Large Scale Central

Aristo Mallet questions

General Discussion
#8
Terry Burr said:
I'm iinstalling sound in an aristo mallet and I'm a bit stumped hoping someone here can help out.

I’m installing a phoenix PB11 big sound into an aristo mallet the tender is the vanderbuilt with commonwealth 3 axle trucks. The tender has the plug and play board inside.

Question #1. The tender wheels are wired for track pick up but they do not pick anything up. By putting voltage directly to the wheels I get zero power anywhere. Is there something I am doing wrong? a switch that needs thrown? There is onlr one jumper in the sockets for the revo are there supposed to be two? I have tried both front and back trucks and got nothing. Yes my meters and power supply work and yes the loco runs.

Question #2 Which plug should I put the sound system into? The VAR or FIX? I’m assuming they mean fixed and variable? would the fixed be for constant battery power and the variable be for track power?

Thanks for any help.

Terry


There should be 2 plugs, one is 2 pin and one is 3. 3pin is for speaker and 2 pin is for power to sound unit. Ive never seen them say fixed or var but
that could be something new on the newest run of mallets. If you are running track power the Var is what you want. Be aware that the newest run of the mallet it has been reported that a few a caught fire and burned "down"to the ground pritty bad. Aristo some what blamed it on Phoenix, Pheniox said NO NO to that. Mostly likely an issue with the board in the tender. Just be careful if you own a newer version.

#9

This loco has a 3 pin plug for the speaker and 2, 2 pin plugs.
It’s not my loco but maybe i’ll give him a fire extinguisher with it when he picks it up!
Thanks for the help. I assumed the var was what i wanted, of course I have no manual and the schematics for the new vandy tender aren’t up on the aristo site yet.

Terry

#10

Terry go to the variable pin. You can use eighter but the variable should be used when power analog. If you were DCC or RC then one set goes to varible and the other for fixed so you would have sound when not running instead of battery back up It is used with the P8
Mike

#11

Nick,
I was the one who reported the burnging of my Mallet on another forum. Had many others reporting the same problem in other engines, Yes It was Phoenix board failure. According to Phoenix, they redesigned a new version and left out the termal resistor to cut out over current instead relying on the bridge rectifier for this. Been corrected. Thus a non issue now.

#12

hopefully you can find the old reply as i have a non functioning Pacific tender also.

#13
tac said:
Is this a new locomotive that we don't know about?

How long have AristoCraft been making a Mallet?

Explainments, please.

tac, ig & The Curtiss Lumber Company Boys


Is it a true Mallet or an articulating loco?
That is the question.

It is prolly a model of an articulating beast. If it is, Aristo didn’t make a mallet.
:slight_smile: :slight_smile:

#14

What Aristo made a “model” of is a Meyer Locomotive. They just called it a Mallet because they wanted the sales. The Meyer never caught on in this neck of the woods, but they needed the Meyer design to get around 8 ft diameter curves.

The only reason I know this is because I remember a post that TOC made when the Mallet first came out. :stuck_out_tongue:

#15

There might be some more information about that difference soon … stay tuned!

Matthew (OV)

#16

Why is it that Aristo gets blasted for “articulating” their 2-8-8-2 to allow more people to buy their model of a USRA 2-8-8-2 Mallet (N&W Y3 class) but yet when LGB did the same damned thing to their model of a NON ARTICULATED engine, essentially creating a 2-4-4-2 using the boiler of a USRA 2-8-2 Mikado, no one complains?

Seriously, why is it that one compromise for operators from one company is blasted while the same thing from another company is lauded?

I don’t know why anyone has to make such a fuss over something so darned trivial. If you have a problem with it, FIX IT or shut up!

I’m here to run trains and learn new ideas to integrate into my own railroad. Not to listen to a whine-fest because one manufacturer double-articulated the MODEL of a large engine, just so people with smaller curves could run the engine on their existing railroad. Further, all this negative commentating accomplishes is to push the newer hobbyists away from the most important part of this hobby: HAVING FUN!.

I would love to have an LGB mike hauling a train up my major grade with an ART Mallet as a helper. Do I care that in both cases the toy trains can go around curves far tighter than the prototype could? You bet I do… because without those compromises I wouldn’t be able to enjoy those beautiful locomotives on my railroad.

Edit Re: Hear/Here typo

#17

Jason, who is blasting Aristo?

