Manual Turntable

[Dick H]

We've all hears of turntables, but what do you do when you don't have one?
The Iyo Railway in Matsuyama, Japan has a rather ingenious solution. I call it a man-table.

Here's how it works.

A train heads toward the terminus at Dogo Onsen.

1) The train stops just before the switch for the crossing to go outbound. The cars are uncoupled.

2) The engine continues to the Pivot point, a special pad between the rails. A pivot is lowered from the engine and it raises it off the tracks.

3) The men push the engine around 180 degrees, then retract the pivot.

4) The engine is driven onto the crossing track and the cars are pushed down to just past the switch.

5) The engine is reversed and is re-coupled to the cars.

 

[ES44AC]

That's pretty much how we do it with some of the MOW track machines, unlock the turn table, the hydraulic cylinder drops the table, lifts the machine, then give it a spin by hand but the turn table has to be on a pair of good solid ties, and be on tangent track too.

 

[Eastern Railfan]

That is pretty ingenious! Nice set of photos too Dick!

 

[bcp]

Reminds me of one of the photos on John Allen's HO scale layout in the 1950's. The photo showed a very large man pushing a rail car and told how much more work they were getting done now that they had hired an O scale brakeman.

 

[LoganTrackdog]

Interesting. This is how we turn my ballast regulator. Exact same thing. I see they have spiked rail, but no tie plates? I know,I know, but us track guys notice stuff like that!

 

[Dick H]

Interesting. This is how we turn my ballast regulator. Exact same thing. I see they have spiked rail, but no tie plates? I know,I know, but us track guys notice stuff like that!

And us other guys have no idea of what you're talking about.
We (at least I) also have no idea what a ballast regulator is, but it sounds impressive.

 

[bcp]

Reversible Snow Plow:

 

[ES44AC]

Tie plates adds a wider foot to keep the rail from cutting into the ties and canting out, it adds stability for heavier trains.

New model Kershaw Ballast Regulator.
http://www.knoxkershaw.com/kbr925.html

 

[bcp]

Found the photo online at:

http://gdlines.com/GD_Galleries/Rolling_Stock/slides/24lumbertrack.html

Bruce

Reminds me of one of the photos on John Allen's HO scale layout in the 1950's. The photo showed a very large man pushing a rail car and told how much more work they were getting done now that they had hired an O scale brakeman.

 

[kenw]

Another gem! Thanx for posting this, Dick. Always enjoy your perspective.

 

[Jon Bentz]

I found some footage on YouTube that shows the armstrong switching moves at one end of the line. Very cool little tram line. The locomotive is German ( Krauss ).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfdBo_Str-Q&feature=related

 

[Dick H]

I found some footage on YouTube that shows the armstrong switching moves at one end of the line. Very cool little tram line. The locomotive is German ( Krauss ).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfdBo_Str-Q&feature=related

That's a great video. Thanks for the link.

Here's the manufacturer's plate.