Working Turntables In Pennsylvania

East Broad Top has an Armstrong TT that they  use - in Rockhill Furnace PA (Orbisonia).

Have you done a Google search?

Found this site that seems to list active and defunct TT and Round houses in PA

https://www.steamlocomotive.com/roundhouse/?state=PA

@trumpettrain posted:

Have you done a Google search?

No, I was heading outside for some chopping and such for a few hours. I figured I'd ask and see if anyone knew right off the bat as times there are some that know quite a bit. Getting ready to eat my lunch, so I'll search after that.

The Juniata Valley Railroad in Lewistown, PA has a working turntable. To my knowledge, it is used only to turn boxcars for unloading on a specified side.

Curt

Fantastic. I took a look, and it seems that no matter the search it leads to the one David(aka EscapeRocks) listed among the best searches. I did however pass along the other to my cousin, as I figured that would be of possible interest. They will be popping up here next month most likely, and that is one of the things on their list besides Hershey and Gettysburg. I did suggest Strasburg since Hershey is a stones throw away, but I guess it depends on time. Thank you all for your contributions. Now I got another way to find stuff.

You could always go outside the box, and travel to NC …..the North Carolina Transportation Museum is located on the old Spencer Shops sight ,….they give turntable rides, ….if I’m not mistaken, I believe it’s every weekend???…..somebody else from NC correct me if I’m wrong??…..anyways, place is huge!….you can spend the entire day there, and still not see it all,….

Pat

Pat, my cousin is in NC, I forget where as they had moved from the south eastern side up sort of north western. Her son in law lives in Tennessee. Funny thing that I didn't know was he is a train but, though I don't know the degree. I did pass along everything I was given here and did indicate to my cousin that she could change the state. The good thing is I'm always listening and will pass stuff along. Next month will be busy here as I got a lot to get done before I have guests.

Also the end of the line of the Western MD Scenic Railroad in Frostburg MD has a working turntable -- pretty close to PA depending on where you're coming from.  I haven't seen it spin a fired up #1309 yet but I intend to this year.  :-D

The turntable at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg works, but, uh, there's no consistent traffic at it....

@Slugger posted:

The turntable at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg works, but, uh, there's no consistent traffic at it....

Yup, I know that one, and I have seen it work several times in a visit there. It helps to be there when it is a very busy holiday weekend which I did tell my cousin, specifically Labor Day Weekend. I haven't been there any other time of the year, but the two times I was there, the turntable was working quite a bit.

The NS has one in the Enola  yards but don’t know how often it is used but is still functional.

There is one at the far end of the NS Juniata shops in Altoona.  I don't know how often it is used, but I did manage to see it in use once on a Sunday.  It is viewable from North 6th Street in Altoona.  Here are a couple of shots I took earlier this year:

Andy

RBMN has one at Port Clinton and one at Jim Thorpe.

Perhaps y'all already know this, but here's a live webcam of a turntable in Scranton.  When I watch it on IOS things, I have to watch an ad or two, but on Windows it should come on immediately.

Not in PA, but reasonably close to western PA in Sugarcreek, OH is Age of Steam Roundhouse.  They let folks ride the table on certain tours.

PRR museum in Altoona has one that works.   I believe the B&LE in Greenville still works too.

FYI, the WMSR turntable at Frostburg MD is currently non-functional and chained off.  I saw them running #1309 yesterday (which was amazing -- with the PRR T-1's whistle mounted on it and blasting all day through the valley, no less!) but apparently the engine is too big for the turntable.  They run #1309 up the mountain in front with their diesel on the end of the train, then use the diesel to pull it back down to Cumberland.  It works.  Anyway, looks like the turntable has been out of commission for some time and needs more than a little maintenance, but I guess they won't need it again until / if #734 is back up and running.  But there were tons of people there, and it looked like the train was almost full.  Big steam is alive and well in the East, folks!

@BlueFeather posted:

FYI, the WMSR turntable at Frostburg MD is currently non-functional and chained off.

That may be an incorrect assumption on your part.

I saw them running #1309 yesterday (which was amazing -- with the PRR T-1's whistle mounted on it and blasting all day through the valley, no less!) but apparently the engine is too big for the turntable.

No, the 1309 is NOT "too big" for the turntable. The real problem is the track grade & curvature leading up to the turntable, which has not yet been correct (still awaiting funds, I believe).

They run #1309 up the mountain in front with their diesel on the end of the train, then use the diesel to pull it back down to Cumberland.  It works.  Anyway, looks like the turntable has been out of commission for some time and needs more than a little maintenance, but I guess they won't need it again until / if #734 is back up and running.

Nope. See explanation above.

But there were tons of people there, and it looked like the train was almost full.  Big steam is alive and well in the East, folks!

