# Atlas O-gauge Turntable Problem



## Norm (Sep 1, 2010)

I'm having a problem with the Atlas O-gauge Turntable. 

The belt very quickly slips off the pulley when running in one direction. 

Has anyone else had this problem and if so, can they please advise me what they did to correct it.

Thanks,
Norm Schreck


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Norm said:


> I'm having a problem with the Atlas O-gauge Turntable.
> 
> The belt very quickly slips off the pulley when running in one direction.
> 
> ...


You can't run them full blast you know? Just enough power to make it turn.
Is the table hanging up when it goes off the pulley? Check real close.
How old is it and how much have you used it?

Did you ever touch the center screw that holds the table on together? Tighten it? loosen it?

What kind of track do you have hooked into it? Fast track? Tube track?


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I went back and reread your thread on your layout and it answered my question on the type of track.

Post some pictures of it, some closeups of your track where it sets on the table would be nice too.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I see this picture here from one of your posts. Make sure that no rail is touching the table as it turns this will throw the rubber band. 

Unless you are running it with full power it should just slip on the pulley if the track is binding up the table when turning.

How fast are you running the motor?

Did you screw down the track onto the table also?


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## Norm (Sep 1, 2010)

Hey Ed, thanks for reply. I'll answer each question.



big ed said:


> You can't run them full blast you know? Just enough power to make it turn.
> 
> Yes, you are correct about motor speed. On the direction where the belt "jumps" the sheave, It jumps at about 6-8 VDC. It turns okay in the other direction at 10 VDC, which I think it is a max voltage.
> 
> ...


Tubular, as you did note. I'll have to get some pics together for you. 

Right now, I'm trying an O-ring, instead of the (factory) belt, but it is about 0.050" in thickness. I'd like to try about 0.032" or so and make it a little tighter. 

But, while it's hard to be perfectly sure, It looks like the sheave that is mounted on the shaft that drives the (table) gear doesn't line up with the idler sheave that is right above it (and before it in that direction) but then sometimes it looks like it DOES line up. I guess I could set it "deeper" on the shaft, but want to check with Atlas first.

Right now I'm feeling the problem just might be the sheave mis-alignment, but I'm trying to get in touch with Atlas but I still haven't found any email address for them. Of course, I could just drive to their place as they aren't all that far away but I hate to drive in their area on nasty I-78. 

Norm


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I don't know if these will help you any,


























I found it better to drill a small hole and screw the track to the turntable too, mine seemed to move a little, so it secures it nice.
Dam That last picture shows me that my track is bent a little. Got to replace that piece.


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## Norm (Sep 1, 2010)

Ed, I'm having more problems with the Atlas 0-ga Turntable. 

The table usually turns okay in the ClockWise (CW) direction, but hangs up just before matting at each new track when turning in the Counter-Clockwise (CCW) direction.

By hanging up, the brass (screw-shaped) gear STOPS turning for a few seconds, then starts up again to bring the table-track in line with the spur-outlet track. All the while the motor IS turning.

Have you encountered this situation??

The table revolves easily without any problem when motor assembly is removed. and nothing is interfering with the table as it turns. 
The CENTER screw has been loosened but that doesn't make any difference.
The table sometimes does turn CCW "if" I loosen the (2) mounting screws somewhat.

Any ideas???


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Norm said:


> Ed, I'm having more problems with the Atlas 0-ga Turntable.
> 
> The table usually turns okay in the ClockWise (CW) direction, but hangs up just before matting at each new track when turning in the Counter-Clockwise (CCW) direction.
> 
> ...


Did you ever have it apart?

Mine does the same thing. Turns great clockwise but hangs up counter clockwise.
I had to take mine apart as a connector pin accidentally got in under there.
If you never had the table apart you take the center screw off and lift it up and out easily. If you do you will see 2 ball bearings drop out. The ball bearings ride on copper strips.
The only way to get it back together is to insert the the ball bearings back in their place. Sounds easy but the only way to do it is to turn the whole thing upside down to do it or else the ball bearings will keep falling out.

I thought that maybe somehow I put mine back together with the table set in the wrong spot but now I think it is in the product itself.

Mine doesn't do it all the time either.
Since I have all the track screwed to it and ballast around it I have been putting off tearing it up.

