Remaining turntables in New England?

[crij]

As the Connecticut Eastern Railroad Museum is getting ready for the dedication of our Armstrong Turntable in early June, which we are calling `The Turn of the Century' has got me wondering about something.

In New England and the Tri-State Area are there any other Armstrong (hand turned) Turntables installed? I know there are at least 2 in Maine, Belfast & Moosehead Lake RR (recently re-installed) and on the Sandy River & Rangeley River RR. IIRC the SR&RR is the only other location that has an Armstrong table and a Roundhouse located on an original location.

Are there any other locations I have forgotten?

Thanks,

Rich Cizik
MoW Foreman
Blacksmith Shop Co-Head
Ct Eastern RR Museum
Willimantic, Ct 06226
http://www.cteastrrmuseum.org

[highrail]

I am not certain that it is an Armstrong, but there is a hand operated turntable still in existence in the North Stratford, NH area along Rt 3. I'll bet someone else could give the exact spot. It is right along the road and although there are some small trees blocking free movement I am told that it is operable. It is near the RR repair shop, the name of which escapes me.

[TomNelligan]

There was an Armstrong turntable at Pittsfield, Mass., on the New Haven RR's Berkshire Division. It was active until the end of the NH since it was used to turn the single FL9 that powered the weekend passenger trains (which became RDCs under Penn Central and vanished with the coming of Amtrak).

I'm guessing that there were a few others but none that I can recall at the moment.

[RRBUFF]

There is still a turntable at the old MEC engine house in Calais Me. There was a discussion about this in earlier forums.

[b&m 1566]

Was the turn table in Lexington, MA an Armstrong table or was that powered?

[Noel Weaver]

North Conway, NH on the Conway Scenic Railroad, don't know if this is a
hand operated or air operated but it is not electric.
Stamford, Connecticut had a hand operated turntable that outlasted the
hand operated turntable in Pittsfield by several years. The Stamford
turntable lasted well into the 1970's and maybe even the early 1980's.
Noel Weaver

[Guilford Guy]

Portsmouth NH.
Brian, I can safely say that the Lexington TT was armstrong. It was rarely used at all after trains stopped terminating at Lexington and ran straight to Bedford where they could wye them. By the early 40's it was no longer in regular use.

[truman]

High rail; The term "armstrong" indicates a hand operated table. Railroad humor, or sarcasm, you pick.

Noel Weaver; Conways table is Pneumatic.

I don't know if its still there, but there was a turntable in Sanbornville NH.

[NHN503]

The Sanbornville (Wakefield) turntable is still there, and still operated as an Armstrong. We use it to turn motorcars during the rare times we run to downtown, which is generally during Wakefield Days offering rides.

[Ron Newman]

Where was the Lexington turntable? Is there any remaining sign that it used to be there?

[crij]

So, unless there is anything other then foundations in Pittsfield or Lexington, Mass, I guess it would be safe to call ourselves the only Armstrong Turntable in Southern New England.

Does anyone know of any ATTs in the New Jersey or New York Tri-State Area (CT being the third)?

Thanks,

Rich C.

[Ron Newman]

How close is it to the Wakefield commuter train station? Can passengers see it easily from the train?

[Tom coughlin]

The BAR turntable in E Millinocket, ME was an armstrong. It might still be there.

[b&m 1566]

Where was the Lexington turntable? Is there any remaining sign that it used to be there?

The turn table was located across from the train station on the north end next to Meriam St. which is now a parking lot; there are no remains.
My girlfriend’s stepfather has a map of Lexington center dating back to the late 1800's to early 1900's. Lexington had a decent size rail yard located in the same confines of what now makes up a parking lot. The turn table was strictly for turning the engines there were no other tracks branching off of it. In fact the one stall engine house was part of the station which was located on the southern end where the entrance to the parking lot is today.

[bigbronco85]

I've been meaning to see whats left of the one in Portsmouth-

I was also shown by Scott Currier the remains of a roundhouse and turntable somewhere near Route 28 in Lawrence once, don't know much details on that but it was basically a dirt lot that still had rails pointing from where the turntable was to where the roundhouse had stood.