atlas o turntable

ONE OF YOUR PICKUPS COULD BE "DEAD", OR THE WIRING COULD BE REVERSED AT THE TABLE CONNECTIONS, THUS CAUSING A SHORT AS THE ENGINE MOVES OFF THE BRIDGE DECK

 

Is the same trasnsformer supplying power to the turntable track and the tracks leading to the turntable? If there are different transformers supplying power, the transformer grounds probably have to be connected and the transformers phased.

 

Ed Kaz

Also, go to a hardware store and get yourself an O ring or two to replace the rubber band that is used with the motor assembly. The bands break quite often. I recently posted  on the specific O ring to get but I don't have the numbers with me here. If you can't find the post let me know and I'll look it up for you.

 

Ed Kaz

In case you want to get some o rings it's a DANCO, available at an ACE Hardware Store. #33 O-Ring 1/16X15/16X1/16. It is a regular round o ring as apposed to the square one's that come on it. They work much better.

I spent lots of time with this turntable at a friend's layout.  Ended up that Atlas replaced it because the deck was warped and losing contact.  I wouldn;t expect that with a new one, but...

 

The design of this turntable is a bit fussy as far as the weight of the engine tilting the deck enough to open a very fine point of contact. A very heavy engine may cause the issue.  Have you tried more than one engine?

 

To clarify, is the engine stopping because it loses power, or because it is creating a short with the track it's going onto?

 

Replacement belts or o-rings will affect turning the engine but have no bearing on the electrical issue.  Then again, the o-ring advice sounds like it would be a great improvement.

 

Ed... a different one, but hey, "two ed's are better than one!"

Thanks Ed. I was the guy that tried to help him. Since he received a new table, then the wiring and power supply may be the next review per the poster above.

thanks don and everybody else for the in put ,iput my s2 switcher on the bridge and the same thing happened so i wiggled the table when the s2 was on there and the lights started blinking and then it went dead wiggled it again while on the bridge it started up until i let the pressure off also put my es44ac on same thing happened wiggled it it started up then let go it died on the bridge.will call atlas today. i bought it from a dealer so i hope i can get some kind of credit.looking at the mill house turn table any suggestion from anybody. again thanks to everybody for the help. BERNIE

It's too bad it's so fussy, otherwise the design is nice and compact.

 

If you can't return it, I would suggest an overhead wire feed.  Run a pole up from the center and run a wire thru it to a pole next to the turntable.  connect to wire to track power and directly to the track on the turntable.  It would look like a power wire to the control shed, and power the track solidly.

 

 

Ed

Build one yourself.  No I'm not kidding.  Yes you can do it with patience, time and research.  No it won't be perfect.  Neither is Atlas.

 

I scratch built an 8 inch turntable to turn my rotary.  I have received numerous compliments.  It consists of a cake pan ($1.00), a portion--cut off Atlas HO bridge (got it for nothing), a cut off section of Gargraves track (about two bucks), a stereo male and female plug set ($9.00) and misc. paint for a weather job and a couple of pieces of scrap wire.  It looks decent and is very functional.  All for about $15.  Is it a Diamond, Bowser, River Mill?  No way!  Not in the same universe.  Am I much richer.  YES.    

 

PS:  I don't have the totally completed weathered version photo taken yet.

 

Good for you. One of our club members has one and it is a beauty. Good luck.

 

Great talking with you today Bernie. I'm sure you will enjoy your new table

I'll keep you posted on when it will be finished.

HELLO ALL, LISTEN, WITH A LITTLE INGENUITY, &20.00 IN PARTS AND 4 HOURS OF YOUR TIME, YOU CAN MODIFY AN ATLAS TABLE TO LOOK LIKE THIS- OR BETTER! TO MOTORIZE IT TAKES A LITTLE MORE EFFORT, BUT STILL WAY LESS THAN $300,$500, OR A THOUSAND DOLLARS. ITS ALOT MORE FUN, AND VERY PROTOTYPICAL !

Clifford, 

 

Those pics look great.  More info please.  What parts did you buy?  My Atlas TT is already motorized... did you do something different to make it operate better?

 

Thanks!

