How popular were transfer tables in North America?

With Walthers pushing their 'Built Up' Transfer table/Rail Shops Kits; then coming across a video of French switchers on the 'traverser' (Transfer table) at Limoges Depot (not all that exciting ); then seeing a view of LIRR's Morris Park shops (there was a big discussion thread about the Morris Park transfer table years ago - from the linked Live Local view, the Back shops (MU & Car shops) are gone, and the Western-most Transfer table filled in & paved over for maintainence storage - but the eastern one still remains, and looks operational if a bit grungy - it got me wondering just how common transfer tables were - looking back through old railroad.net threads (searched via "transfer table") there mention of a few operating ones (SEPTA Woodland Depot; Amtrak Wilmington; Logansport, Indiana (car rebuilder); Arkansas Railroad Musuem (former Cotton Belt)), questions about former ones (especially in Philadelphia), and rumors of a new one to be build by SRNJ.
So, anyone have any ideas of (raw!) numbers at their peak (whenever that was), or even a guess at a ratio between turntables and transfer table counts (I realize they don't really do the same job, but still). Wiki, as one may guess in this situation, isn't much help...

This may not be interesting to you, but there's one in Charlotte, NC at the NS Roadway Equipment Shops. There are about 5 tracks in there ( 9 thru 13). However, it's not for locomotives ; it shifts track machinery such as Tampers, spike pullers, Ballast Regulators, and various cranes. The "back shop" actually consists of MORE than those 5 tracks. There are 8 additional tracks back there and there is a shuttle back there called "The Rabbit" that moves along a track in front of the original shop tracks. There are additional "stub" tracks that go into the work bays. There are a kind of "rail" (2 of them) that swings out and over the stub tracks and allows the track machine to come down off the "Rabbit" into the various bays 1 thru 8. Additionally, this "Rabbit is on a track that meshes with and meets the transfer table so that a machine can be taken off a flat car at the other end of the facility via this "Rabbit". Powered by a small diesel engine, the shuttle then shifts the on-track equipment into one of the old shop bays OR into the new, bigger shop at the other end. Seamlessly, the rabbit "boards" the transfer table and the table then lines with the correct track. Works pretty well---except for the time they were working on a Tamper machine (modifying the brake system just south of the transfer table and the brakes FAILED!!! The transfer table was NOT lined to a shop track and the machine fell into the pit causing minor injuries to the men who had to jump clear! Much consternation and recriminations over THAT one! It didn't do the track machine any good, either! They published a local rule that stated that anytime a machine occupied ANY track within 25 (?) yards of the transfer table, it MUST be lined to the corresponding shop track, blue flag protection applied, and any and all chains and gates secured!

I know most of you are only interested in locomotives, but I thought you might want to know there was still a transfer that's still VERY active on NS. In that same shop, there's a 100 ton crane that used to lift steam locomotives on N & W if that counts.

Gadfly

The CNJ had a pretty big one, on the back of the E'Port shops, that connected the enginehouse to the TM shop, and to the carshops. The LV had one at Sayre for the loco shops, and there might have been a second one at the carshops as well. Anyplace that did large quantities of work, could use them to move cars from one production area, to the next. It's easier to move the cars down a production/repair line, than to bring all of the parts and equipment, to the cars. I ran the table at E'Port on several occasions, and it operated the same as a turntable, with the added benefit of a giant hand operated brake lever, to stop the table from running off the ends, over the stops.

Gadfly wrote:I know most of you are only interested in locomotives, but I thought you might want to know there was still a transfer that's still VERY active on NS. In that same shop, there's a 100 ton crane that used to lift steam locomotives on N & W if that counts.

Well, hey, while admittedly I was looking for transfer tables used in Locomotive service, any transfer table which still handles railroad equipment is cool (indeed, the second transfer table at Morris Park was for the MU backshops, and the first was for the Car Shops - must have been interesting in action). I also suppose we should be surprized at how few pieces of equipment made it into the pits (well, maybe the recording of these mishaps for posterity was surpressed a bit...)

