Installing the Walthers 90-ft turntable

[Santa Fe Jack]

Folks -

I am ready (I think) to install this turntable:
Walthers Model Railroad Mall -- product information page for 933-2840

and the associated roundhouse:
Walthers Model Railroad Mall -- product information page for 933-3041

Before I go for it, however, I want to check to see if anyone here has done this, and if they might have any advice on the order of doing things. It seems to me that there are several "tunings" that have to occur more of less in this order:

• Install the tracks in the roundhouse prior to mounting it to the table. (Is this best done before assembling the roundhouse, or after?)
• Mount the base of the turnable into a hole in the benchwork, but just temporarily at first?
• Get all the tracks coming off the turntable into place, again temporarily.
• Get the turntable bridge into place, and all wiring, including the controller box.
• Try to get the turntable bridge to index to the various tracks, and get the track lined up better.
• Affix the turntable to the benchwork permanently.
• Apply power to tracks (including roundhouse) and affix them to benchwork permanently.

It just seems that there is a lot to tune up all at once. And a lot of details that could go wrong and keep the thing from working smoothly.

Is this the right general idea, or does anyone have other suggestions?

 

[steamhead]

Hi Jack..
By coincidence I had both of these items, although my t'table was the kit version, and I later sold the roundhouse as I envisioned a wooden roundhouse instead of a brick one.
I drew the circle for cutting out and installing the table and drew a centerline off the centerpoint towards the center of the r'house. I then used the base of the r'house to draw the center lines of the tracks going into it (they were at 10 degree intervals as I recall). Make sure they all line up with the center point. I then CAREFULLY cut out the hole making sure I followed the circle EXACTLY... I installed the table using silicone caulk.
I don't have any experience with the indexing system as mine is indexed using the tried-and-true method of eyeballing it up.
I would definitely install the tracks prior to installing the r'house, using the base as a guide and always eye-balling them to see that they line up with the t'table tracks.
Hope this helps....Good luck..!!

 

[Santa Fe Jack]

I have all the layout of the thing worked out. That is, centering and cutting of the circular hole, and centerlines for all the tracks at 10 degrees. It's the fine tuning of the bridge locations that I'm wondering about. This is a programmable indexed turntable, so once I get them in, it should be good. But I don't really know how fine the indexing is, and if the tracks are off by a millimeter, that could be a problem.

 

[steamhead]

I would presume the indexing should give you a tolerance much less than 1 mm. Try a "dry-run". Spot glue the table in its place and do the same with a few tracks (use caulk as it can be easily removed). Then try lining up the bridge with a few of the tracks and see what kind of adjustments you need. Rule of thumb: No matter how long it takes - do it right the first time....

Good luck..!!

 

[Santa Fe Jack]

Good suggestions.

Rule of thumb: No matter how long it takes - do it right the first time....
Good luck..!!

And I love that advice. That is pretty much my approach and is why I've been working on this layout for over a year and half and still cannot actually run a train. :roll:
I am trying to be more like Nicola Tesla (think it through and build it right the first time) and less like Thos. Edison (do it a thousand times and one is bound to work).

 

[steamhead]

Oh man...!! What patience...!! A year and a half and no trains running..?? I think I got my first train to run within a couple of weeks...!! It didn't go far, but it moved..!!

 

[cedarcreekrr]

Thanks for the advice, I should be able to install my turntable with some luck. I'm glad the question was ask.