Turntables in the early 20th Century.

NW Mailing List nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org
Sun Jan 13 22:43:44 EST 2008



Mark,

I can only tell you about the turntable in Durham, NC during the early
1900s. According to the N&W Annual Reports, a turntable was moved from
Williamston, WV to Durham, NC in the Durham District about 1905 (or '06). It was a 60
ft. turntable and was located at the Durham Shop which did not, nor ever did
have a roundhouse. It positioned locomotives over a couple of inspection
pits, a RIP track or two, and a storage track. I have seen this from drawings
in the Archives. It was removed sometime in the 1920s when longer locomotives
(than the Class Ts, Vs, Js (1st version) and other shorter locomotives) were
used and after the wye on the Durham Belt Line was completed. The Durham
Shops closed in the mid 1950s.

So I guess the answer to your inquiry is that turntables were not always
associated with roundhouses and the length of the turntable determined which
locomotives got turned. But I'll make a guess that the larger turntables were
needed at those shops which serviced the larger locomotives, which in turn
were needed to handle the traffic demand and had more servicing requirements
that a roundhouse afforded that a smaller shop like Durham could not provide.

It's your railroad. Determine your need is based on what the and build and
plan accordingly. Put a turntable in the size that will turn the locomotives
of the 1930s at your location and then give them a reason to be turned, be
it a roundhouse or outside service shop.

Take care,

chuck stewart
Bahama, NC
The old Lynchburg and Durham line.

In a message dated 1/13/2008 4:50:59 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org writes:

I am trying to justify a turntable for the model RR.

I'm modeling the 1930's (1934-1937 ish) and in the southwest part of VA.

If their were Turntables what were the Diameters?
Were they all associated with Roundhouses, or were any stand alones?




Mark Lindsey
Stuck in the 1930's







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