The old Pullman Co. shops in Pullman (Chicago) Ill had lots and lots of transfer tables.

http://www.pullman-museum.org/main/prg436.jpg

http://www.pullman-museum.org/main/prg515.jpg

http://www.pullman-museum.org/main/prg500.jpg

and here's one of the DL&W transfer table at Kingsland NJ

http://ebay.auction.co.kr/detail.html?I ... 0236613742

Sir Ray wrote:

Gadfly wrote:I know most of you are only interested in locomotives, but I thought you might want to know there was still a transfer that's still VERY active on NS. In that same shop, there's a 100 ton crane that used to lift steam locomotives on N & W if that counts.

Well, hey, while admittedly I was looking for transfer tables used in Locomotive service, any transfer table which still handles railroad equipment is cool (indeed, the second transfer table at Morris Park was for the MU backshops, and the first was for the Car Shops - must have been interesting in action). I also suppose we should be surprized at how few pieces of equipment made it into the pits (well, maybe the recording of these mishaps for posterity was surpressed a bit...)

I was working when that happened (mid to late 90's) and heard the BANG when the equipment went into the pit. Curious, I hopped on a forklift and rode around to the backshop to see the machine off down in the hole! There was a high-level supervisor in charge of the project and he, along with two other employees, had to jump clear when the brakes failed to work. They had been shuttling back and forth testing a new style of brake diaphram, running back along the track to the front of the shop, then going back TOWARDS the transfer table making service applications and "emergency" stops as well. The track they were using was just "open" with NO protection against the pit. On the last trip, the brakes FAILED and the machine was proceeding at a quick pace and they waited too long to make this "panic" stop. When they DID, there were NO brakes and little time to react. They had to JUMP receiving some minor scrapes and a turned ankle or two. Well, the investigation exonerated the contract employees (our union guys) and the blame was placed on the supervisor who received a negative "tic" on his record and, rumor has it, a very STERN scolding for his ignorance of blue flag protection and not properly lining the Transfer table to the track in use! But you're right, NS did not like to have that incident brought up for discussion.

Gadfly

I don't have actual numbers, but in the days of steam turntables would have far outnumbered transfer tables; in addition to every decent-sized engine terminal having a turntable, there were also turntables at the end of branch lines, where there might not have been much of an engine terminal but still a need to turn steam locomotives. But since diesels took over, many turntables have been removed, while transfer tables were at railroads' large locomotive and car shops and builders' factories where turning wasn't important (railroad shops were usually near an engine terminal with a turntable anyway) and many of those large facilities were still used after the steam era. I would expect that turntables still outnumber transfer tables, but the ratio is probably a lot closer than it was, and most of the transfer tables probably see more use than most of the turntables.

It seems to me you would most likely find transfer table at or in most car or locomotive shop areas for processing a piece of equipment rather than for switching from track to track in a yard. Therefore the potential number is (was) enormous and should provide for a list that will take time to accumulate.

There are at least two at the Alstom shops in Hornell NY. If you look at the town in the birdseye for ms live you'll find them quite easily. You can also see the turn table as well.

Last I heard, Illinois Central had on in Woodcrest Shops at Markham (Chicago) indoors!
http://www.davesrailpix.com/ic/htm/ic178.htm

Transfer tables were mainly used at passenger car shops Like on LIRR or at old NYC Beech Grove in Indiana

TTI railroad in Paris, KY has a very old turn table in front of their shop. It can be seen on google maps. I dont believe it is still in use.

A turn table is not a transfer table.

Sorry. Would mind explaining the difference?

Turntable goes around in a circle
Transfer table moves laterally along a series of perpendicular tracks. Commonly used in car or loco building or erection shops, and maintenance shops where the stub tracks go into various bays of a building.