# aristo 2-8-0--new photos



## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

Aristo has posted new photos of the engineering model of their forthcoming 2-8-0



















Looking good, except for maybe those blind drivers. They have talked about shipping it with flanged drivers you can swap in


They are aiming for "early 2009" production.


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## Fr1522 (Jul 24, 2008)

It looks very much like a few Lake Superior & Ishpeming locos like #33,34(734), 35.


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## DKRickman (Mar 25, 2008)

It looks to me as though the cylinders sit too high, compared to the centerline of the drivers. Is that prototypical? Anybody know what (if any) prototype they're using?


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## Richard Smith (Jan 2, 2008)

The general lines look much like the B&O. The headlight placement definately.


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## Richard Smith (Jan 2, 2008)

[No message]


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

It seems they are using a number of the Mikado parts, that might explain the cylinders. 

Regards, Greg


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## W3NZL (Jan 2, 2008)

Its appears to be a combination of several B&O E-27 sub-classes, say an E-27 tender an a E-27a or b 
series engine, 100 tonners... Whatever, it'll make a nice light consolidation, should make a good little 
steamer for a lot of folks with with small layouts...
Paul R...


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

So, let's put the two photos together for comparison.


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

I'd say it's not that exact loco, but certainly representative of the type.


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## Hagen (Jan 10, 2008)

B&O wasn't widely known for sticking to a certain appearance of their classes (as I have come to understand).
I like it alot, fix the cylinders, I agree they are too high, and I'll buy one, wrong scale and all


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

Hard to tell exactly from the photo, but to me it looks like the cylinders (pistons) are centered with the drivers. Looks okay to me. 

The boiler looks pretty high - lots of space between it and the drivers - but that might look better once the air pumps are installed. Looks to be about the same height as the prototype.


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## Hagen (Jan 10, 2008)

To me it looks like the entire structure, boiler, cab and cylinders is about 1/4" or 3/16" to high because the ashpan is resting ontop of Aristos universal drive "box" and not just above the driver. Take into account the flanges on Aristo and you're "halfway there". 

But it's not a direct side shot so


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## Hagen (Jan 10, 2008)

USATC S160
A possible bash/conversion for us "Euro" folks


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## eatrains (Jan 2, 2008)

Does anyone know what diameter curves these will require?


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## DKRickman (Mar 25, 2008)

Posted By Hagen on 09/28/2008 12:24 PM
To me it looks like the entire structure, boiler, cab and cylinders is about 1/4" or 3/16" to high because the ashpan is resting ontop of Aristos universal drive "box" and not just above the driver. Take into account the flanges on Aristo and you're "halfway there". 

But it's not a direct side shot so " align="absmiddle" border="0" />


Hagen,

That's what it looks like to me as well. I think if you lowered the entire assembly about 1/4", you'd have a dead ringer for the B&O loco in the photos.


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## rwjenkins (Jan 2, 2008)

Looks like the B&O prototype had drivers around 63", and the model uses the same 55" drivers as the Mikado and 0-4-0. The smaller drivers may be the reason why the boiler looks high.


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## Josef Rieder (Jan 18, 2008)

Aristo's steam offerings have never really impressed me. The ammount of detail is low compared to the amount that is put into their diesels and the coating that they put on the drivers and rods is too shiny. This, on the other hand, looks pretty good. Lots of separately applied parts and good proportions make this model look much better, even if it is a prototype.


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

This one looks a lot closer:

















Davy Cormack sent that picture to me a few years ago when this project was annoucned. He also sent me line drawings:









I think it looks really good for medium / small steam. For me, it is going to be almost perfect for the New Haven's inherited Central New England Consolidations. Center the headlight, change the location of the bell, put in an arch window cab, and you are half way there. 

Those looked like the mikado's 63" drivers. Where'd the 55" drivers come from?


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Torby on 09/28/2008 7:33 AM
So, let's put the two photos together for comparison. 
























Now is it just me or does this look surprisingly like the Lionel 4-4-2 t0 2-8-0 conversion bash


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Vic,

Differences I can see:
- drivers on the bashed Atlanticado are much further behind the cylinders than in the prototype photos (but it still looks good!)
- cross head guide is top and bottom, mikado has only top guide
- Better detail on the valve gearing. Looks like some of it may move
- no Belpaire firebox, making it less road specific (and more like my desired New Haven!)

Otherwise, its pretty close, at least as far as pictures are concerned. The 4-4-2 Atlantic I had was pretty well detailed for 1989 G scale. Not sure it is a fair comparision now.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Looks like it will be a nice loco. It's way closer to the prototype than the Mikado. 

I sure hope Lewis makes good on providing the non-blind drivers like he said. The discussion over there had a bunch of people jump on a guy who asked for no blind drivers. Big lecture on how the engine is cast in stone, and the locos came with blind drivers, blah blah blah. 

Well, look at the prototype B&W picture first posted by Tom, and quoted by Victor... sure looks like all drivers flanged. 

You have never had fun until you pull a driver on an Aristo steam loco, since you typically have to pull the thing pretty much apart to get the driver past the brakes. In my case, (Mallet, Mikado, Pacific) I had to remove the brakes, and you have to split the motor block to get them off. 

Fun. 

Regards, Greg


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

I can see both sides of the argument--lots of people jumped on Lewis for having blind drivers, and I can see why, but there's a good argument to be made for blind drivers. On my layout, I run trains into a storage barn, and some of the tracks are served by LGB 1200 switches. I can't get a 2-8-0 into those tracks, although the rest of my railroad has 8 ft minimum curves. It would give me more flexibility to have blind drivers. A lot of his market is people using small radius curves. 

At the same time, I don't like the look of blind drivers and I assume--though I don't know--that a loco with all flanged drivers would pull better. 


I would not want to be a manufacturer of large scale equipment. People are always really mad at you!


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg,

I think the pictures that Davy sent me (see my posts) might be the prototype Aristo made. Take a look at the ladders, etc.. Most of the appliances, etc appear to be in the exact same spots as the one Aristo is showing.

I don't think I'm going to mess with the drivers. I had 'fun' getting my mikado wheels off for painting. Should have just left them on and taped everything around them. Blind drivers should not be a problem for me, after they are painted. From the photo, all appear to be making contact with the rail. In the proto photos, it looks like all wheels are flanged. 

Mark


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yep, looks "spot on" with the picture, I agree. 

My concerns with blind drivers are I don't like the "look", but more that my experiences with blind drivers have not been good, from what I believe is reduced pulling power, to increased derailments as the drivers can drop "inside" the rails on sharp curves. (This can be mitigated by increasing the tread width, but then it looks worse). 

I'm not happy about pulling a new loco apart to put the drivers on, but I can live with it, especially if, as Lewis hopes, doing this will broaden the appeal for the loco. 

There is a theory that the Mikado and Mallet did not sell well because they required too broad of curves, limiting the sales. (I think the reasons are otherwise, but it seems that no one really knows). 

So, I can accept the "experiment" to see if this helps. I want to find out how many people it "helped" after the loco has been out for a while. 

Regards, Greg


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## rwjenkins (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By markoles on 09/29/2008 8:32 AM Those looked like the mikado's 63" drivers. Where'd the 55" drivers come from?



The Mikado drivers are almost 63" in 1:32 scale (fortunately for me), but they only work out to about 55" across the treads in 1:29. Looks to me like the 2-8-0 is using the same drivers.


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Looks mighty close to this one:


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

With blind drivers, just like the new C16 (same block BTW), methinks theres a possibility this beasty just might be R1 capable...


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