Located in Lewistown, PA:

http://www.salvex.com/listings/listing_ ... 0a95d9007c

Walt Lankenau

Aeriel view:

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=lewistow ... s&t=h&z=18

Appears to belong to Juniata Valley Railroad Company.

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=lewistow ... 6,,0,-3.01

It absolutely IS Juniata Valley's. It's in part of the yard that was turned over to SEDA-COG when the JV was formed in 1996. The railroad, and that turntable, has been, until recently, under the care of rail employees and their superiors that have, in some cases, been "card-carrying railfans."

There were rumors to the effect that part of the reason that turntable is still there--aside from its rare use by both Conrail and JV to turn a freight car that had to be unloaded from a particular side, now itself a rarer concept anymore--was speculation or hopes for a place for PRR 1361 to run from Altoona and be turned, should such a steam program ever arise. Mind you, note that NS used Lewistown Junction as a boarding place for this spring's NKP 765 runs to the Curve and back, and that turntable IS capable of handling 765...... It's more likely, though, that "bean-counters" just finally caught up with and over-ruled the sentimentalists on that railroad system. :-)

I'll be sad to see that turntable leave Lewistown Junction, but hopefully it finds a good and useful home.

Haven't they eventually wanted to put a turntable at Strasburg, down at/near Leaman Place Junction? ;)

Auction has been closed prematurely. No explanation yet.

765 ran out of Harrisburg, it did not utilize that take. Lewistown was only a loading point.

Cheers, Jason

I believe Strasburg has a turntable bridge, stored at the end of track, towards town. Its sitting on a pair of trucks.

Actually, there are two of 'em. Turntable bridges, I mean.

Might eventually be useful in Roanoke, or an outlying turnaround point?

Realistically, the only way this turntable is truly "useful" is either preserved in a museum/preservation setting or in use somewhere where a turntable is not only useful, but an attraction. Many of the places that could use such a table already have one--Strasburg RR (two in storage, as noted), WMSR, TVRM, Steamtown, etc. Others have managed without one--Grand Canyon, etc. And a couple turntables are stored here and there, though I doubt any is 110 feet.

The thought occurs that some especially scenic or accessible main line SOMEWHERE ought to be set up to readily handle occasional excursions in the manner of a couple British low-traffic main lines--the Settle & Carlisle, the West Highland Line, the Scarborough Spa routes, etc. All this really meant, in some cases, was NOT ripping out the water spouts and turntables, and keeping both minimally serviceable. BR and its successors did/does quite a business with those excursions.

There are a couple lines/routes here and there that probably could have been nice options for such treatment, and some already had turntables on them: Port Jervis, NY (NJ Transit, used by 614 in the 1990s), the C&O New River Line Huntington-Hinton (annual New River Trains, some by steam), Chicago-Aurora (is that turntable still in?), DC-Clifton Forge/Greenbrier, etc. Anyone got one with both a benevolent host and the need of a turntable?

Isn't GSMR looking for a few?

Right off the top of my head, I can think of seven turntables either looking for a home or awaiting funding for installation. This says to me that turntables are not a high priority. While the turntable bridge itself might be relatively cheap, I suspect the installation would run close to $100,000 before it's all said and done. Most rail museums don't have that kind of cash lying around. And I can't imagine a Class I or II railroad spending that kind of money for a facility that would only be used a few times a year.

The Raton Pass line. Keeps it open to Amtrak, and becomes a place for big Western steam locos to roam in a "natural habitat". Doesn't have the steam-era facilities in place, but some of that could be put back.