Am looking at an ART21411 ATSF Aristo Pacific #3416 but can’t find any info (e.g. UnCataloged Database when its available) on when this was produced.
Has anyone got one or can tell me if its 2011 production? Please?
Many Thanks
mike in UK
Have now manage to find out that the box-end feature list includes “DCC socket in tender”, so I am guessing that is conclusive that this is a 2011 variety.
On that basis would you buy one? Or steer well clear given the thick flange/gauging issue that seems unfixable since the demise of Aristo? Or do some folks have no problems with that? All intelligence is welcomed!
Many Thanks in advance
mike
I have two of the same vintage and no running problems with either. Both with Dallee/Aristo so called plug and play sound, but no battery backup for the sound.
A quick way to tell the newer Pacifics is the appearance of the main drivers as long as pics are available.
Very Many Thanks Bob
So you have no problems running two 2011 models. Can I ask what switches are your two running OK through?
We have Aristo and USAT #6, Aristo WR, and TrainLi r=2100 and our (probably first run) Aristo Mallet runs through all OK (after adding weight to the pilot).
Anybody else please?
The thick flanges can be filed/turned down. You can shim the end of the axle (not great) or put a shim between the axle and the gear to get the right back to back, flange thickness and gauge.
These things can be fixed, just takes a bit of work.
Some tips: http://www.elmassian.com/trains/motive-power-mods-aamp-tips/aristo-motive-power/prime-mover-basics
Greg
p.s. have never had to weight the pilot on my Aristo locos.
My group has a large variety of engines, to include old Pacifics, new Pacifics, Mallets, USA Hudsons, Consolidations, USA GG1s, the list goes on into a large group of diesels.
It took me almost five years, but the entire club layout has been replaced with lighter weight modules, two main lines, smaller show corners are 9.5 and 8 foot diameters, larger corners are 13.5 and 14.5 foot diameters, and yes, the larger diameter is on the inside line to give a gap around the curves. This layout can be larger than 36’ X 56’, but this is our size at the Railroad Hobby Show in West Springfield, MA usually the last weekend in January.
The details are, LGB track on most of the two main lines, Aristo wide turnouts with 19.5 degree crossovers, the aux yard has all Aristo wide turnouts, the main yard has Aristo #6 turnouts, two pairs back to back with access from the yard onto both main lines. The aux yard has 4 lines of Aristo track, the main yard has 4 lines of LGB track with the Aristo #6s connecting. The aux yard has ten 48" long modules, the main yard being LGB track, has twelve 47 1/4" long modules.
The standard main line modules are 47 1/4" long, 30" wide and stand at 40" high with folding adjustable legs that can adjust from 38" to 42". The spot that we have been in at the Railroad Hobby Show has been the same for over 17 years and has a 1 1/2" difference in level, thus the reason for the 4" of leg height adjustment.
A 40" turntable, a transfer table, several bridges an engine servicing facility with pits and other specialized modules have been added, most of which are 48" to 60" deep and with the two main lines in our standard configuration.
Most of the Aristo wide turnouts have LGB electric actuators adapted to them.
We recently upgraded the track power from the 27 MHZ Aristo Train Engineers to Crest Revolution Train Engineers with the Super Receivers, both power units being fed with a single Crest Switching power supplys. The Revos are working fine.
As most of the Aristo wide turnouts are of older vintage, I have replaced all the frogs with the new frogs that Aristo came out with a few years back. Minor mods have been done to some of the Aristo turnouts such as reshaping the points of the rerail, and replacing some of the wiring underneath. All our track and turnouts are brass. All turnouts are installed with Split Jaw rail joiners and not ballasted so they can be easily removed for repair or replacement, really haven’t had much trouble with them, however I go over them before installation and do what is needed such as Loktite on the frog rail pivot screws and readjusting the points of the frog rails. I had to do the same maintenance to the LGB 1600 turnouts that were removed when the layout was retracked and Aristo wides were installed.
