The Goleta Short Line turntable has received a major upgrade, thanks to the efforts of John Green and the other volunteers who spend most of their Wednesday mornings working on projects around the museum.
The upgrade included the installation of a new mechanism that locks the turntable in line with the corresponding lead track. Designed and fabricated by John Green, the locking mechanism eliminates the need for a separate linking plate to bridge the gap between the turntable and track. A linking plate had been used since Gene Allen built the turntable in the late 1980s.
Pictured: Gary Coombs and Ed Leska
The turntable project was completed on Jan. 16, 2013. The remodeled turntable first went into passenger service on the following day. “It works like a charm!” said Museum Director Gary Coombs, who served as engineer on the initial day of operation.
The Wednesday work crew is led by Ed Leska. Other members of the group include Doug Winter, Tony Ramirez, and Dick Roberts.