You did nothing about the band slipping off right? The only reason it was slipping off was because it was hanging up? 
Like I said you can't power it up real high either use just enough power to make it turn.

Maybe we should contact Atlas huh?
I wonder if anyone else has the same problem?


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## Norm (Sep 1, 2010)

Ed, interesting to know you have the same concern. 

And, yes I have taken the top off. 

I will post a pic of an easy way to get the top properly back in place without removing the base, but a pict would save a lot of typing and be almost self explanatory. Unfortunately, Ya gotta wait until I have the top off again ..... which shouldn't be too far into the future!

Another problem I'm having is with my 2032 ERIE diesel. I can't get a clean run across the table. The diesel keeps loosing power, horn sounds, stops, runs, stops..... etc. but needs a push when it stops . 

To make this somewhat short, I noticed some scrape marks on the (outside the rails) plastic walkways and determined that this opening was about 1.582" while the ERIE wheels measured from 1.640" to 1.696" wide. And the rail measured about -0.036" BELOW the plastic walkway, thus lifting the wheels off the rail. To make matters worse, one rail didn't have any continuity but I fixed that problem.

And, Atlas is working on the ERIE problem.

As far the belt jumping off, somehow I was able to solve that problem, I think by making sure the belt has a "corner" of it's square cross-section IN the sheve instead of having both "corners" laying on the sides of the sheve.

I am able to run the table @ about 10 Volts with no (belt) jumping, but the screw-gear stops (with motor running) about 3/16" BEFORE the rails line up..... then after a few seconds the gear starts turning again to line the rails properly.

It does this for quite a few openings. I have loosened the (2) mounting screws and this might help some, but since the mounting is NOT adjustable, the motor base returns to it's original position.

Very frustrating as it is a nice accessory and I would like it to operate as it was designed.

I'm wondering if others are having similar problems. Have you heard of others???

Norm


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Norm said:


> Ed, interesting to know you have the same concern.
> 
> And, yes I have taken the top off.
> 
> ...


Nope I thought it was just mine.

If you had the top off then I would think you put it back together a hair off? 
The table does stop a each stall for a few seconds but yours stop before the stall. Does it also stop at the stall? I think you said yes to this question?
And yours works correct running clockwise?

Mine actually hangs up in between stalls a different problems from yours though it only hangs up counter clockwise. Works perfect clockwise.

The engine stalling on the table rail, I have that problem too, some work fine and others stop the same way you are describing. I just don't run the ones that stop on it. Most of the Steam Locos run on it fine.

Please do post a good picture of how to put the blasted thing back on.
The only way I can do it is to hold the whole thing upside down so the ball bearings stay in place.
You need three hands to do it and a assortment of cuss words.

I wonder as the ball bearings run on the electric strips if there is some sort of timing mark to let you know it is set down right.
It has been a while since I had the top off, I might have something that got under the top again, maybe.

I will be eagerly waiting for a picture.

I have searched for this table with pictures of it apart but have found none. I wish Atlas had a manual of the inside operation.
I searched a few years back for pictures, maybe I will go search again.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I found this discussion over at O gauge.

http://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/displayForumTopic/content/2415514336973873

Still searching.

Another from O gauge,
http://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/displayForumTopic/content/5934960441866221


Done searching for pictures or a repair manual I came up with nothing, if you happen to come across some please post them.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

One of them on O gauge says to take masking tape around 14" long and fold it over just leaving an inch of the sticky part to hold the pin (ball bearing I thought it was, it has been a while since I had mine apart.)
Then carefully place the table in place and pull out the tape.
There are some springs in there too applying pressure to the pins/ball bearings?
That sounds easier said then done.

Another says, "Use low voltage at 4.5 - 5 volts."


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## Norm (Sep 1, 2010)

Ed, the turntable is ALL machanical, no nefarious electronic stuff.

All the stop-start action is determined by the large plastic gear under the housing that holds the motor assembly. 

If you remove the cover you will see (AGAIN) the large plastic gear. On that gear is a half-moon arc that actually holds the table in place. 

Anyway, then you will also see a stubby pin, about 1/4" in Dia. That is what turns the table and it lines up the ARCS (that are under the table) with the openings for the sidings.

The buttons you encountered are not ball bearings, only spring-loaded slugs with a rounded end that ride on a circular metal ring that receives electricity from the (2) connectors on the base and transmits it up to the rails on the turntable. 

