# Aristo Tank Car - Installing Body Mount Kadee 907s & Adding Weight



## Ted Doskaris (Oct 7, 2008)

The Aristo 10,000 gallon tank car has be around almost since dirt was created.

Since I have been progressively retrofitting all my rolling stock and locos to Kadees - nearly all to centerset type couplers - I finally got to doing the tank cars, and in so doing discovered some revaluations.

Shown below are example Aristo-Craft tank cars (both 1 & 3 dome types) fitted with body mounted Kadee 907 centerset couplers. 

These cars have their Kadee draft gear boxes integrated into the end sill pockets without having to cut the car to do so. Also, the mounting screw is virtually out of view whilst being used for two purposes.



























Rather than cutting the car's end sill wider to accept the Kadee coupler box, the coupler box (with lid) is notched to mate with the car's pocket. 









The information to follow describes what is done to integrate body mounted Kadee 907 coupler assemblies.

In order to best align installed body mounted couplers with the Kadee 980 coupler height gauge, the car needs to have its frame straight. In this regard, the Aristo factory does not appear to assemble the tank car with much attention, perhaps being a non issue to them with standard truck mounted couplers having intrinsic slop. 

I have several tank cars with many of them having their frames bowed (warped) with respect to the tank. The frames were bowed from the center outward in either of two directions. This affects the attitude of the coupler pad at the end sills which is why straightening is to be done.










Shown below is the example Union Pacific tank car having been corrected. Note the consistent air gap parallel distance between the tank and the frame of the car.










Another thing that affects the coupler pad attitude is if the pad should dip up or down - even after straightening the frame's spine - or if the pad is allowed to flex under load when the car is coupled in a long, heavy train.

In order to integrate the Kadee coupler assembly into the car's end sill pocket, the coupler box and lid are notched at two corners as illustrated in the following picture:










For mounting the Kadee 907 coupler assembly, a hole is drilled and tapped for #2-56 screw thread in the car frame coupler pads. The hole is to be centered and located 0.900 inch from the end of the sill.

The long mounting screw has two purposes - the obvious is for box installation when the nut is tightened down.










The second purpose is that the screw will, also, serve to help align the outer frame extremity (coupler pad) with respect to the tank should it bow upward. The screw can be adjusted so the outer frame extremity is evenly spaced / parallel with respect to the tank.










In order for the car with installed Kadee center set couplers to align with the Kadee 980 coupler height gauge, the car must be lowered by a small amount - assuming the trucks are equipped with Aristo ART-29111B metal wheels. 

Lowering the car is done by placing a shim (0.032 inch thick) at both ends under the bolster of the Aristo truck where it goes into the side frame - shown below:










Note that the truck coupler tang must be removed so it won't interfere with the body mount coupler assembly.

With the trucks installed, and when the car is placed on level track, the coupler height can be verified to see if it aligns with the Kadee 980 gauge - shown below.











Adding weight helps prevent the car from "string lining" off the track on curves when in a long heavy train.

The tank car as it comes from the Aristo factory is fairly light weight at about 2 pounds - even when fitted with Aristo metal wheels (ART-29111B) - as is the example ATSF car shown below.










I used three sections, each cut in 4 inch lengths from 5/8 inch diameter steel bar stock for weights. Each weight is inserted through the dome opening to collectively add about a pound more weight. (Once installed the individual pieces are aligned in a row like sausage links. Recycled packing material is then poked down the dome opening to keep the weights in place.)










Doing this, the car weight is brought up to about 3 pounds - shown below. 










For more details, including on the how to's and a dimensioned drawing showing the notched areas of the coupler box & lid, see the *full article* hosted for me by Greg E. on his Web site.

-Ted


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## Dick413 (Jan 7, 2008)

as always great show and tell 
thanks Ted


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## BodsRailRoad (Jul 26, 2008)

Very nice as usual Ted.
I did my mod a little differently (I'm a little lazier than you I think







).
I opted to cut the frames and add a shim under the coupler. Same result though.
For weight I use lead shot and just pour it in the tank, very simple and stable.

Ron


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I used the lead shot, but it shifts easily and unbalances the car somewhat. The other thing that WILL happen is if one end gets loose, or someone picks up the car and turns it over, you have lead shot everywhere... don't ask me how I know this! 

Greg


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## Ted Doskaris (Oct 7, 2008)

Thanks Ron, 

I considered using lead shot, but for the reasons Greg stated, I chose not to. 
But if lead shot is used, glue (epoxy) it in place like Greg did for his Aristo E8 fuel tanks. But using this technique through the dome hole in a tank car may be a bit difficult and wasteful of resources. 

Another option that came to mind is using home insulating foam from a spray can that you put in tightly spaced stud areas so long as it is the low pressure expanding type - otherwise the car's tank would burst as the foam expands. 

-Ted


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## BodsRailRoad (Jul 26, 2008)

I used #8 shot which is pretty small and haven't had any problems, but then again I'm the only one handling the cars and I can see how you could have problems if not careful.

Ron


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I use #9, and the end cap came loose on a car and spilled... and I am likewise the only one handling the cars. 

Don't say I did not warn you ha ha! The pressure of the lead eventually will help push the ends off. 

Greg


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## BodsRailRoad (Jul 26, 2008)

Thanks for the heads up Greg.
I will glue the end caps securely, because I sure don't want to have to clean up that mess








Ron


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## Ted Doskaris (Oct 7, 2008)

RE: The Early Production Run Aristo Tank Car 

There are newer and older versions of the Aristo Tank Car. Shown below is the older Aristo production run car (that was factory packaged in the Gray Box) 










The old version car does not have end sill detail of the newer type car - See below picture.
.









For the older Aristo production run car (that was factory packaged in the Gray Box) I used the Kadee box with exposed cover lip like Ron, but mounting it without the need of shims under it is multipurpose like I had described for the newer car.

For more detail, see the full *Article*, Appendix A.

-Ted


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## Dick Friedman (Aug 19, 2008)

Good explanation. I'll have to go look at my tanks and see if they are Aristo and how I did it. One of my tanks is USA. I put ONE Kadee on this thing and it was a bear because of all the detail on the ends of the car. I had to thread the coupler between the uncoupling levers. My Hershey tank is Aristo, but I haven't changed it over to Kadees. I've got the old one without all the end detail. I'll have to give this a try, but it means I'll have to put Kadees and metal wheels on ALL my Hershey cars!

Thanks gys!


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## JLienau (Jan 20, 2008)

I just finished changing all my Aristo single dome and triple dome tank cars over to Kadee 789's body mounted. I had to notch the frame just a tad but didn't have to shim any place. The kadee coupler gauge was right on. I'm now in the process of changing my USA wood sided reefers to body mounted Kadee 789's. I'm using a 3/32" shim between the kadee coupler mount box and the under frame of the car. I also have to notch out the end sill of the car to fit the coupler mount box. I cut the coupler tang off the wheel assembly and there is still plenty of swing clearance for the wheels.


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