# B&O turntable in action



## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

Neat vid, showing how smoothly this table still operates.

Near 6:50 they bring out their camelback.






===>Cliffy


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Great care of history...
Sure are purdy...
Look how small that hi stepper is behind a small diesel...
Darn...that Camelback is sure tall....

Thanks C.


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## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

Thank's for post Cliff.. neat video...


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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

You bet, Noel. And Dirk, I sure love that 4-4-0 "hi stepper" as you call it... the V&T had a number of them. And you're right, it does look tiny...

I should have mentioned that this was the roundhouse that half-collapsed in the blizzard of '03. At least one loco was really wiped, but they've done a remarkable job restoring everything in just a decade. 

http://www.wbaltv.com/news/maryland...ippling-snowstorm-B-O-Museum-thrives/18566076


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Well you deserve some hi-stepping locos on your fine layout Cliff..

That looks like great V&T country...

D


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## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

Very cool Cliff, I found several other videos of them pushing the table around, including one of the little work derick I want to build some day. 
We should run up there sometime and check it out again

Jerry


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Tsk Tsk Winas built a Camel. The other locos with a split cabs are camel backs.... and they come in all sizes!

Mik went over this all the time....

John


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

So ...second pic!!

That's some kinda "tiny engineer" there....

;-)


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Old enuf to oil all around near the ground!
Yah poppy, out of a dozen or so camel back pics, I'm drawn to the little man on take your son to work day. He went in on purpose...

John


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

People were shorter back then.... ?


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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

Hey Jerry, yeah -- let's do that some day soon. Are you involved up there? Like, in their outdoor g-gauge layout?



Totalwrecker said:


> Old enuf to oil all around near the ground!


John and Dirk, I'm having trouble following all that, maybe it's because I'm too young... love the pics though John... You say you're old enough to have been oiling some of them?? 

Maybe I'm misunderstanding....


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

It's me... was taking tests at Pulmonary today. When told to breathe normally, I stop breathing normally... to maintain the long exhale, I slowed my heart rate. Still light headed I be. 
Let it go like a bad joke. Just something about the little guy 
Anonymous speculation....


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

They were shorter...????!! Ya right...

must be why cabs and cars were so short ..eh!!

;-)


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Nothing wrong with My trail...
It's all quite clear..as a bell in the sun...
Clear your mind..n try gain Cliff!!!

Try to keep up ....Please...oh fritty phlease....

;-)


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

I will never admit to being ...influenced ...by my grandchilden...

Never....

Take the trip with Jer..this weekend Cliff...!!!
....just do it....


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

CliffyJ said:


> You bet, Noel. And Dirk, I sure love that 4-4-0 "hi stepper" as you call it... the V&T had a number of them. And you're right, it does look tiny...
> 
> I should have mentioned that this was the roundhouse that half-collapsed in the blizzard of '03. At least one loco was really wiped, but they've done a remarkable job restoring everything in just a decade.
> 
> http://www.wbaltv.com/news/maryland...ippling-snowstorm-B-O-Museum-thrives/18566076


The 4-4-0 is "William Mason" and it is operable. The film companies borrow it and pay for the restoration! Remember "Wild Wild West" with Will Smith ?


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## honeybooboo (Jan 10, 2014)

Now that's a cool video.

Boo Boo


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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

Hi Pete, thanks for that, and great to meet you yesterday at Jerry's, and witness your USAT Hudson. Are you involved with the goings-on at the Baltimore museum and / or it's G-gauge layout?


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

CliffyJ said:


> Hi Pete, thanks for that, and great to meet you yesterday at Jerry's, and witness your USAT Hudson. Are you involved with the goings-on at the Baltimore museum and / or it's G-gauge layout?


I worked as a Docent for 5 years or so - until the roof collapsed. Afterwards, the Insurance company took notice and made some rules, such as proper safety training, etc. The Museum didn't think it as worth the effort to 'hire' volunteers who only came in a few times a year, so they dropped people like me. (Then I moved to Florida for the winters!)

I did have fun while I was there. Worked the trains on Steam Days, rode the cabs, etc. I even pushed the turntable round once - before it was rebuilt after the roof collapse.

Here's a couple of photos taken at different times.





















In the background is #25, all fancied up for a movie, but in steam. It was rebuilt with a new boiler for the 1927 Centennial. Lafayette and Tom Thumb are 'new build' locos dating from the same show. I don't know whether any has a current boiler certificate. They use the 'St Elizabeth' loco nowadays.










[I know, a bit off topic, but the thread author asked!]

A funny story (or two) about the Garden Railway out in the back. It was originally sponsored by the local Train Shop (MB Klein) and was mostly Aristocraft equipment. Then they expanded it and added the west loop. They wouldn't let me run my live steamers - said we'd dirty the track!
One day someone turned up with a USAT "Hudson" - must have been when they first came out. It ran fine until it got to the big truss bridge over the tracks below, where we discovered someone had wired a voltage drop in to the track so that trains wouldn't run away downhill. The Hudson just crawled - I mean really, really slow - over the bridge and down the hill. We couldn't find anyone to adjust the voltage, so he just had to live with it.


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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

Great pics and stories Pete!

Thanks!


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## Cooke (Aug 26, 2012)

Pete,

Did the turntable have a handle to turn it or was the method to use one's feet, pushing along the pit wall? What was the trap door for where there is a man standing in the video for? 

Patrick


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Cooke said:


> Pete,
> 
> Did the turntable have a handle to turn it or was the method to use one's feet, pushing along the pit wall? What was the trap door for where there is a man standing in the video for?
> 
> Patrick


 Patrick,
In Cliffy's cover photo, the guys walking around are taking out the rubber strip along the edge and unscrewing the jacks that hold the table steady.

At about 1:55 you see two guys - one down the hole enclosed (usually) by the trapdoor and the other clearly pushing with his feet to help the first guy. Down the hole is the usual single rail on ties supporting the wheels at the ends of the turntable bridge which supports the track. The guy in the hole is pushing against a big cross-timber that runs at right angles to the bridge, bracing his feet against the ties.

By 2:10 they are both clearly taking it easy, as the turntable pivots on a very large ball bearing it moves very smoothly and just needs to get moving against the inertia. Stopping it in the right place is tricky - the guy pushing has to turn round and push backwards, and it is a long way from the target track to where he is standing.

Fun though - we used to do demos once a year so I got a turn. To impress the visitors, we had the girl from the shop come and push sometimes!


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## scoooterc (Jul 21, 2014)

Cool Video..


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