Ouch 1500 bucks for the Millhouse. I'll bet it's super nice...
Now tell me what you all think of the Atlas turntables?
Thanks!
Rail Dawg,
It may seem like a lot but if you compare the build (welded aluminum) to the others out there it is a great value, especially since it is a one time purchase which is comparable in cost to one scale steamer.
There is no need to have buildings near your turntable. Here is a video I took of a Southern Pacific unit being turned on a turntable in the old Cotton Belt yard at East St. Louis, Illinois in 1994. The roundhouse was long gone by this time. Gary.
For smaller terminals, hard to beat the ex-GN facility at Grand Forks, ND. The shop building can change out traction motors and do most repairs needed for many of the local units. Been in the building a few times, when I was in college there I worked as a pizza delivery guy and made a few runs there. Note that one of the tracks leading to the turntable has been removed and a ramp put in place so that snow can be removed during winter.
Geez, I'd like to buy that house across the street at Grand Forks!
Joe that part of GF had flood water in it a few years back so you might want to consider a HOUSE BOAT for that area.
Ahhh Ok. If you don't want me near you just say it!!!
It is a pretty good size yard their. There is a 4 lane bridge over the center of the yard. If you follow the outlet of the yard west about a mile you will see the "Y" on the main line. That is where the SP 4449 TOOK on water when it was running out to Michigan a few years back. If you need a realestate agent to look for a house let me know I have a wonderful one living 3 blocks North of the yards.
Do you guys have any experience with the Atlas turntables? How well do they work? Easy to install?
Thanks.
Rail Dawg: I put an Atlas turntable on my layout because I didn't have a large area to work with and I didn't have the depth underneath without having to drop the lower level storage sidings. There are some cheap qualitites to the Atlas turntable like the tiny wheels that aren't firmly mounted inside the table that allow it to spin. If you take it apart like I did, watch out for parts dropping onto the floor and bouncing all over the place!
Right out of the box, the turntable isn't very impressive looking, but I used some flat black and flat gray spray paint to dress up the pit, added a bulkier overhead structure with a light that flashes when in motion and lighted the control shack. It's not the Hi-rail look I'd really like to have, but then, you can see I still haven't started scenicing so there's no telling how it may turn out.
BTW - Dave Hikel engineered a nice and very inexpensive solution to control the turntable with DCS.
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