# Aristo Smoothside Car, Lowering & Body Mount Kadee 906s



## Ted Doskaris (Oct 7, 2008)

Aristo Smoothside Car, Lowering & Body Mounting Kadee 906 Centerset Couplers
Ted Doskaris
May 21, 2015

The Aristo-Craft Smoothside car construction is closely related to the Aristo fluted side "Budd" Streamliner car, so the same techniques done for the shorter Budd Streamliner (previously *described on MLS* ) apply to the longer Smoothside - except the coupler used is the Kadee 906 rather than the 907. 

The Kadee 906 was chosen to accommodate operation of the longer length of the Smoothside car on 8 foot diameter track circle.
(8 foot diameter track is my minimum target for tight curves.) With a long length, long wheel base car like the Smoothside, the projected overhang at its end becomes a problem, particularly on tight curve tracks. In this regard, the greater flexibility afforded by the Kadee 906 long shank coupler and wider gear box opening is of notable advantage.

The shank on this coupler has one centering spring that compresses when the coupler is pulled out in tension as would happen in a train. This feature is used to advantage for locating the coupler box such that coupled car distance can be kept at a minimum whilst still allowing the cars to go around tighter curves down to 8 foot in diameter.

Shown below are Lowered Smoothside coach and observation cars equipped with Kadee 906 body mounts on an 8 foot diameter track circle.










I chose to use a fabricated bolster, not only to height match with the lowered Aristo Streamliner car but, also, with the USA Trains factory height passenger car.
As can be seen below, the Aristo Streamliner and Smoothside cars are the same height when both equipped with the fabricated bolster.










As shown below, using the fabricated bolster, also, provides the same car height match with the USA Trains fluted side metal passenger car










The same bolster types having roller dowels can be used on the Aristo Smoothsides like done on the Aristo Budd Streamliners; however, this time I tried a Basic bolster type variation with nylon ball bearings as shown below.










This is the best choice bolster of all for both Smoothsides and Streamliner cars since it's the easiest to make, takes the least amount of material, but more importantly, affords the most friction free performance since the truck body contact area is working against individual ball bearings at different radial distances as it is rotated. Obtaining the ball bearings in quantity by mail order is fairly inexpensive when considering several cars are to be worked on (About $10 buys 100 nylon ball bearings).

Results:

Shown below is an example Smoothside coach car end with Kadee 906 coupler aligned with the Kadee 980 track height gauge.










Shown below is an example Smoothside observation car round end with Kadee 906 coupler aligned with the Kadee 980 track height gauge.










Video, 
Southern Pacific Daylight Train operation on Layout that includes Aristo Smoothsides, Heavyweights and USA Trains Streamliner cars:
Note I wrongly stated in the video that the Smoothsides have Kadee 907s. *I should have said Smoothside cars have Kadee 906s*. Sorry for the mistake.





For more detail, including how to do information and drawings, see article hosted for me by Greg E. on his Web site:
Aristo Streamliners - Lowering & Body Mounting Kadee 907 Centerset Couplers, particularly see *Appendix B* - Smoothside Car, Lowering & Body Mount Kadee 906 couplers.
(Note: You will have to manually scroll down to Appendix B until Greg fixes linking.)

-Ted


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Very nice Ted. Sat back and enjoyed it. My San Joaquin Daylight has a similiar make up except I'm using USA PA's to pull it.


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## Ted Doskaris (Oct 7, 2008)

Thanks Paul,

Your use of the PAs are very prototypical.

From checking the books I have, the San Joaquin Valley Daylight train in Daylight livery did use the ALCO PA/Bs rather than the E7 units from what I can tell. Probably for the dynamic brakes that the early Es did not have for going over Tehachapi Loop and mountains. The E9s painted in the gray / bloody nose livery were used on the Valley Daylight in late years. The passenger cars that had fluted sides then lost their fluted sides and any Daylight livery, too.

-Ted


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Ted,
I added weight to my Aristo baggage car to bring it a litttle closer to the very heavy USA cars. I was afraid that it might get pulled off curves with all that weight behind it, but I see yours does just fine. I don't run at night so I pulled the power pickups from the USA cars to reduce drag. The San Joaquin Daylight did have quite a mix of cars through the years. If I ever run across any Aristo coaches I might add one or two and use your methods to convert.
P.S. I wish someone could come up with a Harriman roof casting or combination of castings that would fit the Aristo heavyweight cars. That would really improve the look for our Daylight consist.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yeah, those carbon brushes on the USAT passengers can really add drag, have to be checked and cleaned often. I wish the guy who used to convert them to ball bearing operaiton was still around. 

Greg


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## Ted Doskaris (Oct 7, 2008)

Paul Burch said:


> Ted,
> Snip
> "I added weight to my Aristo baggage car to bring it a litttle closer to the very heavy USA cars. I was afraid that it might get pulled off curves with all that weight behind it, but I see yours does just fine...."
> Snip.


Paul, I did add about 1.25 lb weight in the underside belly of the Heavyweight RPO, the first car on my Daylight train as said in the video. On my layout, I was able to just get by without adding that weight with the 9 car train on the under house part of my layout; however, if adding another car I think will definitely require the extra weight. I think I will add the weight to the 2nd car on the train (Baggage car) since I would like to try a 10 or 11 car train. 

I plan to write a vignette about the Heavyweight car with Kadee 907 body mounts and adding weight. Also, another vignette about installing Kadee 906 body mounts to the USAT metal passenger car.

-Ted


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## Esppe Pete (Jan 21, 2008)

Great to se a Daylight running, Thanks Ted!


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