Ron

ron045@yahoo.com

 

WELL, IN ORDER FOR IT TO LOOK MORE PROTOTYPICAL, YOU MUST CUT AWAY THE MOVEABLE STONE "FLOOR". THIS PROCESS ELIMINATES THE MOTORIZED SYSTEM, AND THE AUTO INDEX FEATURE, ADD DETAILS SUCH AS END PORTIONS OF ATLAS HO GIRDER BRIGDES, WHEELHOUSE COVERS OVER THE BRIDGE DECK SUPPORT ROLLERS, REMOVING THE CENTER SECTION OF THE PLASTIC BASE, THEN PAINT AND WEATHER TO TASTE. IT IS NOW A REALISTIC, MANUAL-TURN W POWERED RAILS, TURNTABLE!. MOTORIZING IT REQUIRES MORE EFFORT, BUT  ANYONE CAN HANDLE IT WITH EVEN A LITTLE ELECTRO-MECHANICAL SKILL.

john thanks for the input remember this country makes money every day and i SPEND IT everyday i believe in putting it back to small business to keep things moving, THANKS AGAIN

Clifford,

Your painting/weathering job, especially the concrete base is some of the best work I've ever seen.

 Great work.

Mike

 

HI GRAZ, THANKS FOR THE COMPLIMENT! I AM GOING TO MAKE A DETAILED POST OF THE CUSTOMIZATION AND WEATHERING PROCESS OF THE ATLAS TURNTABLE IN THE COMING WEEKS. THAT TURNTABLE WAS A DISAPPOINTMENT FROM THE MOMENT I TOOK IT OUT OF THE BOX. IT LOOKED LIKE A BIG PLASTIC SLAB IN THE MIDDLE OF AN OTHERWISE REALISTIC SCENE. I NEVER CARED FOR THE STOP N GO INDEXING, OR THAT THE TIES AND RAIL DETAIL WOULD SPIN WHILE IN MOTION. IT LOOKED HOKEY!ITS HIGHLY SUPRISING THAT ATLAS WOULD MANUFACTURE SUCH A CHEAP TOY, WHILE PROCLAIMING SCALE ACCURACY ON THE REST OF ITS PRODUCT LINE. I WENT ONLINE AND FOUND SOME PROTOTYPE TURNTABLES THAT WERE VERY SIMILAR IN DESIGN AND THEN BEGAN MY MODIFICATIONS. JUMPING FORWARD, THE KEY TO THE CONCRETE APPEARANCE IS A BASE COAT OF RUST-OLEUM TEXTURED SANDSTONE SPRAYPAINT #7223. ITS ROUGH TEXTURE WHEN DRY REALLY CREATES A SURFACE THAT HAS "BITE" AND ALLOWS CHALKS,PAINT &WEATHERING POWDERS TO GRAB ONTO THE SURFACE. AFTER THE PAINT DRIES THOROUGHLY I USE A MEDIUM SCOTHBRITE PAD TO TONE DOWN THE FINISH TO NEAR FLAT. AFTER DRAWING LINES WITH A SHARP #2 PENCIL TO SIMULATE EXPANSION JOINTS, I USED LIGHT, MEDIUM,AND DARK GREY AND BROWN PASTEL CHALKS. SATIFIED WITH THE LOOK, I USED THE SCOTCHBRITE PAD IN A CIRCULAR MOTION AROUND THE CONCRETE BASE TO SHOW MOTION OF THE BRIDGE DECK. THEN DREW CRACKS AND POTHOLES AND FRACTURES IN THE CONCRETE TO FURTHER THE EFFECTS OF AGING. ITS CONVINCING EVEN UP CLOSE. THE TURNTABLE IS MANUALY OPERATED AFTER THE MODIFICATION, MOTORIZING IS A WHOLE OTHER PROCESS. TRUTH BE TOLD, THE LIMITED AMOUNT OF TIMES I USE IT, COUPLED WITH THE FACT THE PEOPLE WHO VISIT OUR ANNUAL OPEN HOUSE LIKE THE HANDS-ON WHEN RUNNING THE TRAINS. MANUAL THROW SWITCHES AND THROTTLE GIVES MEANING TO " RUNNING A RAILROAD". THATS ALL FOR NOW

Clifford,

Thanks for the explanation and very much looking forward to the full post.

I keep going back to your photos and am really impressed with how realistic the weathering is. It seems that many get heavy handed at the critical moment and the whole thing starts to look cartoon-like instead of truly realistic.

 

Not to throw a fly in the ointment Clifford, but, although the customization you did really improves the look of the item, did you do anything to address the electrical issue that the original post asked about?

 

Ed