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Not sure if this is the right place to pose this question, but.....
As soon as I move into my new house (within the month) I'll begin construction of a small to mid-size HO layout based on the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie RR in 1952.
Part of the layout will feature a double track mainline for through freights and passenger trains.
There will also be a small branch line that winds up into the mountains of Pennsylvania to serve a coal mine or two (or three, lol).
My question is, in this era and part of the country, how common would it be for a small, isolated branchline to have a turntable at the end?
In a more modern era, I wouldn't be concerned about it, but part of the reason that I chose 1952 was to include some late steam action. I think steamers would look kinda out of place running backwards pulling a coal or mixed train.
Any thoughts on how common this was? Links to pics or maps showing turntable at the end of branchlines would be even better.
Well if you have a dead-end branchline, you'll need a "Y" (lots of space) or a TT. Especially in the steam era. See Fall 2012 Classic Trains magazine - pg. 31.
Kinda what I'm thinking Charles, I may have room for a wye at the end of the branch, but a TT would fit better. Just wondering how common turntables were in the backwoods of Pennsylvania in 1952. I've been searching online for pics, but no dice so far.
I chose the transition era for the same reason. Growing up I had relatives working for both the Northern Pacific and Milwaukee Road and had the opportunity to have been allowed to take many trips in the cabs of steam, diesel and electric locomotives. Steam was being phased out and almost gone in 1957, the time I am modeling. My railroad is a point to point with a yard and engine facilities at each end, with connections to a hidden staging area which also allows the posibility for continuous running. A small turntable would not be uncommon on a branch line at all. Many railroads also did use a wye for turning also. I chose the turntable to add a little more interest to the yard/engine facilities. A small turntable will also take up a little less usable space.
The New York Ontario & Western operated a sixteen mile branchline from their main at Walton, NY to Delhi NY. A turntable was located at Delhi though it was mostly out of use by 1952 (The O&W was dieselized by then). The only photo I've ever seen of it was taken after the end of steam, with an FT cab unit on the table!
Likewise, the Ulster and Delaware RR (which later became a branch of the NYC) had a turntable at Bloomville, NY which for many years was the end of the line. It was subsequently extended to Oneonta, NY and made a connection with the D&H.
The turntable at Delhi has disappeared under new construction, but the pit at Bloomville is still clearly visible.
So, in my neck of the woods at least, turntables were the rule rather than the exception.
This is strictly a personal choice. It would be up to the owners of the railroad to decide if their steam locomotives should always run pilot first, and never tender first. Many railroads routinely ran their engines light in reverse, or trailing tonnage in reverse. The Norfolk & Western ran their helpers back down the grade light for a renewed chance to push, and tender first. Many short lines didn't bother turning locomotives. Today, many operations where they have live steam excursions don't turn their steamers. I have been on two in the past six years, and I believe they don't turn their steam at Cass.
The only real reason to turn steam is when the speeds are expected to be high and the lead truck needs to do what it was designed to do, help the nose of the fast-moving engine around a curve. It could also be the case that the crew in a steamer needs to be protected by a glass windshield facing the most expeditious direction, and that would be looking toward the smoke box...so if it is bitterly cold, you would not want your crew to be forced to lean far out into the wind stream as a loco moves at any speed for extended periods in reverse, tender leading.
At lower speeds, it is perfectly fine to run tender first.
I doubt there is such a thing as a 1950's turntable. Turntables were pretty well on their way out because of diesel locomotives becoming the going thing. Most turntables would have probably been built decades earlier to serve the existing steam locomotives. Any kind of small turntables would probably work. I really don't think there were any standards for turntables. Most were powered by electric motors, or in some cases actually pushed around by hand. Some larger railroads may have had some standards, but being that you are a small branch line, most anything would work. The photo I posted earlier will give you an idea for a small one. My railroad is a small branch line and the largest steam engine I chose to run would be a Mike (2-8-2), but consolidations(2-8-0) and smaller steamers are common. For diesels, due to the light rail (I am using code 70) B-B Alco RS1 and RS3 and EMD GP7and a couple of C-C Alco RS4/5 or EMD SD7. I have a couple of large steamers, a Challenger and Yellowstone but in reality they would be a bit heavy for light rail (but for fun, I will run them around once in a while).
Thanks for your input and the pic. I'm leaning towards a wooden turntable, maybe with a brick lined pit, and a power wire coming to the center post (whatever you call that part of a TT that stands in the middle above a loco).
I've been looking at pics of TTs online for the last hour or so, getting some good modeling ideas.
