# My 1st large scale rebuild



## dltrains (Jan 2, 2008)

Got a chance to start some of my projects this past winter and figured it to be time to show. First let me thank everybody who replied to my previous posts as they certainly saved me a lot of time and agrivation. 
I've got an A-B-B-A Aristo F 1 set that I've started on. Initially it was completely torn down and the old lubes removed. I then followed George Schreyer hints for lowering the body and adjusting the coupler mounting points.The deviations I made to his tips were the rear mount on the A unit and both mounts on the B. George cut the mount back 1/4" to adjust the unit spacing, which I followed, but where he then removed .020" from the upper end of the downward portion and then glued the pieces back together, I cut the .020" off the lower end and reshaped the coupler mounting pad. On the front post of the A unit I cut filler pads of plastic to fit between the post and body almost like putting in a coupler mounting pad. These I stopped even with the top of the coupler opening. 
As a few comments have been made about the fuel tank sitting to high I glued .125 spacers around the top.This was also filled with some lead for added weight. There are four locating tits for the tank, these were drilled out and the corresponding holes in the tank unit were drilled through and the tank was then remounted with 4-40 nuts and bolts ( I don't think the original screws will hold the additional weight over time). Now the fuel fill can at least be seen, and the bottom of the tank is even with the lower bar on the trucks. 
Using equipment location pictures I found on Fallen Flags web site I mocked up some interior equipment to help fill in all that open space just incase I decide to keep the lights. I also cut sheet stock for the equipment to sit on which is large enough to rest on the high walls of the frame. Don't go past the outside edge of the high walls or yoou'll interfere with the body mounting post. Also stay about 3/8" in from the ends for body mount purposes. These were also bolted in place for future access to wiring and truck removal. Mounting on the wall edge leaves clearance for everything there. With the pads ready I epoxied the original weights to the pads roughly centered over the trucks, and glued in the equipment pieces. 
Once the pieces were made ,the mounting holes drilled and the modifications done the prepainted pieces were stripped using 90% alcohol and then everything was washed in soap and water prior to painting. Krylon seems to be the paint of choice so gray primer was used as base coat, followed by their lighter gray for the interior and their darker gray foa the exterior both frame and trucks. For the A unit cab interior someone recommended Krylon's Honeydew. Great choice! Industrial green without a doubt. 
At this point I fed multi-unit feeder wires as per George's recommendation for power pick-up, by running wire through the old weight mounting holes in the frame and spliced them into the power pick-up wires from each truck. These were soldered and then I used a product called Liquid Tape by Performix. It's a brush on insulation for electrical application I purchased at Lowes. I used their black and the only thing I don't like about it is the in lid brush aplicator so I use my own for more control. 
The trucks were relubed and fine tuned,again using Georges' tips, frame of B unit has been reassembled and new pieces have been installed. As soon as I get the A unit put back together I can move on to the exterior paint scheme. I going to try to load an unfinished proposal for the paint scheme I have come up with,any comments or suggestions on it would be appreciated. The B unit will not have the rise in color the A unit nose has,but the stripping will be the same. This scheme will also be used on the passenger cars I have as I get to them. 
I have pictures of the remodel to this point and will load them up if wanted. The web sites used are as follows 
http://www.elmassian.com 
http://www.girr.org/girr/index.html go to Aristo FA tips 
www.rr-fallenflags.org/manual/rs2-gen-data.html FA/FB halfway down page for equipment


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yes, please post pictures. Sounds like a great set of improvements to the Aristo loco. The details of your modification sound spot on. 

Regards, 

Greg


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## dltrains (Jan 2, 2008)

Some of the photo's as requested. 
!st photo parts after repaint 
2nd photo shows .125 shims on fuel tank 
3rd parts partially reassembled 
Looks like 3 more next time 
Dave


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Is that expanding foam in the fuel tank? 

Regards, Greg


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## dltrains (Jan 2, 2008)

No Greg Silicone caulk I had left over.I wanted something to hold the lead if this thing falls. 
Some more photo's to help show what I've done. I have step by step photo's of the break done if anyone needs them. 

The 1st shows how I did the coupler mounts. 
Second shows the lowered fuel tank. 
Last the industrial green cab interior


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