Turning a Loco Around

[Ard Lochan]

What is the simplest way to turn a loco around, {apart from picking it up off the track}, I am running DCC and would like to have the loco swap ends of the rake from time to time and go in the opposite direction. Before I buy a turntable, would this work: Put the turntable in a passing loop, remove the power from the turntable track and rotate the table through 180 thus changing the direction of the loco? I do`nt wish to use the tuirtntable for any thing else, Regards, Ard

[2e0dtoeric]

That would work, but is not standard practice!

In real life, a turntable was near the end of a spur in the 'shed', or in the middle of a Round-house, where loco's were parked - for servicing, etc, as the loco had to move very slowly onto it.

In model life, you need to choose a 'table that is flat. The regular Hornby one sits above the baseboard level by about 1cm, so puts a little hump into the track which can cause derailment problems.

[westernwill]

You could buy a Reverse Loop Module and set up a small "Y" junction.

[Chrissaf]

Make the WYE suggested by WW wide enough and you could have the carriages sitting in one leg of it to aid the ability to move the loco to the other end of them. See drawing below for the concept.

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[Triumph Owner]

Used to happen in real life at Fratton. Now, if they get a steam excursion into Portsmouth they have to go all the way up to the railway triangle at Farlington to turn round.

 

Paul