And, it is almost impossible to NOT install the turntable properly if you use a little common sense, which you already have and did use. 

I am thinking the resistance that stops the screw-gear somehow is caused by the pin that moves the turntable AND the ARC it is turning inside. I have noticed that "IF" I loosen the (2) screws that hold the cover for the gear/motor housing are loosened the screw-gear doesn't jam as much.

I have also tried loosening the center screw, but that action didn't have any real noticeable effect. 

Right now, Atlas is working on my (our) problem as far as I know. 

I'll follow up with them to see what's happening.

Norm


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

One thing with reversing motors is the torque. One direction the motor runs low the other it runs high. so check the difference . WHat direction is the shaft leaning when the belt slips in or out? You didn't say. How about some thin large washers on each side of the shaft???


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## Norm (Sep 1, 2010)

T-Man, I've eliminated the belt-slipping problem. 

I think what solved it was having the belt (square cross section) sit on the sheaves with the (one) corner (or "point") of the square perpendicular to the shaft. i.e. the (opposite) corners[/(or "points") point up and down. Does that make sense???

But, as you might have read, I now have other problems..... Atlas is helping me with them.

Norm


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

Does the motor turn off at each point of track?

How about having aligned magnets at each stop. Just an idea.


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## Norm (Sep 1, 2010)

T-Man, no the motor runs continuously. 

The motor is still turning the drive gear, but the table stops for a few seconds at each opening and there are 23 of them.

When the table stops at each opening it is "aligned" with the opening and wouldn't need any further action to be aligned with the track you would place in the opening. 

Of course, you would have to "align" your  track when you lay it.


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## Norm (Sep 1, 2010)

big ed said:


> One of them on O gauge says to take masking tape around 14" long and fold it over just leaving an inch of the sticky part to hold the pin (ball bearing I thought it was, it has been a while since I had mine apart.)
> Then carefully place the table in place and pull out the tape.
> There are some springs in there too applying pressure to the pins/ball bearings?
> That sounds easier said then done.
> ...


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Norm (and Mike if your here) I was fooling with the turntable a bit today and saw something.

If you take the motor off the gears it works fine clockwise.
But if you run it counter clockwise it hangs up.
That is when it is off the gears all together and there nothing is in the way to make it bind up. 

I don't think the problem has anything to do with the table itself, I think the motor by itself is at fault.
The table works fine with no motor attached. (with the hand crank.)

You can hear the difference in the sound of the motor too, when operating in the clockwise position compared to counter clock wise. It seems to strain in the counter clockwise position. This is when it is OFF the gears, just running the motor by itself.

I wonder if there is an aftermarket motor that would work?

Did you notice this Norm? 
Did you operate the motor off the gears?
I never had the belt problem that you explained.

Maybe bring this up to the Atlas Tech if yours also binds up when off the gears.
Try it off and let me know.


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## Norm (Sep 1, 2010)

Ed, I removed the motor and used the hand crank. I got the same interference CCW, no problems CW.

The gear has the pin that advances the table, so removing the gear will remove the advancing pin.

I didn't notice any trouble just running the motor free of the (gear) mounting.

I feel the problem is the pin in the groove it travels in but I don't notice any difference in the grooves for the openings where it stalls.

I haven't done anything since then, other than use the scraper to remove the walkway interference at the rails that is on the other posting.

Norm


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Norm said:


> Ed, I removed the motor and used the hand crank. I got the same interference CCW, no problems CW.
> 
> The gear has the pin that advances the table, so removing the gear will remove the advancing pin.
> 
> ...



I didn't take the gears off when I cranked it I just took the motor housing off the gears and it hung up by itself. 
I also didn't use the hand crank I used my finger as I can't find the crank. I got to find the crank and try it all the way.

But my motor off the gear hangs up in the counter clockwise mode.

I think it is the motor, by itself screwing up.
I am going to see if another motor would work, if I can find one.


Atlas has been running theirs for 10 years and never had a problem. 

More then you me and Mike has had the same problem!
There is another post today saying he scrapped his piece of !*%$ Atlas turntable and went with a Ross turntable.
They do look nice but at $1600 bucks whew.

I bet Atlas is the only one who never had a problem. :thumbsdown::thumbsdown:


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Norm a little update on my turn table.

