# Walthers Turntable Questions (TIA)



## Just-a-Guy (Feb 11, 2013)

I was wondering if any of you with experience with these can help me with a couple of questions. 

We are just finishing up the Walthers roundhouse kit, which is really cool. I have a spot for it on the layout, and a cardboard cutout the size of the turntable for now. As I am about to put the roof on the roundhouse, it occurred to me I should probably put the track in it first. As I was about to do that (with some Peco 83), it also occurred to me that I should probably run drops from that track from the back (inside the roundhouse). And as I plotted that out, I thought, maybe I need to be aware of the wiring for the turntable before doing this (+- sides). 

So... I really should have the turntable. But... the one I want is nearly $300 (933-2849, digital controls), and I don't feel like spending that right now. So I was thinking of buying the regular one, for $40 (933-3171), and getting it in place, and then maybe motorizing it later.

My concern is that the digital one seems likely to have much better ability to control things like lining up with the track into the roundhouse and back out to the layout. I don't want to have to "reach in" and manually do this. Do you know if the 933-3171, when motorized with their proposed motor (933-1050) works well in this regard? Is it then just a matter of a three-way switch - on, right, left -- and trying to turn it off right at the right moment to line up with the track? If this is easy and works well, I might be ok with it, and it would cost a heck of a lot less. 

Any thoughts, help, anything would be very much appreciated.

Thanks,

Mark


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Mark

Maybe some member has good reports on these turntables.

Here's a forum on the subject with problems others have
encountered.

http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/148670.aspx

Don


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## dablaze (Apr 17, 2012)

Recently saw the$40 one you are considering set up with a hand crank to the front panel of that section of the layout, worked quite nice and a lot cheaper.

Walthers does put both turntables on their online sale every so often, worth watching.

Craig


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Just-a-Guy said:


> I was wondering if any of you with experience with these can help me with a couple of questions.
> 
> We are just finishing up the Walthers roundhouse kit, which is really cool. I have a spot for it on the layout, and a cardboard cutout the size of the turntable for now. As I am about to put the roof on the roundhouse, it occurred to me I should probably put the track in it first. As I was about to do that (with some Peco 83), it also occurred to me that I should probably run drops from that track from the back (inside the roundhouse). And as I plotted that out, I thought, maybe I need to be aware of the wiring for the turntable before doing this (+- sides).
> 
> ...


Mark, 
There is a night and day difference between the two turntables.
The manual turntable with a motor kit will not even compare to the digital version.
The digital is self aligning and polarity correcting.


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## Just-a-Guy (Feb 11, 2013)

OK, thanks, guys. 

This sure is an expensive hobby....


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

On the other hand, we think nothing of spending hundreds on the latest locomotive with all the bells and whistles...

Buy the digital turntable......if you get the other one, you know you'll only want to upgrade it later anyway......think of it this way..... you'll save the $40 the other one would have cost if you bought it first! :laugh:


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## Zero Cool (Dec 4, 2013)

I have a 90 foot turntable that I bought off of ebay. I believe its electronic but it did not come with a control box. Pm me if you're interested, and I can send you some pics.


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## BK R (Dec 8, 2012)

I fitted a Bauchmann t/table, it works well....but....it's too short for some of my bigger steamers. :smilie_daumenneg:


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## Just-a-Guy (Feb 11, 2013)

BK R said:


> I fitted a Bauchmann t/table, it works well....but....it's too short for some of my bigger steamers. :smilie_daumenneg:


We just bought a J Class 4-8-4 that won't even begin to fit on the 90' TT. And we're saving our pennies for an MTC Big Boy. But my 9 year old wanted a turntable and roundhouse, and we had to figure out how to fit it into a fairly small layout space (about 5 by 9). The 130 would overwhelm the layout and we'd have to sacrifice other components. At least the 90 gets us in the business, and there's a lot of engines that will fit. 

PM sent to ZC, thanks. 

Mark


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