Once again I call on the members of the rail fan community for assistance. Some time ago toward the beginning of the year I posted looking for turntables for sale. I thank all for the leads that were given.

Currently I am in search of a turntable that is a minimum of 80 foot in length and is for sale or possibly could be for sale. Prefer the eastern part of the US but may go as far as Chicago etc.

This turntable will be used in the new quarter roundhouse to be built at the Altoona Railroaders museum on which to turn the K-4 after it arrives from Steamtown. Any and all leads will be investigated. Thanks to everybody who helped in the past and thank you in advance to those you have information this time. Please e-mail me or post on the Interchange.

smkey5209@aol.com

Ed,

I believe that there are several turntables stored at the Black Hills Central Railroad in South Dakota. When I last saw them in 1996, they didn't seem to be doing anything with them. Also, there is a 78' turntable for sale at a railcar site, here is the link-

http://www.iltransit.com/locomotives.html

Hope This Helps, Taylor

thrush@smt-net.com

Ed,
there is a turntable buried in Chester, VT (intended for use by Steamtown, but the ground was too soft). It came from Bellows Falls. Also,
the 90' "Rutland" table which was moved to
Steamtown's Riverside location, was moved north to Burlington, VT after Steamtown moved to PA,
and may still be around.
Steve


sjhussar@aol.com

Ed,
I was a member of The Reading Company Technical & Historical Society (RCT&HS) . The RCT&HS recently saved The Reading Railroad's Saucom Creek Roundhouse's turntable. The roundhouse was just torn down, also the tracks were torn up! It is a shame that such a roundhouse was torn down in this new age of railroad preservation! Anyway, the RCT&HS has the turntable stored still on the site. They saved it for there plans on building a new site. I am not sure what the size of the table is, but if you are interested I am sure I can find out.

Hope this helps you, also, Aaron B.

norfolk_western_611@hotmail.com

How about some photos of Saucon Creek roundhouse being torn down? I'm not very familiar with it, but it seems a shame. Anyone have more details on why it couldn't be saved?

> I was a member of The Reading Company
> Technical & Historical Society
> (RCT&HS) . The RCT&HS recently saved
> The Reading Railroad's Saucom Creek
> Roundhouse's turntable. The roundhouse was
> just torn down, also the tracks were torn
> up! It is a shame that such a roundhouse was
> torn down in this new age of railroad
> preservation! Anyway, the RCT&HS has the
> turntable stored still on the site. They
> saved it for there plans on building a new
> site. I am not sure what the size of the
> table is, but if you are interested I am
> sure I can find out.

> Hope this helps you, also, Aaron B.


bobyar2001@yahoo.com

If I recall, the Chester table was only 64 feet long. It had to have short extensions to the rails to turn a USRA 2-8-2. Last I knew it was still buried at Chester. The Rutland 90-footer was being installed as a road bridge beside the barge canal lift bridge in Burlington when I left the VTR in January 1999.

> there is a turntable buried in Chester, VT
> (intended for use by Steamtown, but the
> ground was too soft). It came from Bellows
> Falls. Also,
> the 90' "Rutland" table which was
> moved to
> Steamtown's Riverside location, was moved
> north to Burlington, VT after Steamtown
> moved to PA,
> and may still be around.
> Steve


bobyar2001@yahoo.com

When the Western Maryland roundhouse in Hagerstown was torn down the turntable was donated to the Rounhouse Museum foundation. The last I heard it was sitting up against the wall of a building. I don't know how to get in touch with the Hagerstown people, but I'm sure someone on this board does.

kevingillespie@usa.net

Bob,
do you happen to know if the table is still in up
in Sanbornville, NH? (the one installed by the
Wolfeboro RR) Didn't that come from the B&M in
Keene, NH? It could be the right length...
Steve


sjhussar@aol.com

Bob,
Since you seem interested I will give you all the information the Reading Company Technical & Historical Society (RCT&HS) has to offer. First off I would like to tell you that the turntable is 100'! The RCT&HS has a lot of information on their website (Which is included in the link below, Caution it will take awhile to download!) . Their is a lot of great pictures on the website, including pictures of the roundhouse before it was tore down (The pictures are from 1998, giving you the idea that the roundhouse has just been removed!) , pictures of the huge, still intact, coaling tower, and finally pictures of the turntable removal! Also the roundhouse was torn down for redevelopment of the site. I have visited this site when I went to The Great Allentown Train Show, and it was very interesting. You can still see the old mainline tracks back in the distance! I urge all RYPN users to visit the link below!



http://www.readingrailroad.org/tt_story.htm
norfolk_western_611@hotmail.com

I seem to recall the Keene table was only 50 feet long. There is a motorcar group that shares the Wolfeborough right-of-way with trails people, but I do not know if they ever finished installation of the table at Sanbornville, or if they use it. Two sad stories here. The Wolfeboro RR was a neat little line that deserved to live (most of it still exists, in bad condition) and the Keene shops were a gem of Victorian architecture that should have become a historic railroad site rather than being developed into retail outlets -- expensive ski jackets and sneakers are now displayed in the arch-top doors where 4-4-0s once entered, while a real B&M 4-4-0 sits outdoors about 50 miles to the north. Nelson Blount was too busy building his fantasy steam railroad attraction and no one else, to my knowledge, even suggested the shops might become a rail museum.

bobyar2001@yahoo.com

I'm almost 100% sure that the RCT&HS turntable is not for sale. It was removed with the intention of using it for their future museum.

mshirk@DELETEix.netcom.com

> I'm almost 100% sure that the RCT&HS
> turntable is not for sale. It was removed
> with the intention of using it for their
> future museum.

Mike,
I am aware of this fact. I just think it is a very interesting article and thought, plus the turntable is too big.

Did they decide on which site they are planning on building the new museum?

Also what about the Reading, Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad's turntable at Port Clinton, PA? It is operable, but I can't remember how big it is!

Aaron B.


http://www.readingrailroad.org/tt_story.htm
norfolk_western_611@hotmail.com

I worked as a volunteer on the Wolfeboro Railroad a few summers (the last few it was operating). The
turntable was used occasionally, but I wasn't sure
it was still there after all these years. It sat for so many years after the RR closed, I thought it possibly it was left in the same state. Much to
my surprise, the town of Sanbornville has saved the table, and turned it into a park! The link below contains a photo of the Sanbornville turntable, as it is today. At least it hasn't been
torched. BTW, the 2-6-2 #250 is going to Edaville
for static display. Anyone know if the turntable in Sanbornville is the 50 footer from Keene, NH that Bob mentioned?


Sanbornville Turntable Park
sjhussar@aol.com

This link should work better...
Also, didn't Blount's first operation start in Keene, NH? (Monadnock Northern?) Why didn't they use the old roundhouse and table there?


Sanbornville Turntable Park
sjhussar@aol.com