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Aster/Accucraft New Steam

23K views 56 replies 22 participants last post by  Chris Turnbull  
#1 ·
ing this fall 2018 - Reserve Yours Today!
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Aster Hobby and Accucraft Trains New Product Announcement



Aster Hobby and Accucraft Trains are proud to officially announce two new gauge one locomotive kits coming out this year. See end of this announcement for reservation instructions.


Coming this August 2018, we will be releasing an improved version of Aster’s USRA Light Mikado 2-8-2. The original Aster Light Mikado was produced in 1999 and was offered in a basic version with available upgrades. See the list of new features below that have been added to this new updated design. Production quantity will be limited to 60 units.


See the running sample at this year’s National Summer Steamup in Sacramento, CA!


Directly following the Light Mikado, we will introduce the brand new Aster USRA Heavy Mikado 2-8-2, with delivery planned for November 2018. This model will share many of the same improved features as the Light Mikado but with the larger boiler casing, larger smokebox and cab of the Heavy Mikado. Production quantity limited to 160 units.



New Features of the Aster Accucraft Light Mikado:
  • Cast-Iron Driver Wheels
  • Fully equalized chassis
  • Stainless steel machined driving rods
  • Axle pump with additional 20% capacity from previous option
  • Washout plug for the water gauge
  • Newly designed tender
  • Kingston valve in water tank
  • Increased water capacity (450cc)
  • Increased fuel capacity (300cc)
  • Detachable fuel tank
  • Detachable roof
  • Many newly designed aesthetic details added around smokebox, front buffer, and boiler case.
Available SKUS and Roadnames:


Light Mikado:
AST-103.1 – New York Central Railroad
AST-103.2 – Union Pacific Railroad
AST-103.3 – Baltimore & Ohio Railroad


Heavy Mikado:
AST-105.1 – Undecorated Black
AST-105.2 – Erie Railroad
AST-105.3 – CB&Q Railroad (Burlington Route)
AST-105.4 – Milwaukee Road
AST-105.5 – Southern Railway
*Distributrion of roadnames subject to change
*All models are alcohol fueled


Prices:


Light Mikado KIT: $3900, RTR: $5000


Heavy Mikado KIT: $4400, RTR: $5500


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Reserve either the Light Mikado or the Heavy Mikado today with a nonrefundable deposit of $1000 to ensure you receive your KIT or Ready to Run model with your preferred roadname.


Call our Union City office at 510-324-3399 or email sales@accucraft.comto reserve.
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USRA Light Mikado - Baltimore & Ohio





Accucraft reserves the right to change prices, colors, specifications and availability without notice.


All items are FOB Union City, CA.




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Accucraft Trains


33260 Central Ave, Union City, CA 94587


510-324-3399 • www.accucraft.comorder@accucraftestore.com





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#10 ·

Fujii-san, we do have bio-ethanol in the US.


One brand that is especially good and clean-burning is this one:


http://www.regalflame.com/Ethanol-Fireplace-Fuel_c_75.html


It used to be known as Moda-flame. Nearly pure ethanol.


This product is carried by Walmart, Home Depot and Amazon for example.
 
#20 ·
Dear all

roof one piece is negative, because it is difficult to operate. this is not a model precision machine which can operate well.
cab roof overhang is also negative,because the cab of US is bigger than UK engine, and our model is basically designed for KIT.
Our designer is afraid of broken during transportation in US.
And he trust Aster engine must have longer life time from human which must be robust,
I will bring pilot model in this July at Sacramento. Please look and judge.

Fujii,
 
#24 ·
Don't understand what causes people to turn up their noses at alcohol. Aster has been pleased with it enough to make virtually all of their recent (2000 and later) locos alkie-fired except for some for the Japanese market - especially the magnificent C62-2. Alcohol heats the water faster, works better in cold temps without special provisions, and makes virtually no noise. Can't say the same for gas except maybe the recent ceramic burner models. I use both happily but find alcohol cheaper and easier to run. Light it, set it, forget it!

Fujii San, the Mikado is looking nice. The large water glass is particularly helpful. Can't wait to see the Heavy Mike later this year!

Ross Schlabach
 
#28 ·
I have seen guys put a ceramic burner in the place of the alcohol burner in an Aster engine. It would still need the draft fan and blower due to the design of the boiler, but it can be done. I was just thinking, this would make a nice factory option that would cost very little in the grand scheme of what these models sell for. A simple drop in fuel tank for the tender with gas valve mounted on it, line to the locomotive with a snap in quick disconnect similar to what they did with the Frank S. But go with a ceramic burner in the same firebox as the wick burner uses. That would please both crowds just as Accucraft offered the PRR E6 in both fuel styles.
 
#29 ·
Looking at the last photo I see what appeard to be a new design of boiler. There is no sign of a firebox on the back of the boiler that would make it a type "C" boiler ?. So I would presume a step back to a firetube boiler has been made ?.


Nice to see though that the top of the water gauge appears to have been removed from the same connection as the regulator and blower as was the usual Accucraft way of doing it.


DougieL
 
#30 ·
Looking at the last photo I see what appeard to be a new design of boiler. There is no sign of a firebox on the back of the boiler that would make it a type "C" boiler ?. So I would presume a step back to a firetube boiler has been made ?.





DougieL
The earlier ASTER American Mikado did not have a type C boiler; it had a boiler with "hockey stick" fire tubes. This one looks the same.
Regards
Fred