If anyone is looking for a turntable, here may be your chance:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/HeritageRailAlliance/permalink/2356422451053433/
http://files.cityofportsmouth.com/files/planning/apps/BartlettSt_105/BartlettSt_105_CC_StateWetlands_111418.pdf
(Photo of turntable is on page 47 of the PDF above.)

I have no other information on this, nor any personal connection to this effort. I had not seen this publicized elsewhere, so I am sharing it here.

As the HRA Facebook page is a "closed" (i.e. members-only) group, could you kindly repost a synopsis of the info there here? The PDF gives a lot of bureaucracy but no info specific to the TT other than the photo.

The HRA Facebook page provides no further information - just a link to the document which I provided.

I suggest that anyone with serious interest in the turntable contact the engineering firm that prepared the document, or the City of Portsmouth NH Planning Department.

Hi
On the information that I have the Turntable in Portsmouth, NH is only a 70 footer. But by looking at the photos it will need a lot of work, hopefully, it will find another home, instead of being cut up.

Hello Pat,

Is the turntable 70', or 65' ?

This thread from 2010 seemed to suggest it was only a 65' turntable.

http://rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=30162

I'm hoping your information is correct. A 70' turntable is better than a 65'. I'm worried that the pivot mechanism might be in horrible condition due to the turntable's coastal location and the often water-filled pit.

I'd love to see the turntable get saved (if it is still in good condition).

I found other info on line that it's 65'.

That would be very limited on who could use it.

Here's one link http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo ... key=steveh

Hi All
The turntable in Portsmouth, NH is a 70 footer, according to the information I found from the Boston & Maine Historical Society.
The turntable is large enough to turn B&M class P-2 Pacific's and smaller power, so the 65-foot information that was found on the web is incorrect, please see my attachment.

In 1988 I worked for the engineering company in the old brewery not far from the table. The table was in pretty good shape at that time but the brick enginehouse roof was caving in. When I went by last summer it was almost impossible to even see the table due to vegetation, and the old enginehouse had about disappeared.
I note that the turntable list from the historical society omits the table that used to exist at Lawrence; I wonder why? I last saw that back in the very early '60's before it and the other facilities were demolished. Some of the radial tracks were visible until recently behind the ice rink.
The table at Concord, N.H., still exists, or did until recently, intact, in the scrapyard adjacent to the mainline. It's joined in the scrap yard by some old Army trucks from my company in the 18th/39th Engineer Battalion at Fort Devens. Now they bring back some memories!
Ned

Turntables have been known to be lengthened. The former turntable used by the Knox & Kane Railroad had been lengthened 10 feet (5 feet at each end).

Using the measurement tool in Google Maps, I measure the pit right at 70' in diameter.

The document references Clipper Traders LLC as the applicant for the wetlands permit. Googling that reveals some articles (these being just some):

https://www.seacoastonline.com/news/20180516/120-unit-apartment-proposal-returns-to-portsmouth-planning-board
https://www.seacoastonline.com/news/20180429/apartment-project-raises-concern-in-portsmouth

These reference a project plan to construct a 120 unit apartment complex.



Also found a reference to "Clipper Traders, LLC, owner, Great Rhythm Brewing Company". That is the neighboring brewery noted earlier in this thread.

In August, the rezoning of the property was approved:

https://www.seacoastonline.com/news/20180820/portsmouth-oks-rezoning-of-bartlett-st-property

In November subdivision approval:

https://www.seacoastonline.com/news/20181119/bartlett-st-apartment-plan-gains-key-approval

That article seems to indicate that at that time the developer had not yet purchased the property from the railroad (Boston and Maine).

the wetland permit is apparently the next the next step in the process. Page 6 line 7 of the application:



This is the historical reviews process under the National Historic Preservation Act.

Page 9 seems to indicate that the railroad still owns at least part of the property. I would hazard an educated guess that the railroad still owns the turntable at this point (Boston and Maine, owned by Pan Am Railways.)

Christopher- Actually the old brewery is now an office building at 1 Cate St., slightly WSW and across the street. A beautiful building. I think it shows as an architects office now but it once was owned by the company for whom I once worked!
The wreckage just to the NE of the barely-discernible turntable is what's left of the old roundhouse.
Ned

OK. The Great Rhythm Brewing Company (owned by the pursuant developer) is the building right next to the turntable.

The turntable at Owosso, MI, is a lengthened one. It could handle the Daylight in 2009....