screw- hex head. Very cool to work with !!
Finally, here are a couple of completed pics, from different angles.
Side view
Side view
IMG_4063.JPG
Moderator - Grand Scale Forum

Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
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Harold_V
Posts: 20226
Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2002 11:02 pm
Location: Onalaska, WA USA

Re: Turntable Design and Build

Post by Harold_V »

Glenn Brooks wrote: A year to construct a three week project.
Story of my life, Glenn. I can make most any 15 minute job last for a day or two!

Congratulations on your success! 8)

H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
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NP317
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Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: Northern Oregon, USA

Re: Turntable Design and Build

Post by NP317 »

Looking good!
Just bring it down to our Mount Hood woods and we'll begin the installation!
~RussN
Glenn Brooks
Posts: 2929
Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 1:39 pm
Location: Woodinville, Washington

Re: Turntable Design and Build

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Don't laugh Russ. Iam tempted. I found 10,000' of rail at a good price, but no place to put it!
Moderator - Grand Scale Forum

Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
Glenn Brooks
Posts: 2929
Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 1:39 pm
Location: Woodinville, Washington

Re: Turntable Design and Build

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Turntable is in place, as are the two bridge sections spanning the driveway. Railroading lesson of the day: don't build to 1/2" tolerance if you want a two piece, 23' span of bridge deck to slip into place. After installing the bridge decking and bolting the center together, I discovered the kinetic energy from moving the 1000# deck structures into place had dislodged the big cap stone wall surrounding the turntable. Hence the turntable only moves 270*, whence it hits the dislodged capstone and comes to a dead stop, just short of the mainline alignment. Aaargh. More work tomorrow morning lifting, cajoling, digging out and resetting foundation blocks to give myself more clearance on the near end of the bridge- allowing the moveable bridge sections to be swung into place, without displacing the turntable walls.

Then, happy days - on to actual track laying with the Extra Gang!! Golden spike ceremony set for Aug 1st. Adjustable as necessary... here are some pics.

Turntable pit - before spring work plan. Note the 8' tall flowering wild celery plant growing out of the foundation. Needed an axe to bring it down! We had a LOT of rain this spring!!
Wild celery - we've never had this kind of growth before.
Wild celery - we've never had this kind of growth before.
Two bridge sections span the backyard shop driveway- they are supposed to be moveable! So I can access the shop and drive into the backyard as needed. Ahahahaha.....
Two bridge sections span the backyard shop driveway- they are supposed to be moveable! So I can access the shop and drive into the backyard as needed. Ahahahaha.....
Street level view
Street level view
Turntable structure installed on center pivot
Turntable structure installed on center pivot
Detail shot of bridge structure, with 1" square tube stiffening beams welded vertically onto the I beams. Ties are 4" x4" surplus county sign posts, freebies acquired last year. Great recycling project, as they are very nice material-many short random lengths, easily cut down to 28" length bridge deck ties.
Bridge structure detail
Bridge structure detail
Moderator - Grand Scale Forum

Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
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NP317
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Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: Northern Oregon, USA

Re: Turntable Design and Build

Post by NP317 »

How will the driveway bridge section move? I can't tell from the photos. Will it also pivot in the center?
Or are you permanently blocking access to your garage? -which I doubt...
~RN
Glenn Brooks
Posts: 2929
Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 1:39 pm
Location: Woodinville, Washington

Re: Turntable Design and Build

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Russ, I originally planned to put one section on a set of trucks and stack the other on top. Then push it along the track to a siding. I welded bolsters onto the one section, and I have a spare set of trucks. so this is still a theoretical possibility.

My other plan is to add casters or wheels to the bridge supports and just push it out of the way as needed. This might be the simplest.

Actually, my first choice was to make it a draw bridge with a huge counterweight like the one over the ballard Locks. But the county wants a building permit and engineering calcs for any structure over 6' tall. So, went with Plan B, above.

Glenn
Moderator - Grand Scale Forum

Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
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NP317
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Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: Northern Oregon, USA

Re: Turntable Design and Build

Post by NP317 »

Glenn Brooks wrote: [snip]
So, went with Plan B, above.

Glenn
Thanks for the description. Sounds creative.
~RN
Glenn Brooks
Posts: 2929
Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 1:39 pm
Location: Woodinville, Washington

Re: Turntable Design and Build

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Installed the flagpole today and raised the flag in celebration of July 4th. Happy Birthday America!
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Moderator - Grand Scale Forum

Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
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