Large Scale Central

Aristo Ore Cars

Modeling Rolling stock
#1

There was an announcement a while back, about a new ore car to be produced by Aristo, in their 1:29 line of LS equipment.

Is there any picture of what they intend to produce ? Will it be anywhere close to the LGB product of the past, or is it to be another piece of equipment close to the stuff produced by Lionel (Later made worse by USTrains) or MDC (Now produced by Peko) which was in 1:32 scale, and not a very good example of a good model in LS that could be used in 1:29. (Their trucks were the pits in both cases) ?

While there were many prototype models of ore cars, only LGB produced an example that had much quality. The old Lionel ore car was actually rather good but was much too high on it’s trucks. USTrains, only made it worse… when they started producing it again.

#2

Hit me…hit me again…I’m only asking a question, and adding my observations…they may not be the same as yours…but, what the heck…we all want better, don’t we ?..!!

#3

Fred Mills said:

snip

The old Lionel ore car was actually rather good but was much too high on it’s trucks. USTrains, only made it worse… when they started producing it again.

I run a rather long string of both and they match-up perfectly. The USA version added a bolster to increase height but only because their trucks were “lower” when using the Lionel body. The net result is no increase in height over the Lionel.

The biggest gripe I have about the USA version is they used their standard knuckle coupler that makes the gap between cars obscene. Easily fixed.

And yes, I am waiting for the Aristo version too!

(http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj222/Noble_Dreg/DMIR/DSCF6616_zpsf5bbf4a3.jpg)

Here they are together, USA on the right…Lionel on the left:

(http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj222/Noble_Dreg/DMIR/DSCF6604_zps9483b064.jpg)

On second thought (edit), that may not be entirely accurate. I replaced all of my Lionel plastic wheels with Bachmann 31mm metal…They may indeed be a bit larger than stock. I will check.

#4

Fred,

Here is a link to Aristo’s website where they announced the cars on the 2nd page is a link to some pics taken by a forum member

http://www.aristocraftforum.com/vbulletinforums/showthread.php?t=20156&highlight=cars

here is a link to the pics, not a bad looking car.

http://www.aristocraftforum.com/vbulletinforums/showthread.php?t=19635

#5

Yep, my mistake…With the original wheels installed on the Lionel the USA car is 0.050" taller (Lionel wheel approx. 1.10"/Bachmann 1.20"). Adding the Bachmann wheel makes them identical.

I will confess a small disappointment in seeing the prototype picture, I had hoped for something a bit more prototypical for the DMIR. The only real difference I see is the metal grab-irons, though they do look better than the current offerings by Piko/USA.

The LGB version does appear closer to what I wanted but given their price/scarcity they really were not an option. Re-painting dozens of cars is a daunting task!

All said, the Aristo cars will blend very well with my current USA/Lionel ore cars and offer new road numbers I do not currently have.

#6

here are the latest pictures posted today.

(http://www.velocity.net/~vickrail/ore_ble.jpg)

(http://www.velocity.net/~vickrail/ore_cp.jpg)

ART-47100 Painted (brown) Data Only
ART-47101A Pennsylvania - 63824
ART-47101B Pennsylvania - 63855
ART-47102A Bessemer & Lake Erie - 20304
ART-47102B Bessemer & Lake Erie - 20378
ART-47103A Duluth Missabe & Iron Range - 31016
ART-47103B Duluth Missabe & Iron Range - 31052
ART-47104A Lake Superior & Ishpeming - 7325
ART-47104B Lake Superior & Ishpeming - 7338
ART-47105A Great Northern - 93557
ART-47105B Great Northern - 93562
ART-47106A Canadian Pacific Script - 377215
ART-47106B Canadian Pacific Script - 377241
ART-47108A Santa Fe - 794125
ART-47108B Santa Fe - 794138

The ore cars come with metal wheels and an ore load.

#7

To answer one of the original questions, the Aristo cars are scaled up from the “O” scale RMT trains that Aristo bought. This is stated on the Aristo site by Lewis Polk.

