Extruded Aluminum Train Table

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Feb 26, 2022
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Bill
I built my 16' x 22' Lionel O gauge train table from 2" x 2" aluminum extrusions manufactured by the 8020 Company. I was concerned that all the aluminum would interfere with the wireless signals being sent to the engines, etc., but there ended up being no problem at all. The framework bolts together with right angle brackets as pictured, and is extremely rigid. The legs have height adjustable leveling feet. Turntable is operated via laptop computer.
 

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Airborne01

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I love the fact that you all, 'The Cognoscenti' understand what you are all talking about! Train 'stuff' and, eg. Boatman's electronics make me feel like a total Muppet! Let's start a thread about Andalusian Earthworms or Cantabrian Cabbages - something nobody knows anything about! Maybe not ...
Steve
 

Tim Marlow

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Superb metalwork Bill. Is it permanent, or can you dismantle it? My experience was solely in portable club exhibition layouts, so they had to be taken down and moved from exhibition to exhibition. I never had room for a permanent set up…..
Interesting how times have changed as well. Your turntable is PC controlled. I only ever built one model railway turntable, and that was very crude and electromechanical in nature, but it was about thirty years ago ;)
 
Joined
Feb 26, 2022
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Bill
Tim -

All the aluminum framework could easily be dismantled. However, the scenery, scenery supports, wiring, etc. would be a big problem. I bought the turntable already 80% finished, so installing it was fairly easy. Getting the tracks lined up with the right gap and height was a bit harder. I had some CNC electronics left over from my business, and replaced the turntable's DC motor with a stepper motor. I haven't fully utilized the turntable yet. It can be made to go through a whole series of movements, stopping at a given track, and then moving to another track with a mouse click, etc., etc. Thus far, I have just used it for individual movements between tracks.
 
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