Six-track railroad locomotive transfer table - real world MOC

[Murdoch17]

I had a spare truss bridge model lying around and thought it could use a revamp. Then I thought of the turntable I had designed, and realized it could use a transfer table companion model.

Thus, this transfer table was finished just today. The whole table moves on four wheels at the edges and three guide-ways in the center. The model sits on four vintage 32 x 32 stud base-plates arranged in a square. I'm currently thinking about slicing up what's left of a gray 48 x 48 into a strip for the leading tracks to rest on.

The height from the track to the top of the truss-work is a hair shorter than 13 1/3 bricks tall, which is tall enough for most locomotives but not enough for cabooses, extra-tall double stacked container cars and double-decker lounge cars. The length of the table is four tracks long, which is plenty for any of my single-unit locomotives or official LEGO models. (Diesel cab and booster units will have to be split up to fit, however.)

In progress shot of me loading a 4-8-2 steam locomotive onto the table. Lining up the tracks as perfect as can be is key to keeping the loco on the rails and steady!

Moving any loco sideways is easy enough to do with one hand... lining it up and rolling the engine off, however, needs steady two hands and a good eye.

A better pic of it lined up at the shed track after unloading the steamer. Please NOTE: There is a two stud gap (and a bit of incline) between table and lead-in track: It is NOT 100% flat!

Comments, suggestions, complaints, and compliments are always welcome!

Edited August 28, 2018 by Murdoch17

[Murdoch17]

(sorry for the slight bump)

I worked on my locomotive transfer table today, adding four signal lights to the top and revising some parts of the dark bluish gray frame. The moving table still sticks occasionally when hitting a slight bump in the guide-tiles of the frame, but it works pretty well most of the time. Right now the still-unfinished 2-6-0+0-6-2 Garratt steam loco is taking the table for a spin.... er... slide?

(I played with the contrast on the picture a bit in Google photos, as it had turned out darker than I thought it would in it's original state.)

Any thoughts?

[ColletArrow]

How about replacing the tiles with rail sections and wheels, like the lower half of the 60052 crane? You would get a beautifully smooth slide then, I feel looking at it currently it is going to be very heavy and stiff to move, especially with a loco on it. You should add some hinge plates to keep it locked in position when loading/unloading, however, similar to the real things.

[Murdoch17]

11 hours ago, ColletArrow said:

How about replacing the tiles with rail sections and wheels, like the lower half of the 60052 crane? You would get a beautifully smooth slide then, I feel looking at it currently it is going to be very heavy and stiff to move, especially with a loco on it. You should add some hinge plates to keep it locked in position when loading/unloading, however, similar to the real things.

I just finished tiling the center studded section with three 8x16 and eight 1x8 tiles which seems to have solved the locking issue: it glides much better now. If it does seize up again like it did at some point in the future I'll consider doing as you suggested, but right now the funds just aren't there for redoing the transfer table. Thanks for your suggestion though!

[Murdoch17]

BUMP:

A year and some change since opening this topic, and it still looks like brand new, even though it's actually just been thoroughly dusted.

Anyway, as you can see, the center lane has been fully tiled, and there are now three track-lanes on each side of the table for tracks to approach the traverser.

 

Any thoughts on this?

[JopieK]

I would add those 1x4 gear racks in case of a transfer table so a motor could make the bridge move. LEGOLAND Günzburg had those gear racks in stock two weeks ago but that is a bit far from Missouri of course, so probably Bricklink will help.

[Roadmonkeytj]

I agree with the comments some single rail placed strategicly would look good ... I like the traverser honestly