This page describes how I built my first scratch-built turntable. In 2001 I bought the Diamond Scale Products turntable, motor kit, and indexing kit. This was a fairly pricey investment, but at the time I thought it was worth it. I started building the turntable itself, and soon found it to be a very difficult project. The instructions that come with the kit are not easy to follow, and it truly is a "master-craftsman" type of kit. In the end I was unable to create a bridge that ran smoothly over the turntable pit rail. I gave up. Over the years I have moved, and the turntable disappeared. I did still have the motor and indexing kits. Here are a couple of photos of the original Diamond Scale turntable as far as I made it.

For the project described here, I plan to use as many of the parts from the original Diamond Scale kit as appropriate to control the turntable mechanically and electrically. The topics below cover the different parts to building this turntable.

1. Assembly of the Diamond Scale Products motor kit
2. Scratch-built turntable base
3. Scratch-built turntable bridge
4. Electronics to control the turntable
5. Detailing turntable bridge
6. Bridge Control Cabin

References

• The History of North American Rail
  On page 273 is a photo of tourist attraction of a replica 1800's steam locomotive on a turntable. About half of the turntable is visible. It is in good condition and could help in modeling the bridge boards and safety railings. Page 294 of that same book shows a low-angle shot of a turntable at the Bangor depot in Maine. This is a working version and clearly shows the bridge structure over the center of the bridge.
• Diamond Scale Products
• NYRS makes an indexing kit for turntables
• Custom Model Railroads
• AAA Turntables
• Scratchbuilding a turntable cheaply
• Build your own optical servo for indexing