#18

Sorry, might have been an imagined issue. It just seemed that people were taking Aristo to task for articulating both engine units on their mallet model, instead of going prototypically having the rear unit hard-mounted. Must have been a longer night than I realized.

I don’t mind taking Aristo (or any MFG) to task when its deserved, however, I do beleive in equality for all… if Aristo is to be tasked for turning their 2-8-8-2 model into a 2d-d2, then LGB should also be tasked for turning their 2-8-2 model into a 2-4-4-2, which if memory serves, is articulated in the standard mallet fashion.

#19

I know where you were coming from Jason. Many get caught up in the Mallet/Meyer “tempest”. No biggie to me.

I seem to recall from my LGB Mike that it has a unique “articulation” in that the drivers are joined in the middle, not two distinct sets of 4-axles.

I “bash” Aristo in the sense that I run my LGB Mike with an Aristo Vandy Tender I equipped with after-market commonwealth trucks.

Would like to pick up an Aristo Mallet some day!

#20
John Bouck said:
tac said:
Is this a new locomotive that we don't know about?

How long have AristoCraft been making a Mallet?

Explainments, please.

tac, ig & The Curtiss Lumber Company Boys


Is it a true Mallet or an articulating loco?
That is the question.

It is prolly a model of an articulating beast. If it is, Aristo didn’t make a mallet.
:slight_smile: :slight_smile:


Further information on the Aristocraft model ‘Mallet:’

  1. It is made mostly of plastic with some metal parts.
  2. It uses an incorrect scale / gauge combination.
  3. It runs on low voltage DC picked up from the track.
  4. Speed & direction are remotely controlled through that same power source.

Seems Aristo didn’t make a model of a “locomotive” at all!!

Sheesh!!!

Happy (Model) RRing,

Jerry

#21
Jason Gallaway said:
Sorry, might have been an imagined issue. It just seemed that people were taking Aristo to task for articulating both engine units on their mallet model, instead of going prototypically having the rear unit hard-mounted. Must have been a longer night than I realized.

I don’t mind taking Aristo (or any MFG) to task when its deserved, however, I do beleive in equality for all… if Aristo is to be tasked for turning their 2-8-8-2 model into a 2d-d2, then LGB should also be tasked for turning their 2-8-2 model into a 2-4-4-2, which if memory serves, is articulated in the standard mallet fashion.


LGB was. At length. Taken to task. Didn’t do any good, as the ventilating groupage shouted everybody down. Have to maintain R-1 compliance, ya know.

#22

And then, you could turn it the other way 'round as well. This is Slate Creek #6 … under rebuild almost from its delivery date, and now very nearly ready to go into service. Please note, this is a “Spy Shot” and as such not intended to be a neat and clean finished effort.

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/slatecreek/_forumfiles/SCRY6.JPG)

Also notice that while I was directly involved in what I wanted, and what changes to make, that the work is not my own … I have a technical advisor of my own, without whom this would not have happened, ever, particularly with my propensity for being involved in far too many projects at once … like my 50 ton diesel, my forney, my 45 tonner, scenery, etc. etc. This one, however will hit the rails soon. Radio/Battery, Phoenix, rear engine fixed, front engine modified and pivoting. Tanks left in place due to structural concerns, “backstory” will be they were left for weight needs. (There are photos of the SVRY/Uintah running in this configuration, though for a different reason.) When it IS finished, a complete going-over will be made available, with photos, etc. This just seemed like a good place for a sneak peak, and the discussion that a reverse conversion was even possible. Matthew (OV) Oh, and once it arrives here, there’ll be decals, details, finishing touches, graphite, and other things to make it part of the SCRY family.

#23

Yo Terry!

How is the sound install coming?

Years ago Aristo decided to save money by not picking up from all wheels because the “prime mover” design was so good at picking up power.

Greg

#24

Heck mine is now battery power I love to run it slow and it does has sound… easy way to do it…

#25

I haven’t touched it since my last post. Ben stuck at work for days on end it seems.

Terry

#26

Install went smooth and easy. Customer still runs track power so it was just dropping in the sound card and reed switches.
The Mallet runs, looks and sounds good.
As far as the board in question goes, the tender box is labeled “new version 2011”. Never saw that style board in an aristo tender before. Board was labeled “long tender”. I would assume the long tender and vandy tender have the same innards…
Thanks for the help guys.
Terry

#27

Yep, moved the socket from the boiler to the tender…

Greg