I told you my motor hung up in the CCW direction even while off the table & gear.

I found that if I bent/bowed/curved the plastic housing while holding it it worked fine. ( I grasped both sides and bent them down a little, I don't know how to explain it) What I did was put it back on and shimmed it up a little under the pulley side with a tiny piece of wood that took care of my motor problem. I also found that by just snugging it to the housing it worked better. If you screwed it down tight it didn't work right.

I then found that the table hung up in 3 spots underneath where the pin on the gear drops into the channel that turns the table. I ground them down a little and it seemed to help a little.

I then noticed that the pieces on each side of the stalls (the little blocks that separate each the stalls) had some rub marks on them.
I got out the dremal with a sanding piece and sanded off each block that had a rub mark on them just a hair.
I had 4 blocks total that had faint rub marks on them.
It seems to work fine now. :thumbsup:

I still have to shave the bridge like you did, then the fun part comes where you have to use tape to hold the power dowels to set it back down.

Check each of your blocks real good for rub marks, and also check your rails on the table as they do move make sure they are even on each side.

I still say the motor sucks!
I am keeping my eyes open for a replacement motor, instead of the rubber band I would like to run all gears instead.
One observation on the motor is that it is weaker running in the CCW direction. Though it is quieter in the CCW then the CW direction. But the noise doesn't bother me anyway.

I hope this works now!

Back to the dungeon now to shave the deck some. 
Ed's law is it works now but once I get it all done it won't, I am keeping my fingers crossed on this. 

Edit,
I wish that Mike had posted his here, now I got to go and search for his to take a look at your shave pictures.
That way it would have been here in the Turntable thread.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

For those interested I took this from the other turntable thread.
Norms fix for certain trains jumping off the turntable and also loosing power when going over it was to shave the outside plastic so the wheels fit down.

Not the inside just the outsides.

Atlas been running their table for 10 years with no problems, I wonder how they get around this problem? 











More pictures of Norms turntable over on this thread,

http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=17048


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I shaved the planks with a dremal tool with a some kind of a spiral cutting bit.
Worked good, I got to add some paint to it.
The tape trick worked good for the power things, nice and easy. :thumbsup:

Well it rotates CCW and CW good now. (knock on wood) I didn't try too many trains across it but the few I did had no problems. I will clean up my mess and try some others.

The guy in the shack was laying on the floor as most of them are. I have seen it said that it is hard to get the shack apart to glue him back so I had been putting that off. I took a straight edge razor blade and carefully went around the base and it popped right off. The man is back to work now.

I did notice that my 1656 switcher sparked a lot going over the bridge, I got to check that out further, the others didn't so it must be the switcher.

I am glad the turntable is working now. :thumbsup:


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## Norm (Sep 1, 2010)

Hey Ed, I'm glad you found the pict. 

I wasn't having any problems with the table hitting the outside of the base at the stall sides. 

I did have interference where the pin (on the large plastic gear that advances & holds the table in place so the engines can enter or exit the table) was just coming out of the slot it rides in.

The large arc that fits into the arc on the underside of the table was hitting that arc. I filed the arc on the gear so it cleared. That did help somewhat. 

But I still was having CCW problems. It turned much slower that CW and would still stall. 

Anyway, I was able to get a new motor ***'y & large gear from Atlas. 

I installed them and my table now works perfectly CW AND CCW! 

No difference in speed nor does it stall anywhere in the CCW direction.

























I did cut the ends of the bridge girders on a 45º angle as you can see, so the large Williams Locos could enter the table from the curves and I touched up the scrapings on the table that I made so the PostWar engines would not loose contact.

The table now operates perfectly. I think my rotation problem was both the motor ***'y and the gear..... plus the contact problem of the PostWAr engines that was solved by scraping the "planks". 
I did sand the scraped area where the "planks" met as scraping didn't work too well there.

Now, I'm on my way to Alaska on Monday! 

Norm


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

Hope the fixes last for both of you, a happy ending is always nice. Especially after all the problems.


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## Kwikster (Feb 22, 2012)

In looking at your pic of the grinding Ed, it appears the rails have the wrong height causing the issue. Perhaps they should consider shipping them with tubular rails in the box, and include instructions on changing them. What i see from that view anyway.

Glad you guys figured things out, nice work.

