# Possible basket case Aristo FA



## nscaler711 (Dec 4, 2015)

Ok so I bought my first real G scale loco a few days ago and it finally arrived, a Aristo-Craft FA-1 (ART-22001) and it runs nice even on my 4' curves. 
So as I was running it, I wanted to add smoke fluid, so I did; cause what's a Alco that isn't smoking? 
I ran it for about 15 minutes, and nothing, I tried flipping the top switch, waited a few and got nothing either direction.... So I flipped the other switches, those didnt shut off power to the motors, or the lights.
I should mention that the "radiator" fan wasn't working either.... 
Anyways, so I did what other Model Railroaders would do. I took the shell off and... Instantly I was like something is wrong here.... 
So here are pics I snapped. 






So if you can tell its a nightmare... And I've hardwired loksound decoders into N scale locomotives... 

If you all know where I can get pics of unmodified FAs or can tell me what I need to redo, or have me take close up photos of everything let me know please!! 
Cause an Alco that doesn't smoke, isn't an Alco... Might as well be an EMD


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

It looks like someone has rewired the lights to run LEDs rather than the bulbs. I think I see a rectifier circuit and resistor that would have been added. Did you know that the engine blow-up diagrams (not talking the Addams Family here) are/were available on-line from AristoCraft?


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## nscaler711 (Dec 4, 2015)

toddalin said:


> It looks like someone has rewired the lights to run LEDs rather than the bulbs. I think I see a rectifier circuit and resistor that would have been added. Did you know that the engine blow-up diagrams (not talking the Addams Family here) are/were available on-line from AristoCraft?


It still has standard bulbs so I have no clue... 
As for the diagrams, nope, I figured since they were defunct I wouldn't be able to find anything. But I can check anyway.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Wow. What the heck are the circuit boards at the cab end doing? No speaker?


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## RIrail (May 5, 2008)

Here is a link to what is left of the parts diagrams. 
http://www.aristocraftforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=21338
and another link from that list of posts which has a download for user manual and parts diagram
http://www.gbdb.info/details.php?image_id=6110&l=english
I don't know about circuit diagrams, but there is an exchange with others posters on the site who might be able to help.

Steve


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## nscaler711 (Dec 4, 2015)

Ok as far as I can tell, I don't have the updated electronics, so no battery plugs, old smoke unit, and not dcc ready... Would it be easier for me to rewire it myself, to at least make sense of what's going on, or do you know where I can get pictures of unmodified versions of mine? 
I think I could rewire it, but I have no idea how id add the smoke unit circuit, that's the one thing I was really looking forward too in this.


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## Beddhist (Dec 17, 2013)

Most of your questions will probably be answered on George Schreyer's site.


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## nscaler711 (Dec 4, 2015)

Beddhist said:


> Most of your questions will probably be answered on George Schreyer's site.


Yep found his site before I bought the FA, it's a good resource for sure. Though I couldn't find any pictures of the "new" unmodified version, to make sense of the wiring diagram. That and I'm not great with schematics anyway, I'm a visual/hands on type of guy


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

rewire.... change to leds

not only is it a mess, but there is something wrong also... the work to debug the problem might be greater than a rewire.

Greg


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## nscaler711 (Dec 4, 2015)

Yea that's what I figured... 
It wouldn't be so bad if I can find the new FA smoke unit since its self contained, and at the very least I can run the fan motor off track power so it spins up the faster the loco goes, or run it in series with the drive motors, that way it spins up when they are under load. 
I don't know, knowing me I'll scrap the boards and rewire the switches so they actually work... Cause the black and blue wires were cut and moved elsewhere... **** knowing me I could rewire the thing using only 8 wires... Lol. If I rewire it, it'll make it easier to hard wire a decoder.... 
Speaking of which... Can I use HO decoders and a MRC Prodigy Advance? I doubt I'll ever have more than two locomotives, and my MRC PA was able to power and run like 6 Sound equipped HO locomotives at once... (probably taxing it as its the last iteration before PA² came out.... 
I want to add sound at some point so I am just curious if say a HO Soundtraxx TSU-1000 would work, I know they get loud enough, I've had a few lol.


