# Aristo revises wheel attachment system?



## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

According to Lewis, the next run of Pacifics, now on the water, will have a revised wheel attachment system "using a new internal bearing." (http://www.aristocraft.com/vbulletinforums/showpost.php?p=164257&postcount=6)

Does anyone know what this means? It's possibly good news, as the wheel attachment was a weak point in their drive


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## jmill24 (Jan 11, 2008)

If I had to guess, the bearing is probably a conical bearing made from soft metal like brass,bronze or copper to get a better grip between the tapered axle end and the taper hole in the wheel. Also a better surface finish so the surfaces mate better will help. I can be wrong, I usually am...................Jim


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Beleive it when i see it...................................










Lots of talk !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## W3NZL (Jan 2, 2008)

Just putting the same taper on both pieces would largely solve the problem...
Paul R...


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

Agreed--matching the taper would pretty much be the end of it. I'm trying to figure out how this bearing could work. No word on the aristo site


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Hain't seen any details yet.


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## W3NZL (Jan 2, 2008)

I think "bearing" is a probably a misnomer, I never had the impression that Lewis was a mechanical type 
anyway, probably just didn't know what else to call it..
Paul R...


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

If I remember correctly, at one time, an aftermarket company (NWSL?) made wheels that had a second piece of metal pressed into the center of the wheel, and that piece had the taper machined into it. Thus the wheel gauge could be adjusted by pressing the center piece in or out. 

That would seem to be the simple solution if you retain the tapered axles. But this requires a precision fit of this "adjusting piece" within the wheel. It would seem reasonable that this would greatly increase the price of the wheel. 

It would seem simpler to just make the wheel a press fit on an axle. 

Regards, Greg


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## W3NZL (Jan 2, 2008)

Back a few years ago when I built my Northern, thats exactly what I did with the USA BB wheels, they R a straght press fit on the axles...
I made adapters that I pressed in and pinned, they R straight on the outside and the inside was machined to a 6 degree incl angle taper 
to fit the Aristo axle taper, worked out very well... A straight press fit wheel is a nice simple way to deal with it, unfortunately it wouldn't 
work with an Aristo gearbox, U wouldn't be able to ever get into the gearbox...
Paul R...


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

WOOW Greg has a new sig photo, I REALLY like that one. 
Do you have a color photo??


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## jgallaway81 (Jan 5, 2009)

Might even be simply a piece of soft metal between the wheel and axle that takes up the difference between the two bad [email protected] url(http://www.mylargescale.com/Providers/HtmlEditorProviders/CEHtmlEditorProvider/Load.ashx?type=style&file=SyntaxHighlighter.css);@import url(/providers/htmleditorproviders/cehtmleditorprovider/dnngeneral.css);


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## W3NZL (Jan 2, 2008)

Why Mickey Mouse it ?? It'd be a whole lot easier, cheaper, and better to do it right the first time... Make the taper the 
same on both parts, an then if its correctly assembled, there will be no more problems...
Paul R...


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

Agreed--my guess is it's some kind of soft metal shim, and that tis possibly compromises power pickup, which is why they are emphasizing power pickup from the tender. I'd be delighted to be [email protected] url(/providers/htmleditorproviders/cehtmleditorprovider/dnngeneral.css);


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Have you ever known AC to do something simple and easy to correct a problem. Nope they always got to reinvent the wheel. Let see if they explain it on there site, The questions have been asked but no response so far. Later RJD


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Marty, Santa Fe Super Chief in Los Angeles... 50's I believe, and I AM searching for the color one! 

Let's wait and see, any ability to adjust the Aristo gauge will be a welcome change, but the post was about attachment. Maybe they will revise the small half axles, that could be done pretty easily. 

Since they changed the axle ends and taper on the recent run of SS wheels (the new SS wheels will not fit any existing motor blocks), I guess another change could be easy. 

Regards, Greg


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## George Schreyer (Jan 16, 2009)

The photo looks like the Arroyo Seco trestle.


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

I know this is getting way off topic but this is for Marty. Check out northern 3751 on the Arroyo Seco trestle. Maybe this isn't too far off topic since 3751 is the prototype for Aristos future northern which will have the new wheel taper?????? Anyway,Marty and Rex,this is for you. http://www.socalrailfan.com/photos/...mp;cat=548


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Actually fixing the problem would be to key the wheel and axle... and set up the steamers so you got the proper quartering... 

Greg


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

George I drive under the Arroyo Seco bridge everyday, that bridge in Gregs signature is waaaay too long and looks too high, I remember reading somewhere that this bridge was actually in northern CA and that it was mislableled as the Arroyo bridge.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I cropped the picture, the train has emerged from tunnel 2 at muir and alhambra avenue... the canyon may be franklin canyon... 










The picture below is in Pasadena










Regards, Greg


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## San Juan (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 06 Apr 2011 09:28 PM 
I cropped the picture, the train has emerged from tunnel 2 at muir and alhambra avenue... the canyon may be franklin canyon... 











Regards, Greg 
Beautiful pic Greg, but that's not the Super Chief.


Two easy things to spot:

*1 *Since this is the Muir trestle which is in northern CA, the train must be the the San Francisco Chief. But that was easy since you mentioned the location. 


*2* But if you didn't know the location, the Big Dome also makes it easy to tell this is not the Super Chief. The Super Chief (from 1951 and on) always had a Pleasure Dome, not a full dome "Big Dome".


The photo is definitely from the 1950s based on the lack of "extra" grab irons on the locos, which are F3s by the way. So just a guess here, but I'll say 1955. But really could be any year from 1954 to around 1960. Maybe I can find this photo in one of my Santa Fe books to see if there is any accompanying info on the year.

And Greg, if you'd like a color photo of the Super Chief, or any other Santa Fe train for that matter, to use for your signature, let me know and I'll scan you a photo. I've got loads of color Santa Fe passenger train photos in multiple books. These books have been a real help with our HO layout (which is based on the Santa Fe in Southern California during 1957).


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## San Juan (Jan 3, 2008)

Well that was easy.

Found the photo (black + white) right away in the book, _Santa Fe...Steel Rails Through California (by Donald Duke and Stan Kistler)_ on page 105.

No year given, but it is the San Francisco Chief on Muir trestle. It might show up in some of my other books. So if I find the specific year I'll post it.



Here is a similar photo in color from a Santa Fe postcard. Those are F7s pulling the San Francisco Chief in this photo.


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