Carl


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Kwikster said:


> In looking at your pic of the grinding Ed, it appears the rails have the wrong height causing the issue. Perhaps they should consider shipping them with tubular rails in the box, and include instructions on changing them. What i see from that view anyway.
> 
> Glad you guys figured things out, nice work.
> 
> Carl


That is my picture, but of Norms turntable.

I think, I don't know for sure that the rail on the bridge is fastrack rail it sort of looks the same. I don't have any Fastrack so I can't compare.

Here is a picture showing what one guy did with his Fastrack to make it work with the turntable.
Notice the type of rails.











Hey Norm, 
Norms quote,
Anyway, I was able to get a new motor ***'y & large gear from Atlas.

Do share a part number for them, how much was it. Don't tell me they gave them to you. Maybe a picture of the new motor and assembly? 
What do you mean by large gear? 
Does the new one fit in the shack/the cover?

One thing I see from your pictures at the end of the table it is white on the planks. I think I will touch them up brown on mine.


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## Norm (Sep 1, 2010)

Carl, the factory is well aware of the difference in heights and width of the opening. 
I doubt they will make any changes as it only appears to affect PostWar engines..... and changing them out after delivery probably wouldn't work too well.
Ed, the exchange was covered under the factory warranty. You could contact the factory for costs.

The large gear is under the cover (2 screws) that is under the motor ***'y (2 screws)
Pict of gear:








The white at the end of the planks is the original color of the turntable. Only the top was "painted" brown. I used a reddish-color brown you can see at the right side of the end view where it covered some of the white.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Why did you need a new gear?

I was talking about a picture the new motor, it has no belt/rubber band to drive it?
It is done by gears, the new one?
I am going to paint the ends of my planks brown to get rid of the white.

I bought mine many moons ago, I doubt if mine is covered under warranty. But knock on wood it is working. 

ALASKA?
You going to visit Sarah Palin and go hunting and fishing? 
What are you going to do up there, escape the cold down here?


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## Norm (Sep 1, 2010)

Ed, the NEW motor is actually the complete motor AND pulley system mounted on a base that mounts on the turntable base WITHOUT ANY ADJUSTMENT, exactly the same as was on the turntable when I bought it.

Old Motor ***'y is pictured below, New looked exactly the same:









The (arc-shaped) ring on the gear was interfering withsome parts of the round slot that mates to the opening under the table. This arc-shaped ring appears to be there so the (outlet/inlet) siding-track to line up with the turntable and be HELD in that position. 

At least that was what I felt was the problem, although the factory didn't say why they replaced the gear. 

As far as going to see Ms. Palin, I won't go there..... as we had a very funny situation develop when a fellow at our table @ Panera happened to mention her name one day. We still laugh about it as I am almost about to do right now! 

No fishing either, just going to visit with our daughter and have some time to update my Autocad drawings of the train layout. 

Norm:


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

OK,

I shimmed up my motor right under the pulley's side.

I found by holding the motor like you show it on each end and bend both sides down it ran ccw, if I sat it down it would hang up ccw.
This is when IT WAS OFF THE GEARS. Just sitting by itself.

So I added a small wood shim under the pulley's (side under the plastic base) after screwing it down the shim pushes the frame up just a hair, it works now.

I wonder how much they get for what they sent you, you should have told them to send me one too.


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## Norm (Sep 1, 2010)

Ed Wrote:

_I found by holding the motor like you show it on each end and bend both sides down it ran ccw, if I sat it down it would hang up ccw._

Ed, I don't understand??

the motor isn't adjustable. 

I thought your table was working fine now.

What I showed is a pict of the motor assembly as it came with my turntable..... and what I thought my new motor/***'y looked like. 

I received the new motor/***'y and just screwed it in place, nothing adjusted.... and it turned perfectly in both directions.

I really feel the gear was the problem but the factory didn't answer me with any indication that there was anything wrong with the gear.

I can't say that a new motor & GEAR will solve your problem, 
I guess you would have to decide that before you might buy them.

Unfortunately they didn't advise me just how much these items are.

What happened that you had to make the changes you just wrote about?

Norm


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Remember...I always said that my motor would hang up ccw even when off the table....just sitting by itself....no gear attached.

