I was asked to convert an Aristo Vanderbuilt T ender to a Kadee “G” Gauge coupler.

The conversion is very simple. No cutting needed on the tender. The rear truck looks best if the coupler arm is neatly cut off at the truck bolster, but that is your choice. Turning it around may cause a short circuit to the track power pick up.

One simple rectangular styrene shim is needed…it it is 1/8" thick, 2" x !" long and wide.

using simple lacquer thiner, glue the shim , centred against the inner side of the rear end beam.

The Kadee #906 coupler draft gear box should be positioned, centred on the shim, and lined up properly, Using the centre hole, and the end hole, drill the appropriate sized holes, mounting the coupler. Check the coupler height with the Kadee coupler gauge…

Using the 906 coupler will provide a prototype looking coupler application, without ugly looking springs in the picture.

Fred Mills

Kadees with Aristo’s Vandy Tender Modifications - more work but more realism

I have the Aristo-Craft Mallet with Vanderbilt (Vandy) Tender that I installed Kadee body mount centerset couplers on.

Aristo’s Vandy tenders were offered in 2 axle or 3 axle trucks.
The Vandy tender I have is equipped with the 3 axle Commonwealth trucks.

When installing the Kadee coupler on Aristo’s Vandy tender, I chose to lower it first for better realism and use the Kadee 905 sill mount centerset type coupler.

Three things were done to the “factory” Vandy tender:

(1) Lower the tender to be more like a prototype tender as seen when examining several prototype photographs.
To Lower the tender, the trucks were modified by essentially inverting the bolster.

(2) Attach a body mount Kadee 905 centerset coupler assembly to the rear underside of the tender using a fabricated steel right angle bracket.

(3) Attach a body mount draw bar receiver to the loco end of the tender using a fabricated steel right angled "S"strap.

For full detail about the Mallet with the lowered Vandy tender, including dimensioned drawings, see “vignette” hosted for me by Greg E. on his Web site, title:
Aristo-Craft’s 2-8-8-2 Mallet Steam Loco Vignette

-Ted

Thank you, Ted;

I was working on the 2 axle trucked model, not the 3, and all that was wanted was the coupler mounted.

Fred Mills