Yesterday, I received my AristoCraft Classic C-16 D&RG locomotive that I ordered from St. Aubins Station on-line. It wasn't the best price, but it was the "best price in stock" that I could find.
I didn't take but a minute or two to see the obvious missing handrail on the left side of the locomotive cab. AristoCraft conveniently has a clear plastic viewing window in the box lid so you can see most of the locomotive and tender without even opening the box.
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The two white dots at the back of the cab are where the handrail used to be. I unpacked the locomotive in hopes that the broken off handrail would be in the box and I could glue it on. No such luck. No handrail in the box.
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I would say this is not shipping damage. The handrail was broken off before the locomotive was even packed in the box. A testament to AristoCraft quality control.
I called St. Aubins. The customer service guy was very apologetic even though it wasn't their fault. He said he would call AristoCraft and have them mail a replacement handrail direct to me. I'll wait and see how that works out.
In general, the locomotive is an OK runner. It doesn't have the pulling power of a LBG 2-6-0 Mogul, and it is more susceptible to dirty track. I will use it as track powered for a while, but my plan is to convert to battery power with a TE Revolution radio control. ( That conversion will probably cost more than the locomotive.) There is a speaker mounted in the tender, but they leave it to the customer to select and install your own sound card. The smoke generator works. I don't think you would want to use it with battery power. It is controlled by an on-off switch under the tender. There are 3 other toggle switches under the tender for motor, track/battery, and lights. The headlight works, and I was surprised to find that the marker lights also light up. It's hard to get a photo showing the lit marker lights, but here is my attempt.
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The link between the locomotive and the tender is a tow bar that fastens to the front truck of the tender. A screw and washer is used to hold the tow bar in place. This requires that the locomotive and tender be handled as a single unit, unless you are prepared to turn it upside down and do the screwdriver routine.
The caboose is part of the deal. I think that AristoCraft includes the caboose when you buy their Classic C-16 locomotive. I really didn't need another caboose, and the road name doesn't match, so I would have preferred to have the $91.49 (Wholesale Trains price) deducted from the price and just get the locomotive. Of course, it doesn't work that way. You buy the locomotive, you pay the price, and you get the "free" caboose.
Even though it was "free", I'm going to complain about the caboose.
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It is evident that the AristoCraft wood sided caboose is too high above the tracks when compared the the better proportioned USAT wood sided caboose. Does anybody have a "fix" for this?
Even the 28 year old caboose that came with my Lionel Gold Rush Special train set looks better proportioned than the AristoCraft. And it has the matching road name of D&RG. (no Western).
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The silver painted step and platform handrails, etc., look really tacky. That couldn't possibly be the way they looked in the early 1900's. Or maybe I'm wrong about that.
The interior and marker lights work from track power.
For anyone that has the urge to part with $350 plus shipping, it's not a bad deal, but it would be an even better deal if they sold the locomotive for $260 without the caboose.
I didn't take but a minute or two to see the obvious missing handrail on the left side of the locomotive cab. AristoCraft conveniently has a clear plastic viewing window in the box lid so you can see most of the locomotive and tender without even opening the box.
The two white dots at the back of the cab are where the handrail used to be. I unpacked the locomotive in hopes that the broken off handrail would be in the box and I could glue it on. No such luck. No handrail in the box.
I called St. Aubins. The customer service guy was very apologetic even though it wasn't their fault. He said he would call AristoCraft and have them mail a replacement handrail direct to me. I'll wait and see how that works out.
In general, the locomotive is an OK runner. It doesn't have the pulling power of a LBG 2-6-0 Mogul, and it is more susceptible to dirty track. I will use it as track powered for a while, but my plan is to convert to battery power with a TE Revolution radio control. ( That conversion will probably cost more than the locomotive.) There is a speaker mounted in the tender, but they leave it to the customer to select and install your own sound card. The smoke generator works. I don't think you would want to use it with battery power. It is controlled by an on-off switch under the tender. There are 3 other toggle switches under the tender for motor, track/battery, and lights. The headlight works, and I was surprised to find that the marker lights also light up. It's hard to get a photo showing the lit marker lights, but here is my attempt.
The link between the locomotive and the tender is a tow bar that fastens to the front truck of the tender. A screw and washer is used to hold the tow bar in place. This requires that the locomotive and tender be handled as a single unit, unless you are prepared to turn it upside down and do the screwdriver routine.
The caboose is part of the deal. I think that AristoCraft includes the caboose when you buy their Classic C-16 locomotive. I really didn't need another caboose, and the road name doesn't match, so I would have preferred to have the $91.49 (Wholesale Trains price) deducted from the price and just get the locomotive. Of course, it doesn't work that way. You buy the locomotive, you pay the price, and you get the "free" caboose.
Even though it was "free", I'm going to complain about the caboose.
It is evident that the AristoCraft wood sided caboose is too high above the tracks when compared the the better proportioned USAT wood sided caboose. Does anybody have a "fix" for this?
Even the 28 year old caboose that came with my Lionel Gold Rush Special train set looks better proportioned than the AristoCraft. And it has the matching road name of D&RG. (no Western).
The silver painted step and platform handrails, etc., look really tacky. That couldn't possibly be the way they looked in the early 1900's. Or maybe I'm wrong about that.
The interior and marker lights work from track power.
For anyone that has the urge to part with $350 plus shipping, it's not a bad deal, but it would be an even better deal if they sold the locomotive for $260 without the caboose.