Well I found out that if I picked it up....with my hands and holding each side corner....with my hands...... that if I bent both sides down on the plastic frame that it would work perfect.

Screw it back down on top the gear, it wouldn't go ccw, the motor would run but it wouldn't turn the pulley's.

So by bending the whole plastic frame it would work, so under the pulley side I shimmed it with a small piece of wood and it works now. 
What I did was raise the plastic base a hair UNDER the pulley's to make it run ccw.
Don't ask me why but it works fine now.

My turntable was also rubbing at three of the blocks in between stalls, going clockwise the motor is stronger so it didn't affect it. Going ccw the motor is weaker so it made it hang up. I sanded those down, I think my turntable must not be perfectly level on the layout.


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## Norm (Sep 1, 2010)

Ed, you sound like a good candidate for a new motor ***'y.hwell: 

They are designed to be able to operate the turntable by just inserting them onto the mounting of the turntable base without ANY adjusting..... in fact, by trying to adjust the ***'y the whole thing might just make it beyond any kind of operation as designed. 

Did it operate when first installed?

Just saying, BTW & FWIW,

Norm


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Ed, you sound like a good candidate for a new motor ***'y


Probably, but it works now with the shim under the base placed right under the pulleys.

I am keeping my eyes open for a motor with no rubber bands or pulleys.
I want one with just gears. And to fit in the shed.

I wonder how much they want for what they gave you.
They must have parts! 
Let me say that again, they *SHOULD* have parts available. 

Others must have the same problems that we had/have.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

With the inertia of the table and a heavy locomotive, I'm guessing a gear-only solution would have to be VERY robust as it wouldn't have the elasticity of the belt to soak up any slack.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> With the inertia of the table and a heavy locomotive, I'm guessing a gear-only solution would have to be VERY robust as it wouldn't have the elasticity of the belt to soak up any slack.


The guy over on the O gauge site did that with a different motor but his motor was too big for the shed, he added a small switch tower house over it instead.


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## Norm (Sep 1, 2010)

Ed, the (original) belt drive is a strong mover if you want to stay with that.

Here is a link to Oreo's first ride on the railroad to prove a point. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaUugHszPVI 

Norm


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Norm said:


> Ed, the (original) belt drive is a strong mover if you want to stay with that.
> 
> Here is a link to Oreo's first ride on the railroad to prove a point.
> 
> ...


:laugh::laugh:


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Norm, that sounds like a bucket of bolts, or is that just the audio. I notice with the off-balance load it wasn't all that smooth.


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## Norm (Sep 1, 2010)

Ed, you continue to amaze me..... how did you embed the video??

Norm


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## Norm (Sep 1, 2010)

John, that video is with the old motor ***'y. 

The new motor works much better but I didn't notice the noise quality.

I'm not home right now so I can't operate it to answer your questions.

I can tell you that the operation with the new motor ***'y seemed okay to me, FWIW. 

Norm


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Norm said:


> Ed, you continue to amaze me..... how did you embed the video??
> 
> Norm


I posted this for someone else yesterday.
See if you can decipher it.

Read this, http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showpost.php?p=206610&postcount=4

(That link is from this thread.) http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=17918


In the box you type out your posts in, look up and you will see the YouTube icon.
Click that and just copy and paste all right after the = sign in the middle.

Ask again if you can't do it.


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## Norm (Sep 1, 2010)

Thanks Ed, I hadn't noticed the YOUTUBE icon. 

I "think" I got it..... but am trying it out with another video of my layout. 

Many thanks for your help,
Norm


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Man that locomotive drinks a lot of water! :laugh:

Holds 30,000 gals? 

The video works, I just learned how to do that a while back myself.


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## Norm (Sep 1, 2010)

Thanks Ed, I was wondering "if" I could embed it but couldn't figure out how, glad you knew how.

If I may ask, I need a big favor. 

I'm sitting here in sunny Alaska awaiting more snow this weekend and am working on my CAD program for the layout. 

I need to know the dia of the table itself and the overall dia of the base. 

Also, the width of the opening for one of the (23) sidings.

Can you please measure yours and get me those dimensions? Nominal dimensions are fine, just using a std. tape measure.

Thanks,
Norm


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Norm said:


> Thanks Ed, I was wondering "if" I could embed it but couldn't figure out how, glad you knew how.
> 
> If I may ask, I need a big favor.
> 
> ...


