This is my first time working with a turntable and roundhouse so any help / advice is greatly appreciated
The Atlas O tracks coming from the Altoona Model Works roundhouse overlap as they reach the Millhouse turntable - I was going to just cut the plastic tie where they intersect ???
Am I doing the right thing ? - any other suggestions ?
Thank in advance
Joe S
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Also - fwiw the turntable is 28”
Thx again
Short of handlaying the track, I'm not sure what other option you'd have. Do the best you can to keep the simulated spike heads intact, as thats what is holding the rails in place. At the very ends, you may want to drive some small brass screws into the table, and solder the rails to the screw heads to make sure that the track cannot move around. You can conceal the short ties later by overballasting the track so it looks like its just sunken into the dirt a little bit.
It looks good
Don't forget the real world - search online for turntable/roundhouse photos and see what the real roads did. There have also been model publications aimed at building engine terminals/roundhouses. Not that you will be trying to make a fine-scale model, but there's no better place to see how it really worked, and how you may want to adapt that to your layout.
Anyway, it's interesting, of course.
Yes D500 - Lots of photos online ( NYC and PRR ) of turntable / roundhouse terminals where the outside of the rails are just about touching leading onto the TT - I know posting pics can be an issue on this forum - a quick search turned up lots of photos
Thank you
Hey guys - a quick follow up - after doing a good bit of homework and checking tons of pics of both real and model trains I cut the ties where they overlapped - I’m happy with results so far
Here’s a pic of the four tracks where they would come off the Millhouse TT and head into the Altoona Model Works roundhouse
Thx again
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