Has anyone done a drawing for the lowered (recent generation) Aristocraft bolster?
I recently scored a few older Aristocraft boxcars, and would like to lower them, so they match the rest of the fleet. A friend has a 3D printer, and has offered to print them.
Thanks.
Steve, if that fails, George Shrayer shows how to lower those cars. Maybe you could get some ideas from his website.
Thanks, David. George’s approach was fine, before the advent of 3D printing. I’m lazy lazy, and want to avoid all that cutting and hacking surgery.
Steve yes, but one of the fixes was to cut out the bolster, and mount it so its not as thick. Therefore, you could draw up a copy of the original bolster, but at the proper thickness. To print out a whole new under-frame would be difficult on most home 3D printers, because the under-frame is so long.
Lower Car using modified USAT Truck
Steve,
Shown below is an example Aristo Reefer lowered using modified USA Trains Bettendorf trucks.
The USA Trains Bettendorf truck (P/N R2033) when modified affords a low cost solution for lowering a car’s height to be more prototypical. This is because its plastic bolster & side frame pockets can be cut down using a razor saw and file. (I did not cut myself using a razor saw and file in spite of the “razor” name.) A dial caliper will be needed for accurate measurements when doing this.
Shown below is an example truck modified for 0.210 inch lowering.
The following illustration has dimensions for an example USA Trains truck modification for lowering a car by 1/8 inch:
The dimensions shown above can be altered to fit your desired lowering amount, with practical car lowering being limited to about 0.220 inch.
I typically lower cars that are factory too high from the railhead when body mounting Kadee centerset couplers since these tasks are complimentary.
Example articles:
Aristo Flat & Gondola Car - Lowered, Weighted, and Fitted with Kadee Centerset Couplers (Car lowered about 0.2 inch)
Aristo Covered hopper, Lowering & Kadee Coupler Installation (Car lowered 0.220 inch)
(This article shows how to’s.)
The following article may be of value since it describes Aristo’s “lowered floors” too:
Kadee Coupler Body Mounting Considerations: Car Height & Attitude, Floors, Trucks, Wheels & Prototypes
-Ted
Now that is a neat idea!
Thanks
All this surgery!
Still looking for a drawing to use with a 3D printer.
Steve,
Do you have one that can be measured up and a sketch or 2d drawing made?, or you could send the part to me and I can create the 3d model. doesn’t sound like a big project to me.
let me know.
Al P.
Bolster for Aristotle boxcar.
???
Steve Featherkile said:
All this surgery!
Still looking for a drawing to use with a 3D printer.
Steve,
Surgery!
Do you plan to cut out the existing floor bolster and replace it with a lower 3-D made one or have an entire new floor made?
Included in the illustration below are my measurements of bolster height of two Aristo floor versions.
-Ted
Steve,
I have a couple of the Aristo 29706 floors here still in the package. Looks to me like it is the same bolster as the old ones but with a lower profile. In any case it probably will require some surgery to lower the old ones. I will send you one of the lowered floors if you promise to send it back after measurements. But really, I think just a lower profile on an old one would work for a new 3-D version. Surgery would still be required to remove the old one.
Surgery is also needed to clear the floor ribbing area aft of the bolster so the wheel flanges don’t bind when the mounted truck pivots. You can see this difference for floor versions in the illustration.
-Ted
David Maynard said:
Bolster for Aristotle boxcar.
???
I hate Bill Gates.
Ted Doskaris said:
Steve Featherkile said:
All this surgery!
Still looking for a drawing to use with a 3D printer.
Steve,
Surgery!
Do you plan to cut out the existing floor bolster and replace it with a lower 3-D made one or have an entire new floor made?Included in the illustration below are my measurements of bolster height of two Aristo floor versions.
-Ted
Ted,
My intent is to remove the old bolster from the floor (yeah, I know, but it’s minor surgery (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)), and replace it with a new 3D printed one.
Perhaps make a 3D master, then resin cast. Have to get some opinions on this.
The floor would stay as per original.
I have several cars with the new profile. It might be easier to remove the bolster from the floor and use it for a master for resin casting.
Ideas?
Hi Steve,
The bolsters are molded into the floor as can be seen below.
For reference purposes, shown below is Aristo’s newer version lowered floor assembly kit that includes the deck. In this example the deck is brown color.
Shown below is the floor separated from the deck.
If the bolsters are cut out from an old version floor, it seems this will result with the floor having 3 separate pieces (the 2 ends & middle section). The bolsters have screws that serve to fasten it to the deck. There are screws that fasten the middle of the floor to the deck, too.
Just a heads up about Aristo floors:
As said before, Aristo’s floor assembly includes the deck that is fastened to the floor by screws. In this regard, I found early “REA” branded Aristo car decks, that were typically yellow in color, could be easily taken apart by removing the screws. However, later Aristo production runs had the decks glued in place, too, some of which are very difficult to separate from the floor.
When you are ready to install new 3-D bolsters, it seems they will fasten OK to the deck with the screws, but how will the floor end sections and much of the middle section be re-attached to the deck - maybe just with glue?
-Ted