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

It looks to me that either a battery or DCC unit was added and then removed before selling this unit.
The fan and heater element on this FA engine are wired in series and the switch board at the rear of the engine would reverse the fan direction (I never figured this out as this would make smoke fill the inside of the engine).


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## nscaler711 (Dec 4, 2015)

they are DCC boards. I ripped one out, the one toward the headlight, they are Lenz 55020 boards. Yes plural boardS there are two!! That explains the mass of wires.... I guess they are designed for Stainz locomotives... Cool, but this isn't an LGB lol. 
so maybe I should have grabbed my MRC PA and tested it huh? Oh well... I want sound anyways.... But for now I want to run with DC, and smoke... So what should I do now?


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

It's also probably one of the older non ballbearing units. Do the axles extend into the sideframes or end flush with the wheels? If they extend into the sideframes then it is one of the older units. The older ones run ok but are not weighted as heavy as the newer units,thus have less pulling power.


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## nscaler711 (Dec 4, 2015)

Yes it is the older version, there seems to be bearings at the axle tips in the side frames. 
I also snapped a pic of the mess after I removed the Decoders.... 




So yeah I can hard wire it so it just runs, and has a headlight... But the rest, I am lost in the sauce. I have no clue how to wire in a smoke unit, and it didn't seem to work straight off track power either..


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

looks like a small reed relay to switch the power on and off the the smoke unit.

Those smoke units suck, I would skip it and save for a more modern fan driven one. Train Li has them at a good price.

Greg


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

There are also a pair of lights inside the frame/cab that shine on the engine. These look to have been clipped off.


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## nscaler711 (Dec 4, 2015)

@Greg Elmassian Ok I clipped that reed switch off and it works now, but very low output smoke wise... (I wonder if those e cig fluids would work lol...) as for the train Li smoke generators how would one fit that to a FA, and retain the exhaust stack? I know that panel comes off, so how would I mount it? Without major modifications.... 

@toddalin nope they are still there, I just take crappy photos of things between 1:160 to 1:1, so basically if its not life size and N scale I can't photograph it 

I did find a LED for the headlight, but man is it ever HID (6000k) oh well maybe when I repaint this into my RR colors, I'll say HID/LED bulbs are mandatory lol incandescent bulbs are so last century... 

Also those Lenz/LGB Decoders, yeah I don't need them so if you want, make an offer...


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

The 55020 Lenz decoders that were removed are very old and you can only program CV1-4. Serial operation only and 14 speed steps. Not worth much to most digital users if you intend to sell them.

I added a Trainli smoke unit to a customer FA unit and had to make a mounting bracket. The new model smoke unit needs 15 volts for the heater but only 5 volts for the motor.
No problem for the newer Zimo decoders which drive this fan unit motor directly.


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## nscaler711 (Dec 4, 2015)

So basically I'd be better off throwing them in the trash, gotcha. 
Ah well that may put a damper on things, as I am not going to run out and get a DCC system, just for a couple G scale locos.... From what I have seen decoders, and systems are way to expensive... For the price of some I'll be better off getting a MRC Prodigy Elite to run things to include my N scale lol.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

There is nothing wrong with analog DC track power. That will get you going until you decide what you really want. There are a lot of options out there. I've been using analog DC since the early 1980s. For my train that is all I need. I do have some engines with RC/battery, but that is mostly so that I can run on other layouts that don't have track power.

Get up and running, only then will you be able to evaluate what works best for you and your layout.

I'd rather buy more rolling stock than put that money into a DCC system. I have a simple loop and run one train at a time. I have two passing sidings, so I can have up to three trains out. If I wanted to control multiple engines at the same time I'd go to DCC, but my layout isn't large enough to justify it.

Chuck


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

I had DC for years and when I went to DCC I choose to convert only favorite engines and my layouts can run either DC or DCC by toggling my DPDT switches.


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## nscaler711 (Dec 4, 2015)

Well I got it up and running finally, and pulled out over a yard of wires.... Yippee... :-/ 
Granted the smoke unit worked, and now it doesn't? Oh well whatever...
I did find a DCC sound board I may try, a MRC Freedom One, since I'll only run at a Max voltage of 16v as I don't need a bullet train on 4' curves... And It has a remote that can control it on DC, forward, reverse, lights and sounds.
So it should work fine, as long as I don't stall the FA. Lol
Who knows till I can pick one up..


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