How to Make a Train Turntable
Building a model railroad turntable can be simple -- or almost as complicated as building a real rail switch yard. It all comes down to how complicated your model is. For some enthusiasts, authentic miniature panoramas of existing landscapes are the setting for their model railroad. Often, the train set is the least complicated thing involved in the panorama. If you just like to run your trains and want to spice things up a little, adding a turntable to your set is an easy matter. You can get a Lazy Susan at most large department or housewares stores and the other supplies at a hobby shop.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Lazy Susan
- Measuring tape or ruler
- Soft pencil
- 1/4-inch foam core board
- X-Acto knife
- Glue
Instructions
-
-
1
Find a Lazy Susan with a diameter similar to the size you want to make your turntable.
-
2
Use the measuring tape to bisect the Lazy Susan, drawing a straight line down the center. Measure how wide you need a center path to be for your train to run through unimpeded. Mark lines parallel to the center bisection to form that width.
-
-
3
Measure and cut two pieces of foam core board with the X-Acto knife to fit each side of the outer rim of the Lazy Susan, then glue them to each edge. Use the knife to trim off any excess so that the edges of the foam board are flush with the Lazy Susan.
-
4
Measure the length of each of the parallel lines. Then cut two rectangles from the foam core board, each as long as the parallel lines and 1 inch wider than the height of your tallest train. You will use these as walls on each side of the track on the Lazy Susan.
-
5
Glue the track for the turntable down the center of the Lazy Susan. Let it dry and then glue the walls you have made from the foam core board into place. Let them dry.
-
6
Measure the distance between the inner edges of the two walls. Make one more rectangle of foam core board, 1/16-inch longer than the distance between the inner edges of the wall and at least 1/4-inch wide. Glue this to the inner edges between the top of the walls to form a sort of handle and let it dry.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
If you already have a train set display set up, you will need to cut a recess in it and suspend support braces beneath the Lazy Susan to make your turntable flush. If you are building a new display, you can use foam panels to support the tracks at the same level as the Lazy Susan. Foam core boards come in a variety of colors, so you can choose one that matches the theme of the rest of your display. The walls and handle of the turntable you made allow you to manually turn the table to set your trains on whichever set of tracks you want to direct them on. Train set turntable kits are available at hobby shops.
If you cut a hole into an existing display to fit the turntable into, make sure to check that the track on the turntable is flush with the rest of your table before permanently securing the support braces beneath the Lazy Susan.
References
- Photo Credit Efield/Valueline/Getty Images
