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Hey all,

As it always seems I am in continual planning mode...

So, the Atlas turntable is 24” long.  I have an MTH N&W J 611 on order and I see the length is a tad over 27”. Is that total front end of coupler?  And if so, will that engine slip onto the Atlas turntable based on the spacing of the wheels?  

I am fully aware that there are some great turn tables out there from other manufacturers that are larger then 24”, but, to start out, and save some money initially, I thought I would consider the new Atlas table with improved drive.

Any thoughts?

Last edited by Carl Peduzzi
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I don't know about the MTH product.

However, the prototype J Class had a wheelbase including tender of 95 feet 4 1/2 inches.

The Atlas TT is think is 24 inches long which is 96 feet in O scale.     So if the model, is accurate to prototpye, it would just fit.    The flanges might not.

However, the MTH version may not be that accurate to scale.   At the very least, the tender is probably not couple so close to the engine so it can go around the curves on your layout.    That would make it longer.    On the other hand, mfg often shorten models because they  do not have good information or for some other reason.    If MTH shortened the loco or the tender, then it might fit.  

You probably need to ask someone who has one, what the wheelbase is.

On a very tight fit like that, it would be very hard to get the loco stopped precisely enough to clear the ends of the TT tracks.    I think for a loco like that  you might want to consider a 30 inch long TT which is a 120 feet long.    The prototype J is 109 feet and some inches long over couplers.   On a 120 ft table, you could see the ends of the TT track for alignment.

Many many TTs in the US were 100 feet long.    Many RRs had a place or two where they could turn big stuff, but not on every TT.   

I got these dimensions for the prototype J from an article I looked up on the internet     The article included a reproduction of a blueprint drawing.

The MTH Premier PS2 N&W J measures just under 24 1/2" wheelbase using the drawbars longest setting. I did not measure the shortest setting, probably an 1/8th" shorter.
Wheelbase for my Lionel TMCC N&W J measures 24 3/8th & my Legacy N&W J measures 24 1/8th.

I don't own the turntable, but I'd think even if the wheel base just fit, the pilot & tender coupler hitting those blocks around the perimeter of the TT would be an issue.  I guess the real test is for someone to actually try it.

Thanks for everyone’s input.
Admittedly, I am looking at the Atlas turntable as a starting point before jumping into the considerably more expensive Millhouse Studios or Ross.
All these ideas and input is great. Thanks to Ron45 for the idea of a straight shot through. Maybe for the early part of my layout, the J will just not turn. Or maybe I can squeeze in a reverse loop.

@ironman1 posted:

Ron,

You say the blocks should not be an issue if the wheelbase fits. I've reviewed pictures & videos, & it's hard to tell if those blocks are even or above the rail head.

I guess a video is the only way to tell.

From the images below it appears the blocks would be in the way if extensions were added to the turntable.



@Ron045 posted:

If it doesn't fit, a strategy you could implement is to have your engine just drive through the turntable and not actually get turned.  I did that for my RK Big Boy which does not fit on the Atlas TT.

IMG_20200520_213358323IMG_20200520_213503376

I wanted to park a couple of large engines using a pass-thru, but with the layout of my track, I couldn't get a straight shot with a whisker track long enough to park any of my big stuff.  In order to drive the VL-BB or VL-Challenger onto the the TT bridge, you need 18-20 inches of straight lead-in to the TT bridge.  That wasn't happening at the proper angle to have a long whisker opposite the lead.  That being the case, I just console myself that I have parking for a lot of smaller stuff.

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