All the Ore cars I am used to have the wheels projecting past the end of the body, but I believe I have seen some prototypes that look like the models above.

Unfortunately, I bought 2 of the USAT Santa Fe ones, only to find out that Santa Fe NEVER had this type of ore “jenny”.

Greg

#8

It looks pretty true to prototype…They show one here…

http://www.aristocraftforum.com/insiders/2012/INSIDER_SEP-OCT_2012.pdf

#9

AAAAAA very sad, but another project that won’t see the light of day after all the hype…

Well maybe AML will pick up the molds and improve them to the point that they would be worth selling ?

#10

Nick, I think you will find that these ore cars will be, eventually, on sale. I have a strong feeling that they have been made. Scott says they will be available in the future but did not say when (that’s out of his hands of course) and who would be selling them. It on the Aristo Forum somewhere.

I doubt if they will make it to the UK but if the UK importer is a principal player in the new ballpark maybe they will.

I have enough stock for my small railroad, although I am still picking up the odd Aristo bargain here and there in the UK, but would not pass the ore cars by if they become available over here. Importation from the States is not good at present. Exchange rate and high importation costs take the gloss off it…

They may be the last Stateside models I get as I might well move into UK outline in future. Time will tell.

#11

I have no need to wait on the Aristo ore cars…if they ever appear…

It seems that there are 8 LGB ore cars on the way to the IPP&W…all seem to be the PRR lettering…no problem…we just mask the data lettering we want to keep (The car is generally box car red, or red oxide) and spray over the rest with red primer…then put new reporting marks and a number on them.It matters little if the primer is a match for the car’s original colour…the real pikes do this all the time, so the cars will look quite good.

Most if not all railroads that hauled iron ore in small ore cars, did not interchange those cars with many, if any other railroads. So it would be very unlikely to see ore cars of other railroads together in a string, or in a unit train. Some railroads purchased ore cars from other pikes, and did quick renumbering and re-lettering jobs…quite often only applying a number, and reporting marks, while painting over the former road’s name, number, and reporting marks.

Seldom were ore cars seen as individual cars in a mixed freight train.

The LGB cars are a bit different from other cars, in that their brake hoses are mounted rather high, and that practice was most known on the DT&I…so removing those high hoses is an option.

Replacing the couplers with a body mounted Kadee 820/920/1906 makes the cars close couple, just like the prototype…a rather simple job, worth the effort if you care how the full train looks.

The arrival of the 8 additional cars will give us a fleet of 30 cars. This fleet will be divided into 2 strings of cars. One will be loads and the other empties.

Compared with a real iron ore carrying railroad; 15 cars is nothing, but for an average outdoor railroad, it is a nice looking train. We will be running the train from one end of the pike to the other, picking up 5 car “Kernels” at three mine locations. The returning train will drop off 5 car kernels of empties, at the locations.

We run two separate operations on alternating weekends. NG, and SG…we do not mix the types of equipment. So…we also have a 30 car fleet of the B’mann wooden ore cars also, for that operation.

#12

Fr. Fred, as they would be sold by someone else to whom I have no proven loyalty I guess it would be no issue, for me, if I never bought them. Reading you post has convinced me , however, that I should not get them anyway. Operating a short line which is a bridge between two Class 1’s it is unlikely ore cars would be part of my lines traffic. Consequently they are off my “wish list”

Your description of your operations sound quite interesting and very entertaining. I know your Saturday ops are renowned well beyond the borders of your Dominion. I know the conversion and re-painting projects will keep you all busy when the snow buries your track.

This means I can allocate the railroads funding for a couple more cars. or so, and then pull up the drawbridge. If I don’t I will have to build another stock storage cupboard.

As UK models generally are smaller (rather akin to the Aristo 20ft.ers in size), a smaller cupboard would be in order. The only issue, for me, is that UK outline locos are usually expensive, but I am sure I could convert a cheap Euro 0-6-0 into a GWR matchbox loco.