Yes, including the Reading & Blue Mountain 4-8-4 #2102.

Definitely chained off.  And overgrown.  And looking like it needs maintenance.  I personally saw all of these things less than 24 hours ago.  I also heard multiple people say the engine was too big for the turntable, but it's possible that they were incorrect.  Regardless, if the original poster wants to see a turntable turn an engine in or near PA, they currently can't see that at WMSR.

@BlueFeather posted:

Definitely chained off.  And overgrown.  And looking like it needs maintenance.  I personally saw all of these things less than 24 hours ago.  I also heard multiple people say the engine was too big for the turntable, but it's possible that they were incorrect.

Yes, they all were definitely incorrect! The WMSR already researched the wheelbase length of #1309 vs. their turntable, well before they initiated the process to obtain #1309.

Regardless, if the original poster wants to see a turntable turn an engine in or near PA, they currently can't see that at WMSR.

For what it's worth, since the WMSR hasn't an operational steam locomotive for quite a few years, there really has been no need to actually use the turntable. When the track issues have been corrected, and #1309 is actually able to move onto the turntable, I'm pretty sure that the WMSR will have it operating.

Thanks for all the new information. It is not me that is interested, but my cousin's son in law. I am just relaying the information here, to my cousin, and she sends it on to him.

I don't know where the turntable is for the WMSR, if it is in a out of bounds area, or such. I guess I can still pass it along whether it is or isn't close enough to view. Either way though, there are other options of turntables to view. I guess see what he says when the message comes through on his end.

Thanks again.

@EscapeRocks posted:

Found this site that seems to list active and defunct TT and Round houses in PA

https://www.steamlocomotive.com/roundhouse/?state=PA

@EscapeRocks that seems very thorough. i had not seen that list before. thank you for finding and posting it.

Tom

We rode the WMSR with the #1309 on 8 May, third day of regular excursion service.  The #1309 was on the front going from Cumberland to Frostburg with a diesel on the back.

Returning to Cumberland they just reversed direction so that the diesel was the lead unit and the #1309 was the last unit, running in reverse.

Yesterday we were in Frostburg when the train was there, waiting to return to Cumberland.  Operation was the same as 8 May, not using the turntable.

I hope they start using the turntable again at some point, always enjoyed watching the #734 being turned, or more accurately being "spun around" several times before completing the 180 degree turn.

FWIW, we were in Frostburg to ride Frostburg to Cash Valley Rail Bike Tour | Tracks & Yaks (tracksandyaks.com)

@BZ posted:

We rode the WMSR with the #1309 on 8 May, third day of regular excursion service.  The #1309 was on the front going from Cumberland to Frostburg with a diesel on the back.

Returning to Cumberland they just reversed direction so that the diesel was the lead unit and the #1309 was the last unit, running in reverse.

Yesterday we were in Frostburg when the train was there, waiting to return to Cumberland.  Operation was the same as 8 May, not using the turntable.

I hope they start using the turntable again at some point,

As I posted on previous posts, above, #1309 is unable access the turntable due to the sharp curve and VERY steep grade at the approach to the turntable. Until that "track situation" is corrected, #1309 will NOT be able to use the turntable.

always enjoyed watching the #734 being turned, or more accurately being "spun around" several times before completing the 180 degree turn.

FWIW, we were in Frostburg to ride Frostburg to Cash Valley Rail Bike Tour | Tracks & Yaks (tracksandyaks.com)

What Hot Water is referring to as the "steep grade" at the table is actually a vertical curve that the running gear of the 1309 cannot accommodate. The track approaching the table has to be raised a little to ease the vertical curve to a point where the 1309 can negotiate it. That requires a good bit of work because the track has to be raised and realigned for several hundred feet to ease that vertical curve.

Complicating things is that the Frostburg station is at the top of the grade, where the red and yellow lines diverge. This means that the track through the station will be higher than it is now. That will require some work on the station platform to realign the platform with the track height.

All things considered, this is not an easy job.

Hot Water,  thank you.  I missed the part in your post above about track issues.

Rich, thank you for the additional clarification.

Is there a reference I can go to for a basic understanding of this?  I'm now curious why the #734 could take that vertical curve but the #1309 cannot.

@BZ posted:

Hot Water,  thank you.  I missed the part in your post above about track issues.

Rich, thank you for the additional clarification.

Is there a reference I can go to for a basic understanding of this?  I'm now curious why the #734 could take that vertical curve but the #1309 cannot.

The #734, being a 2-8-0 with the only "connection" between the engine and tender, did have some "issues". However, the #1309, being an articulated with two "connections", i.e. the first being between the front engine (2-6) and the rear engine (6-2), the second between the engine and the tender, is not so forgiving as the #734 was.

Hot Water, interesting, I learned something new today, thank you.