# Finished up my RR turntable



## Glenn Brooks (Jul 3, 2017)

Finally  got my Railway turntable installed in the pit  and aligned to a couple of bridge structures that span my back driveway.  This is for my backyard 12" gauge shortline Railway that I've been working on since last year.

I welded the structure out of recycled 8" trailer frame 'I-beams' and angle iron for lateral support. Dimensions are 12' overall x 28" wide x9" deep.  Ties are used  4 x 4 recycled county sign posts.  Rail will be 12 pound mining rail, 2" tall, 2" wide base.  turned down and fabricated four antique mining  car wheels and mounts to run on tight radius rail inside the pit.  The center of the turntable spins on a 3" pivot bearing I turned down out of some old large diameter shafting. At some point I need to fab a couple of wheeled undercarriages, so I can move the bridge pieces off the driveway now and then.  Also some sort of overhead lift to pick the darn things up.  (500-600 # each, once the rail is laid down.)

Next up is to start laying rail across the structure, and lead it out and around the back yard.  The turntable will connect two or three sidings with my 500' mainline'.

Here are several pics:


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## Boswell (Jul 4, 2017)

Glenn Brooks said:


> Finally  got my Railway turntable installed in the pit  and aligned to a couple of bridge structures that span my back driveway.  This is for my backyard 12" gauge shortline Railway that I've been working on since last year.
> 
> I welded the structure out of recycled 8" trailer frame 'I-beams' and angle iron for lateral support. Dimensions are 12' overall x 28" wide x9" deep.  Ties are used  4 x 4 recycled county sign posts.  Rail will be 12 pound mining rail, 2" tall, 2" wide base.  turned down and fabricated four antique mining  car wheels and mounts to run on tight radius rail inside the pit.  The center of the turntable spins on a 3" pivot bearing I turned down out of some old large diameter shafting. At some point I need to fab a couple of wheeled undercarriages, so I can move the bridge pieces off the driveway now and then.  Also some sort of overhead lift to pick the darn things up.  (500-600 # each, once the rail is laid down.)
> 
> ...


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## tweinke (Jul 4, 2017)

I would enjoy seeing more of your railroad!


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## woodchucker (Jul 4, 2017)

It doesn't look complete to me Glen, I don't see any rail on that yet. 
Looks good.
I'm surprised you only used a 3" center, I don't know anything about RR in that scale, but 3" seems small to me.. Got any pics of that stuff so I can understand?


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## Glenn Brooks (Jul 5, 2017)

Thanks All, 

Jeff, ahaha, laying rail is the holy grail of railroading!  The rail is going in next.  First need to do some right of way clean up brush removal to start laying rail up to the structure- then mate the ends so the turntable aligns  with the mainline.   Nothing to complicated- just one step after another, with the occasional two steps backward.  After building the structure,  getting them in place was the euphoria moment!

The 3" pivot pin 'should be' adequate for the gauge and scale of locomotives I will be operating (12" gauge, 1/4 scale).  The pin sits in a 6" x 1" bearing, welding to the frame. Mostly the pin acts as a fulcrum to pivot the structure as it rotates about the outer ring, which you can see in the third picture. The four wheels at the outer edge carry weight at each end and add considerable rigidity.  I made the wheel mounts and axles on the outer edge extra stout. They stabilize the load on 12# rail and guide the table around the pit.  So there isn't much in the way of side loading- just rotational force.  The heaviest loco I have weighs around 1000#, so the loaded weight shouldn't be excessive for a 3" OD pivot point. 

Here's a couple of photos of the center pin assembly and wheel/axle assemblies.












Todd, here are a couple of shots  of the loco's.  The first is Albert Campbell's 1904 4-4-0.  The Campbell loco needs some restoration - a new boiler and the machined surfaces freed up - from sitting in storage for 100 years. In these photos, I've removed the front truck to free up the axles and journals. I plan to bring the loco back into service next winter. Looking forward to working on it! The other one below is a 1950 Ottaway.  Both are coal fired steam engines, but Iam contemplating converting to propane, once my coal supply runs out.  The Ottaway is ready to go now, just awaiting laying track and conducting the annual boiler test for safety. Sorry I don't have a decent current photo.  Lost them off my iPad apparently.






These last photos  are the Ottaway in its heyday - steaming around Mr. griffins backyard up in Everett,Wa in the mid 60's.






-glenn


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## 34_40 (Jul 5, 2017)

In a word.  WOW!


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## Glenn Brooks (Jul 10, 2017)

Jeff,  here's the first rail and spikes going in!


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## woodchucker (Jul 10, 2017)

Glenn Brooks said:


> Jeff,  here's the first rail and spikes going in!
> 
> View attachment 237280
> View attachment 237281
> ...


Now that's what I'm talking about.  Nice work ... I feel like such a slacker watching some of you guys. Some of you are exceptionally busy..


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## Glenn Brooks (Jul 10, 2017)

Jeff, come on down and grab a hammer -er, maul. Always room on the extra gang!  

Glenn


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## Ulma Doctor (Jul 11, 2017)

HiGlenn,
my son would go nuts seeing the RR
very nice work
i wish i were closer, i'd swing a hammer for ya!


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## tweinke (Jul 11, 2017)

I'd come swing a hammer too but you wouldn't like the results, friends have called me lightning a few times when my aim is off because I never strike twice in the same place.  In all seriousness very nice!  More pics wouldn't hurt my feelings at all.


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## Silverbullet (Jul 11, 2017)

Nice job , railroad pension in your future, real dedication to your hobby . My brother in law went to vokie for machinist training. Soon after graduating he moved to Lancaster in Pennsylvania to work on the Strasburg railroad in the machine shop , he now is in charge of the machine shop side getting close to retirement. 
Hard to believe that little boy I took fish in and let run my machines is ready to retire. He hand built out of wood a model of a big steam loco . No boxed set just plain hand and brain work. For twenty years it was in the front entry to the museum there. YUPP I'm proud of him . I'm proud to see your commitment too. Hope you make some YouTube vids.


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## MontanaAardvark (Jul 18, 2017)

That's really cool!  

I bet when the grandkids come over, they won't spend their time looking at a tablet or phone.


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## Glenn Brooks (Jul 19, 2017)

Thanks ArrdvarK!  Haha, unfortunately when the grandkids come over they have no interest in the train, all they do is roll in the grass and chew bones and doggy treats. They are my boy's boxer and bulldog.

The kids in the neighborhood hang around like rabbits though - hanging out and peering through the bushes at the progress, day in and day out.  I reckon my local ridership will go through the roof once we are able to steam up.

Silverbullet, we visited Strasbourg last fall and toured the machine shop and car barn. Brillant place!! They turn out some phenomenal work.

Glenn


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