roundhouse


O

oldho

New Member
I'd be interested to hear how folks are wiring their roundhouse stall tracks and turntable. I have the 90 ft. Walther's TT and a 6 stall roundhouse with three outside storage tracks.
I have been thinking a rotary switch to power individual stall tracks on selection, with an on/off toggle switch to prevent power while dialing through the stall track selection, and reduced voltage track power to turn the motor on the turntable (runs slower). I guess I will need an auto reverser unit to get correct polarity for matching on/off tracks and storage tracks? My first turntable years ago had a split pit rail for power pickup, but this TT has solid wiper rings.
I'd like to hear what others are doing/have done before I get into this too far. Thanks. Perley :)
 
Roundhouse Wiring

oldho said:
I'd be interested to hear how folks are wiring their roundhouse stall tracks and turntable. I have the 90 ft. Walther's TT and a 6 stall roundhouse with three outside storage tracks.
I have been thinking a rotary switch to power individual stall tracks on selection, with an on/off toggle switch to prevent power while dialing through the stall track selection, and reduced voltage track power to turn the motor on the turntable (runs slower). I guess I will need an auto reverser unit to get correct polarity for matching on/off tracks and storage tracks? My first turntable years ago had a split pit rail for power pickup, but this TT has solid wiper rings.
I'd like to hear what others are doing/have done before I get into this too far. Thanks. Perley :)
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I take it that you're not using DDC, otherwise one would have power to all tracks at all times and your locos would only operate upon commands from the controller.
 
If you stick with DC, what you're proposing will work. You could run a toggle switch for each track, which would eliminate the need for the rotary switch. The amount of wiring would be reduced since you wouldn't need the extra on/off toggle.

I don't know how big your layout is or what you already have invested in DC. As has been stated, you wouldn't need to do any kind of extra wiring with DCC. Just have all the tracks powered and control which engine moves with your DCC controller. If you're interested in switching to DCC, see http://www.tonystrainexchange.com/tonystips/dccprimer/index.htm for a very readable DCC primer.
 
Dc

Thank you both for the replies. And yep, I do have DCC, also DC if I choose. And the reason I would choose is that I have a serious collection of DC locos that do not have decoders. So to use any of them and park them on the stall tracks, obviously, I need to cut power off. And I already have a many pole rotary that I used before that is available and that negates having to buy a dozen toggle switches. Yes, I know that many things in DCC are better, quicker, and sometimes cheaper, but with a fleet of non-decoder equiped engines, you can see where I'm at. Thanks again for the input. Perley
 
Have you already acquired and/or built the kit, or do you have the built-up indexed version of the turntable? If you don't already possess the kit, I strongly encourage you to save up for the built-up version. Yes, it costs about five times as much as the kit with added motor, but it is about ten times less problematic. I can't begin to tell you how many people have reported trouble getting the kit to perform properly.

Just a thought to pass along.

-Crandell
 
Perley, since you already have the rotary switch, there's no reason not to use it. It should work exactly as you described. I'd also join with Crandell's warning about the 90' kit if you don't already have it. If you don't have it, don't buy it. If you do have it. I'll just hope you're lucky. :)
 
Yeah, I know, I've read most of the bad things about the Walthers kit 90 footer! Alas, I bought it several years ago through ignorance, and in spite of what I read, I put it together. Yes, I had the Devil's own time putting it together. UGH. But finally got it, and it seems to work alright. I have reduced the voltage to the point that it crawls around. I did a lot of filing, sanding, titravating and such but finally got it pretty good. If all else fails I'll turn it by hand (0-5-0). The pit was out of round and it did bind some but luckily I found this before assembly and filed the ends of the bridge to fit. The brass wipers on the shaft did not go on all the way the first time so wouldn't fit down into the lower bearing/bushing. When I found this out I literally beat it down further, which then sheared off the bridge track feed wire. After the third try with this mechanism I got it together, all wires intact, greased the gears, put the motor cover on and presto magico, it worked. I thank you for the warning, and I would most certainly have bought the RTR had I not already bought this. P.S. I find ALL of the Assembly Instructions for Walther's products dreadfully lacking. I am now in the process of disassembly of the concrete coaling tower after finding part way through that I had misinterpreted the part where you put (they meant) part 3 to part 4, (which I interpreted as parts three together and parts four together. HAH, dummy me. I had trouble with interpretation also with the roundhouse (6 stalls) and the Machine Shop. I've had less trouble with Craftsman Kits! And I've been modeling various things for over 50 years, so I ain't your average beginner. haahaaa. Many thanks again, and I hope you catch others before they get into one of these! Perley :(:( ;)
 
Perley, you obviously know what you're doing if you could beat that 90' turntable into submission. :) I agree with you about Walthers directions in general. I've been a kit builder for a lot of years too and find them to be not only lacking in detail but completely confusing. If you want to have some fun, try building the Worthington Hotel. It's in the Walthers Gold Medal Line. I think that's because, if you figure out how to put it together, you get a gold medal. :D
 
UP2CSX said:
Perley, you obviously know what you're doing if you could beat that 90' turntable into submission. :) I agree with you about Walthers directions in general. I've been a kit builder for a lot of years too and find them to be not only lacking in detail but completely confusing. If you want to have some fun, try building the Worthington Hotel. It's in the Walthers Gold Medal Line. I think that's because, if you figure out how to put it together, you get a gold medal. :D
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I got you both beat!:D

Couple of years ago, I put a Joe Works, HON21/2, SR&RL 2-6-2, brass kit together for the Captain here, and the translated Japanese Instructions read, "First, glue on some parts. Then, glue on some more parts".....(I almost just shot the kit!):p There weren't any diagrams.
 
Well Jim, if that one is more difficult, I'll pass--------;)
And as for the Japanese model, haahaaa. They been all these years trying to get back at us! :eek:
Well, anyways, these things keep us off the street, pretty much! :D
I've got to see if I can best that Coal Tower kit today! WOW. what fun :p
Perley :cool:
 
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