Thanks Bob, Wow! what a layout! And the New Pacifics really don’t derail?
Greg I have re-read your Prime Mover Tips that I always keep handy! You say that you had been experimenting with alternative wheels with smaller flanges. Can we have an update please on those experiments?
Best
mike
Hi Mike,
On the old club modules we had many derailments with almost everything because of its design, and use of LGB 16000 turnouts which were too tight for the newer longer engines and rolling stock. When the club used my modular layout which I had done much rework on, trains ran much better. My layout was partly retired along with the old club layout and when I made new club modules, I incorporated all the good aspects that I had learned. The results are that on the new club modules, we have very few running problems. Having a firm flat surface to lay track onto and paying particular attention to detail as the track is being laid, has provided us with a nice operating layout. Being able to easily level the modules during and after setup has also been a big plus to quality train operation.
I was just looking at some of the pics and I need to make a correction, the main yard utilizes two Aristo wides connected to one of two back to back Aristo Wyes and connects to the main lines with Aristo wides with one Aristo 19.5 degree crossover. All turnouts and wyes have LGB electric actuators that are controlled from a single panel.
As for Aristo Pacifics, amongst the club members, there is a large assortment of both older and newer versions and no running problems have shown up. I have three Lionel Atlantics, and after some mods to them, they run nicely and will pull 4 heavyweights, but with the added weight in both the engine and tender, I’m not sure how long the motor blocks will last.
Thank you very much indeed Bob.
So we now have evidence from:
a club’s experience of running a number of new Pacifics through a variety of Aristo switches for a couple of years with no tracking problems, and
Greg’s measurements that add up to over 45mm and that he has so dramatically illustrated on an Aristo switch
Does this mean that the over thick flange problem only applies to particular Pacific locos? Could it be attributable to lack of QC in manufacturing? And that buying one is the luck of the draw?
Best
mike
Michael Turner said:
…
Does this mean that the over thick flange problem only applies to particular Pacific locos? Could it be attributable to lack of QC in manufacturing? And that buying one is the luck of the draw?
Yup.
We did have some wheel problems with Aristo Streamliners with wheels moving off the plastic bushings, this was easily corrected with a few drops of Locktite both on the axle for the bushing and on the bushing for the wheel.
I’m comfortable enough with our layout that I have installed the three axle trucks on most of my Aristo Heavyweights. I’ve had a case of these trucks for longer than I recall and finally got to install them. I think that I bought them in York at the ECLSTS from Nick Smith Trains a longtime ago. I have a bunch of heavyweights, custom New Haven, NYC grey and NYC green, I remember riding on them as a kid and early on while in the US Navy.
As for “over flanges”, I don’t recall ever having seen any.
My group has possibly 6-7 Aristo 2-8-0 Consolidations and they all run fine, I have 3 myself.
Greg
Many Thanks I did re-read your prime-mover-basics.
Towards the end you say that you were experimenting with “wheels with smaller flanges and a less “toylike” wheel tread contour”
Could we please have an update on your findings - are there any alternative replacement drivers?
mike
I did, but the problem was that I was using Aristo 3 axle motor blocks which have no “suspension”, therefore the deep flanges are a necessity with this design if you have vertical grades.
Also, the constant changes of the tapered axle dimensions made it impossible to make a large batch of wheels that fit all 3 axle blocks.
Just before their demise, Aristo made some “D cut” wheels, basically a flat milled on the axle, and a corresponding “flat” inside the wheel.
Those were adjustable, but only produced for a short while.
Greg
Yes, a very short while. I hope that someone brings back that design.
Yea, I am probably dreaming.
I would guess that if Scott ever gets the capital to do a “new” run, that he will definitely use the “D cut” wheels on his diesels. It took years of complaints to get to that design, I’m sure he recognizes the improvement. He was also working to improve the wheel contour, which he did accomplish on the last batch of dash-9’s.
Regards, Greg