# Best Diesel Power Trucks?



## Bob Pope (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi,

I have a couple scratch-built internal-combustion/electric locomotives that use the 2-axle Aristocraft power trucks. I would like to find another source of 2-axle power trucks with ball bearings and low-power draw motors. Does anyone have a recommendation? USA Trains? Piko? LGB? Something else?

Thanks,
Bob Pope


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Offhand, I'd say "pick one of the above." I don't know about the ball-bearing aspect of things, though. The USA and LGB blocks I've played with recently do not have them. If I recall, Bachmann's 45-tonner motor blocks do, but they've got counterweights and connecting rods--not terribly apropos for a mainline diesel. 

Northwest Short Line also has motor blocks. Again, no ball bearings.

Later,

K


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Which two axle Aristo truck are you using? The one from the GP40 or the RS3 truck and if from the RS3(or FA) are they the newer ballbearing version or the old type?


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

For battery power, I would go so far as to say the two axle *BB* Aristo power truck is *the best* power truck I have ever had anything to do with.
As far as I know it is the only two axle truck with a 3 point axle suspension.
Not sure what their power pick up capabilities are like though.


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## s-4 (Jan 2, 2008)

If Bachmann is now making the Eggliner, we can all hope that it will still contain the beloved FA/RS3/U25B/RDC/Critter motor block. Perhaps you won't need to search any longer. 

Tony, I also agree that the motor block is the best with its three point movement. It was a shame that Aristo removed the working truck-body suspension, as that harmed tracking on the two-truck locos greatly.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I'd see if Navin / Crest Electronics has a spare brick you can buy before the end of the month when they close.

Greg


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## Bob Pope (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks everyone!

I'm using the ball-bearing trucks with the smaller 380 motors. I tried the large 550 motored GP-40 trucks and they took too much current.

My engine and alternator are best suited to powering two of the 380 motors. I'm glad to hear these are good power trucks - I have not tired any brands other than Aristocraft.

I have two sets of the Aristocraft 3-axle trucks.. I'm going to make a new locomotive for my son. I could use one 3-axle truck up front and an unpowered truck in back. Maybe that is the solution.

Thanks and I'll look for eggliners as a cource of spares for my existing pair of locomotives.

Bob


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

> I'd see if Navin / Crest Electronics has a spare brick you can buy before the end of the month when they close.


 Greg - I haven't noticed any mention of this. Do you mean close as in *CLOSE*?


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

As soon as I post this, I run into the thread.

In the words of the great American philosopher, Emily Latella: "Never mind."

JackM


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

USA trains and LGB have parts for the motor block available. Aristo parts until someone 'takes over' will get hard to find.
For USA Trains I prefer to buy the whole block (more cost effective) and save my old block for spare parts.


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## Garratt (Sep 15, 2012)

I wouldn't necessarily assume the Bachmann Eggliner will have the original AristoCraft motor block. With 'Winston' and a speeder on the way, they may all have a common smaller block which is all they really need. The illustrations in the Bachmann NMRA 2016 catalog of the EggLiner omit the wheels for some reason... We will just have to wait and see.

http://resources.bachmanntrains.com/nmra2016_brochure/

Andrew


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## Cataptrra (Mar 16, 2015)

I agree the AristoCraft Ball Bearing Lil' Critter and Egg Liner motor blocks are the best. But seem a bit difficult to come by. I built an helper/sound car using one of these and use it behind my LGB Stainz when I want to pull heavy loaded ore cars or illuminated cars that have heavy drag on them.

And I can run the LGB Stainz and the Helper car on some starter power packs/throttles that come in starter sets, but if I use one of those, train must be kept very short and any cars, such as illuminated passenger cars must be kept to a minimum. Usually no more than 2 illuminated passenger cars, or no more than 4 loaded ore cars and an illuminated caboose{L.E.D.'s}. Incandescents pull far too much power, so I try to change out any interior illumination to L.E.D. whenever I can.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Gentleman's bet:

They will use the same motor blocks they were designed with, the Aristo for the eggliner, and the K-Line for the speeder.

These are such inexpensive locos that they do not justify the cost to re-engineer when Kader has everything already that works. 

Also the wheelbase on the eggliner is WAY different from the K-Line speeder, maybe you have never seen the speeder in person, it is SMALL.

Greg


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## du-bousquetaire (Feb 14, 2011)

Its funny no one talked about MTH motor blocks in this forum, perhaps it is because they don't sell them separatly. But they are quite high quality if that is what you are looking for: Bronze bearings, gears and good quality motors and flywheel. What else would you need? My F3 has nearly a thousand hours of running and shows no signs of wear.


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

KISS makes diesels with awesome motor blocks. They look like they could be ball bearings on the axles and the blocks are metal!! Probably lots of $$ to buy.
I do not know if they are sold separately.
HJ did post a paint peeling issue with these which occurred over 5 years ago and I would assume this has been addressed and fixed, but for kit bashing this would not matter.


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Unless I missed it, i didn't see anything about scale. I guess his locos are 1/29 since that is the truck he was using. Mth is 1/32, the axle spacing would be too narrow.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yep, besides the fact that you cannot buy MTH spares for scratchbuilding in the first place, they will be too small.

2 axle Aristo motor blocks will be available in December, from Bachmann, buy an eggliner, and you get the motor block for free.

Greg


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