Turntable

[Chet]

Here's a scratch built turntable, made from brass. I can't take credit for the build as it was built by the late Pete Ellis from Cascade, MT. I am guessing that it was built 40 some years ago, part of his Treasure State Railway. When expanding his layout, which was housed in a quanset hut on his ranch, he built an addition and had to tear out a town for the expansion. He showed up at my house one day with it and was wondering if I would be interested in it as I was just starting on a yard and engine facility. Needless to say, i was very humble and accepted it, gladly. It is powered by an old player piano motor.

It is amazing how creative modelers were years back when many of the items we have today were not available. I have some video of his layout I would love to be able to transfer to digital media and post. His layout was one of the best I have ever seen. From what I understand, there is a new railroad museum that is going to be built and they want to somehow move his layout there.

[GPdemayo]

It is amazing what some guys could do from scratch years ago! 


Thanks Chet.

[ACL1504]

I want that turntable!

Beautiful work and back when we had the initiative to do it!

Tom

[jbolen61]

Awesome just awesome. That is a work of art. He must have been a very talented man. Thanks for sharing that with us. 

[bparrish]

Very cool stuff.

Thanx
Bob

[gnatshop]

Great to remind us to appreciate the talent, innovation, dedication, creativeness and 'just wanta' do it attitude'
that the early modelers had without the benefit of the internet to provide easy answers!
They led the way to where we are today!!!   

I love the availability today, but sometimes think that we would be happier and more proud and satisfied of our
efforts if we could return to the base roots of this hobby!

Many thanks to those before us that led the way!!!

[Chet]

Thanks for the comments. The man who built this was one hell of a modeler.

The little Prairie locomotive rolling onto the turntable is a bit of a story. I was visiting another modeler in the mid-west 20 some years ago and the locomotive was in his scrap box. It had no tender, pilot and other details were also missing. I asked what he was going to do with it and he said it would probably be heading to the trash. I rescued it and it sat around in one of my parts bins for months. Finally I managed to find a small vanderbuilt tender for it and went to work. The original motor was replaced with a can motor. A pilot, headlight, bell and other details were added and constant lighting was also installed. Even after over 20 years it is the sweetest running little bugger you would want to have.