Western Railroad Discussion > Vancouver Bypass Turntable

I heard quite often that no one builds locomotive turntables anymore, but here's one they just installed in Vancouver, Washington, as part of the Vancouver Bypass project. The turntable itself was moved from a location a few hundred feet south (and before that, it was in the BN yard in Portland), but the pit is all new. This was one of the last projects I worked on before retiring as a civil engineer. It's nice to see that it's being constructed, even though very slowly.

Stan Praisewater

---

Fantastic to see a shiny new turntable pit in the 21st century! Did the table have to be measured or were the plans still on hand to design around? Do you know if there are particular needs of the railroad here that require a turntable? I was wondering if turning plows, or side-based maintenance that require engines to be turned one way or another cause them to keep it up and running.

thanks! i was just in vancouver and also checked this out! question, will the new bypass tracks run to the west or east of the turntable? im guessing to the east, but this seems it would require cutting into the hillside to the east. so it appears that the bypass tracks are still a couple years off?

ill tell you what, it's amazing the changes that have already taken place in that yard in the last few years.

to the OP, congrats on your work and on your retirement

The bypass track will go around the east side of both yards. What I saw today is that most of the bypass track north of 39th street is under construction. The hillside has been cut back and retained for a few years. The short section of the bypass track south of 11th St has also been constructed. The most difficult part is between Fourth Plain and Mill Plain Blvds. It appeared today that nothing has yet been done.

The area where the south legs of the wye will go has been partially cleared. The permanent passenger platform used for boarding the Empire Builder has been constructed. A temporary asphalt platform has been constructed in front of the permanent concrete platform. Eventually, both tracks will be relocated farther north in order to increase the radius and boost track speed from 10 to 25 mph.

Stan Praisewater

Perhaps the 1st new "real" turntable installed in the U.S. in the last 10-20-30 years??

coach Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Perhaps the 1st new "real" turntable installed in
> the U.S. in the last 10-20-30 years??


Negative. In the last about 5 years I can think of at least 2 others.

Jerry Jacobson's Age of Steam Roundhouse in Ohio. I don't know if it was all new or not. At least probably a used table but definitely a new pit.

The KCS at Knoche Yard in Kansas City, MO installed a 100% brand new table at their diesel service facility.

These are just 2 right off the top of my head. I'm sure there are probably others that people can add to the list.

CP put in a new one in Mason City, IA, and another pre-bent circle of rails was there last summer, apparently for the ring rail at another location. I posted a photo of this location a couple of months ago on TO. - - - JLH

Nice to see the turntable you told me about the other night. Great seeing you again Stan.

Of course. After all, your mother and my mother are both mothers.

Stan

This isn't a new turntable. It has been rebuilt but definitely not new. It was originally at the Hoyt Street yard, built originally to allow the 700 class steam engines to be turned and moved in the early 90's when Hoyt Street then became what it is now known as the Pearl District. It was later moved Vancouver near the fueling tracks. It was moved once again at some point in its life (can't recall exactly) and now its most recent move/location as of last month.

The purpose of this is mostly to turn road power and freight cars that must be positioned in a certain way in Camas.

The turntable at Hinkle, OR came from Ogden, UT. It was extensively rebuilt, shipped to Hinkle via I-84 (Intermountain Rigging & HeavyHaul) and installed in the new pit in August 1998.

nicknack Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Fantastic to see a shiny new turntable pit in the
> 21st century! Did the table have to be measured
> or were the plans still on hand to design around?
> Do you know if there are particular needs of the
> railroad here that require a turntable? I was
> wondering if turning plows, or side-based
> maintenance that require engines to be turned one
> way or another cause them to keep it up and
> running.


On a project like this you never, ever just trust the plans. You go out and measure the sucker, very carefully and very precisely!

NS built a new one in Atlanta Ga not too long ago

This was my project, small minor issue that lasted for 10 years.