good evening all,I was in the market for an 0-4-0 switcher and saw one by aristocraft, does anyone own or have any experience with these locos.I wsa wondering how they run. thanks for the help.
aristocraft 0-4-0 switchers
james bond
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good evening all,I was in the market for an 0-4-0 switcher and saw one by aristocraft, does anyone own or have any experience with these locos.I wsa wondering how they run. thanks for the help.
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I have one. Unfortunately, its an older model that has plated shiny drivers that get crapped up easily. That was fixed on more recent models. Other than that, I find it to be a little light and geared too fast. I rarely run mine and its slated for a future bash.
![Image]()
-Brian
-Brian
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You can get one from them soon that is live steam!
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I assisted a friend in getting the 0-4-0 to run better. All we did was add power pickups to the tender and polished the engines wheels.
Runs flawlessly now.
I find that even the LGB 2 axle engines run much better with the trailing car/tender having additional power pickups.
This really helps when traversing switches with track power.
Runs flawlessly now.
I find that even the LGB 2 axle engines run much better with the trailing car/tender having additional power pickups.
This really helps when traversing switches with track power.
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The Aristo 0-4-0 can be very reliable as long as you don't overload it.
With a new motor it can pull trees (slight exaggeration), but if you run it heavily loaded for hour after hour, it will overheat the little motor and the motor won't have much torque and tend to stall out until one day it burns out a winding. With 2 or 3 cars, it will run happily for hours. If you do cook a motor, you can change one in about 20 minutes for less than $15. A fresh motor pulled 2 sierra coaches and my tender aournd the asylum layout with 5ft curves for months, but overheated in about 8 hours with 3. I used to run the asylum layout all day almost every day.
If you have an old one and the wheels are collecting junk, Aristo will overhaul it for like $20 and make sure it has fresh motor, the latest wheels, working smoke generator, new detail parts and so on. Some have complained of the newer wheels getting pitted, but the "pitting" can be easily rubbed off with a track cleaning eraser.
As Dan points out, extra pickups in a tender help it drastically. This is just the nature of any little 4 wheel loco.
Here's one of mine dolled up with some green and black paint, class lights from Ozark Mineatures and a scratch built tender. The tender has power pickups. I tore up a gear trying to pull 3 coaches (those are heavy) up a 5% helix later that day. Oops... $20 to Aristo.
![Image]()
Oh, forgot to mention. Stan Cedarleaf made the 98 decal for me.
With a new motor it can pull trees (slight exaggeration), but if you run it heavily loaded for hour after hour, it will overheat the little motor and the motor won't have much torque and tend to stall out until one day it burns out a winding. With 2 or 3 cars, it will run happily for hours. If you do cook a motor, you can change one in about 20 minutes for less than $15. A fresh motor pulled 2 sierra coaches and my tender aournd the asylum layout with 5ft curves for months, but overheated in about 8 hours with 3. I used to run the asylum layout all day almost every day.
If you have an old one and the wheels are collecting junk, Aristo will overhaul it for like $20 and make sure it has fresh motor, the latest wheels, working smoke generator, new detail parts and so on. Some have complained of the newer wheels getting pitted, but the "pitting" can be easily rubbed off with a track cleaning eraser.
As Dan points out, extra pickups in a tender help it drastically. This is just the nature of any little 4 wheel loco.
Here's one of mine dolled up with some green and black paint, class lights from Ozark Mineatures and a scratch built tender. The tender has power pickups. I tore up a gear trying to pull 3 coaches (those are heavy) up a 5% helix later that day. Oops... $20 to Aristo.
Oh, forgot to mention. Stan Cedarleaf made the 98 decal for me.
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I think Ill wait for the new 0-4-0 locos to come out. For right now Ill stick with my annies. once again Thanks for the help evryone. allterrain you layout looks great with all rock and crush stone
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Very reliable. I too have run jumpers from the tender to the loco for extra pickup. See what George Schreyer has to say about it.
http://www.girr.org/girr/tips/tips2/040_tips.html
http://www.girr.org/girr/tips/tips2/040_tips.html
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Posted By Madstang on 11/04/2008 11:45 AM
Posted By Jerry Barnes on 11/01/2008 8:51 PM
You can get one from them soon that is live steam!
WHY?????
Bubba
Because!
Posted By Jerry Barnes on 11/01/2008 8:51 PM
You can get one from them soon that is live steam!
WHY?????
Bubba
Because!
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