How Carousel-USA built a stainless-steel turntable for an amphibious car tour
At The Boathouse at Disney Springs in Orlando, guests tour the water in restored 1960s Amphicars that drive down a ramp and float away. Between trips, each car has to turn around at the top of the ramp, and a busy dock has no room for three-point turns. Carousel-USA built the answer in Fontana, CA: a custom Model 35LRI turntable that rotates each car 180° in place.
A restored Amphicar staged on the 35LRI at the top of the Amphicar Launch ramp
The Challenge
This turntable lives outdoors on a marine dock and stays wet around the clock. It had to:
- Resist brackish water and humidity that quickly rust ordinary steel
- Keep its drive and electronics working in a constant washdown
- Keep the tours running through a power outage
ALL STAINLESS, BY DESIGN
We built the entire turntable from stainless steel. Its chromium forms a thin oxide layer that re-forms when scratched. Rust flakes off and keeps spreading, but this layer keeps protecting the steel for years. Severe-duty coatings add a second layer of protection.
Mid-rotation on the 35LRI’s stainless-steel platform
BUILT TO WORK WITHOUT POWER
A motor-drive disengage system lets operators turn the platform by hand. An IP69-rated actuator releases the pin-gear drive. A washdown-rated controller with battery backup keeps that release button working when shore power drops. In normal use, the same controller engages the drive, rotates the car 180° and releases it.
FLUSH WITH THE DOCK
The turntable sits flush at the top of the ramp. Cars drive on, turn and head back to the water. The stainless top panels sit level with the boardwalk, so guests have nothing to trip on.
Set flush into the dock outside The Boathouse at Disney Springs
Key Specs
| Specification | Detail |
| Model | Carousel-USA 35LRI |
| Construction |
100% stainless steel, severe-duty coatings
|
| Load Capacity |
10,000 lb
|
| Drive |
Pin-gear, with IP69-rated electric disengage
|
| Controller |
Washdown-rated, battery backup
|
| Power Loss |
Push-button release, manual rotation
|
| Built | Fontana, CA |
The Result
The 35LRI is now part of daily operations at The Boathouse, turning each Amphicar around for its next group.
Turned and ready for the next group
Read the full case study: Amphibious Vehicle Turntable
Have a Custom Engineering Challenge?
Carousel USA designs and builds custom turntables and rotating machinery for commercial, industrial, and specialized applications worldwide. If you have a project that demands more than an off-the-shelf solution, let’s talk.