# Atlas HO Gauge Turntable Motor Drive



## trainguybob (Feb 7, 2011)

I have an Atlas Turntable which I am trying to automate. I followed all the instructions but it still will not work. HELP
When I apply power to the motor I get no reaction,the motor doesn't operate I just get a humming sound which seem that the motor wants to run but doesn't. I think it could be a loose wire or something is jammed.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Bob,

No experience / advice here from me (sorry), but ...

You should try to describe the symptoms and problems further. Mechanical binding? Motor issue? Control issue? Spell it out ...

Photos will help in a response, too.

TJ


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

I've got the same turntable/elec motor. What kind of switch are you using to run it? It won't turn in either direction? Did the turntable rotate freely with the supplied manual crank?


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## trainguybob (Feb 7, 2011)

*Atlas turntable/motor*

The turntable works with the manual crank.I use an on/off switch to start and stop the motor and AC power not DC. The motor worked for about one day then stopped.

Bob


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## mr_x_ite_ment (Jun 22, 2009)

Bob,

Like TJ, I do not have any experience with this either. I do own the Atlas manual turntable that sits on top of the table (9" diameter). I assume this is the one you own too. I do not, however, have the motor on it for automatic turning. I have always just turned it by hand.

I would tend to focus on the simple things first, like a binding problem (did it turn easily by hand before motor was installed?). Could the motor be wired backwards or something? Does whatever gear or cog on the shaft of the motor make good contact with the gear on the turntable? Could there be some stripped gear somewhere? Sorry I can't be of more help...this is all I can think of for now.

Chad


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

Almost positive mine is wired into my DC mainline circuit.

Here's a link to a blog about wiring that sucker.

http://www.thomasgloger.com/RundHseW.htm


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## mr_x_ite_ment (Jun 22, 2009)

I just took a look under the crank on my manual turntable, and it has a square shaft coming up into a square housing on the crank. It could be such a thing that the housing the shaft fits in has rounded out.

Chad


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## tkruger (Jan 18, 2009)

I do not have the Atlas table. What I do have is the Walther motorized transfer table. That has to have DC current connected to it or it will not work. If you connect AC it will just hum. I use an Bachman kit power supply so that I can both control the speed and reverse the direction by just turning a dial.


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## jzrouterman (Nov 27, 2010)

trainguybob said:


> I have an Atlas Turntable which I am trying to automate. I followed all the instructions but it still will not work. HELP
> When I apply power to the motor I get no reaction,the motor doesn't operate I just get a humming sound which seem that the motor wants to run but doesn't. I think it could be a loose wire or something is jammed.


I have the Atlas HO turntable, and the problem that you have described sounds very simular to what happened with mine when I first tried it out with the exception that it would run in one direction but would just hum when I tried to run it in the other direction. With mine, the problem turned out to be the little black rubber belt that wound around the motor's pulley wheels. It came off of the lowest pully wheel on the motor near the side closest to the turntable. 

I had to remove the motor and it's housing from the table and very delicately thread the little rubber belt back around all of the pullies. It was a real trick doing it. After I finally got it done, I then reinstalled the motor, and the turntable has been running like a clock, in both directions ever since. Also, an extra little belt came packed with the motor as well. 

jzrouterman


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