You asked just before I logged off, most times I hit the sack at 8 eastern time, sometimes 7 it all depends on what time I got to get up.
A lot of times I am up at 2am.

I measure 26" across the bridge. I measured from the outside edges. Each stall, 2 1/2" across.


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## servoguy (Jul 10, 2010)

FWIW, the water tank is in the rear of the tender. No place to put water in the top of the loco.


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## Norm (Sep 1, 2010)

Ed, thanks for dimensions, now I can try to complete the drawing.

Norm


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

servoguy said:


> FWIW, the water tank is in the rear of the tender. No place to put water in the top of the loco.


Now that all depends on the Locomotive.













Norm said:


> Ed, thanks for dimensions, now I can try to complete the drawing.
> 
> Norm



But he is right Norm.
Back in the steam days they went through some coal & water! 
A few lines from something I was reading.

The railroads use from one-fifth to one-fourth of all the coal mined in the United States, and most of this is consumed in locomotives. Loaded 55 tons to a car, the coal required to run the railroads in a single year would form three solid trainloads each reaching from New York to San Francisco, and a fourth train reaching from New York to Salt Lake city.
That is a lot of coal! 

It is estimated that around 100,000 mine workers are employed throughout the year to keep the locomotives of this country supplied with coal. Other thousands of workers are kept busy producing fuel oils, and many more are employed to quench the thirst of the powerful engines.
That is a lot of workers, and that is just mine workers!


The railroads of the United States use enormous quantities of water for locomotives and other purposes. It is estimated that the railroads consume around 80 billion cubic feet of water each year. This is enough to fill a reservoir 1,000 feet wide, 10 feet deep and 1,515 miles long.
That is a lot of water!

Now you know why Diesels took over. They were much more economical and environmentally friendly. 

Attached to the rear of every steam locomotive is a "tender." The tender is the locomotive's "dinner pail and thermos bottle" combined. Without the tender the locomotive would be of little use. The tender has a compartment for coal or oil and a compartment for water.

Now Norm, when you fill your tender with the water next time don't position the spout over the coal you don't want it there, but towards the back.
( By the way, I used to fill mine the same way you did a long time ago. )

A picture for you.


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## Norm (Sep 1, 2010)

Thanks for picts Ed, something I didn't know..... but then again there is lots I don't know. 

BTW, here are two pics of my drawing so far:








And with color-coding:








Thanks for your help on this,
Norm


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

That's a lot of O track packed into that layout, Norm ... I like it! Clever use of space.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

That is one dense layout!


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

Nice track design! And i like the water tower, I didn't know it had a water level indicator! I thought he was washing the engine, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Ed thanks for the info, I learned something also.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> With the inertia of the table and a heavy locomotive, I'm guessing a gear-only solution would have to be VERY robust as it wouldn't have the elasticity of the belt to soak up any slack.


Gears would work, I think it would be better then belts.
Thanks to someone just posting this here is a picture of one.
But...this is for Atlas HO (or N?). I still think it could be done for O gauge.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

While I got the thread up I was thinking that if you extend this one part a little you could add 3 more stalls to your yard.
Just a thought, I like what you got. :thumbsup:


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## Norm (Sep 1, 2010)

Ed, two things:

1. as far as gearing instead of a belt, I don't think it would have helped my situation of the (2) arcs..... one on the drive gear binding with it's mating arc on the turntable. 

Since I got the new parts the table has been working perfectly even with the small motor & belt transmission. If I had gears they too most likely would have (also) locked up & stalled.

2. Hey, I like your sketch..... has me thinking.

I previously did try to see if I could run a new line into my wife's adjoining sewing room..... but I didn't get any dinner for a few night with that suggestion. hwell:

She likes the layout..... but not as much as I thought!!

How is your layout doing?

Norm


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Norm said:


> How is your layout doing?Norm


With work I don't do nothing on it during the week. 
The way I work when I get home I only have a few hours till I got to hit the sack. That is spent eating and coming on the site. 
On weekends it seems I always have something else to do. 
I do fool around with it sometimes. 
Now it is racing season too, I record most of them then watch them in fast forward as they have too many commercials.

Turntable works now. :thumbsup:

Today I got a little (very little) done as it is raining outside.
I will head back down in a bit to fool around a little more.


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