#13

Fred Mills said:

Seldom were ore cars seen as individual cars in a mixed freight train.

The LGB cars are a bit different from other cars, in that their brake hoses are mounted rather high, and that practice was most known on the DT&I…so removing those high hoses is an option.

Replacing the couplers with a body mounted Kadee 820/920/1906 makes the cars close couple, just like the prototype…a rather simple job, worth the effort if you care how the full train looks.

Fred and others, weren’t these cars also solidly connected in small groups ? Something like 4or 5 cars with drawbar type connections since they were in dedicated service

#14

Yes, Dave, some were draw bar connected…the only reason I wouldn’t use draw bars is, that it limits the flexibility of your fleet. If you have a railroad that is thousands of feet in length, with massive yards, with a fleet of over a hundred ore cars, that are to be used to haul loads from a few different mines…then possibly draw bars would be of some use.

I rather prefer to have the flexibility of couplers on every car on my pike which is not being modeled after any specific railroad. I can also program into the RailOp system, the sending of a single car to the car shop for service…if I care to…or change the number of cars going to a mine, at will…

You must remember on our railroad; it is a true operation, not just Roundy-roundy.

#15

I have learned something !

#16

http://michaelfroio.wordpress.com/2010/07/02/pier-122-and-124-lost-facilities-of-the-pennsylvania-railroad/

http://www.boatnerd.com/news/newsthumbs/images-08-3/1-Michipicoten-7-24-08-djw.jpg

Well, Fred, here are a couple of ideas for your ore car projects. I know you have a long winter over there, with restrictions on train operating, so here are projects you could all consider. Admittedly you may have to reduce the length of the loading facility a little but it would have the bonus of allowing visitors, who have no train to operate, to operate the loading shutes.

Awaiting comments - flying or otherwise. lol

#17

Last night and this morning I am working on putting together a set of Lionel, Aristo, and something else ore cars by replacing the big couplers, weathering, and making loads for each car. Using #1 couplers and lot of cutting and shimming, I’ve cut the gap down to a little less than two inches. Here’s a couple of pictures…

http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/stfrancisconsolidatedrr/ore1.jpg

http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/stfrancisconsolidatedrr/ore2.jpg

#18

I must have driven by that place a couple of hundred times going up and down I-95 and that’s the first time I’ve ever seen it in operation.

That area is all container unloading/loading facilities now for CSX.

Thanks , that was interesting…:wink:

#19

The sure aren’t “Aristo” ore cars…those haven’t been on the market yet. From your pictures, it seems that you have a bunch of the old Lionel cars, or the later USTrains offering, along with what looks like the old Model Die Casting/Piko ones.

The LGB ore cars are very easily converted to body mounted Kadee #1 couplers, using just one 1/16th" Styrene shim. The screws that come with the couplers are easily used, if you drill the correct sized hole…they self thread… Use the centre hole and the end hole. The shim can be mounted on the underframe easily using just plain lacquer thinner…the car is moulded in Styrene

#20

Fred Mills said:

The sure aren’t “Aristo” ore cars…those haven’t been on the market yet. From your pictures, it seems that you have a bunch of the old Lionel cars, or the later USTrains offering, along with what looks like the old Model Die Casting/Piko ones.

The LGB ore cars are very easily converted to body mounted Kadee #1 couplers, using just one 1/16th" Styrene shim. The screws that come with the couplers are easily used, if you drill the correct sized hole…they self thread… Use the centre hole and the end hole. The shim can be mounted on the underframe easily using just plain lacquer thinner…the car is moulded in Styrene

Well you are right…you have a good eye. They are Lionel and maybe USA took 'em over or something because they’re exactly the same; I remember nbow getting a good deal on a couple of them beause they were part of a Christmas set and I repainted them. Then there’s the cheap Piko which I like because it’s smaller and I put bigger wheels on it.

What is to be done about the body sitting so high? Should I start another discussion? I probably shouldn’t be hijacking this one which started out on Aristo ore cars.