# Aristo Dash 9. Still great value for money



## main131 (Jan 3, 2008)

Please check out video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Msnwis5eEK4


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Its a great locomotive and even better runniing when you install USA motor blocks in them.


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Nice layout and video. 

What brand coal cars are those in the video? 

Randy


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Randy, the 1st one is USA cant tell about the rest.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

I'm not to keen on using the USAT bricks. Yes they may run a tad faster but in the long run its cheaper to run as is. I;m not one for a lot of speed as I try to run like the prototype which is a bit slower. Works for me. Later RD


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## Bret W Tesson (Jan 6, 2008)

Agree..The Dash 9 with Aristo bricks are great runners..no need to put USAT bricks on that model. 

Bret


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## Joe Mascitti (Oct 30, 2008)

Even better if Aristo had made some to sell...hard to find except in a couple of roadnames...


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Im lookin for ya Joe.................. I will let RJ know soon. I have a lot of engines buried that i havent seen in a while and need to find them.


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

As a steam guy, I have to say, that's one pretty loco. 

We don't have any Dash-9's at the Botanic (yet), but our E8's with the same block are quite the running machines.


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## flats (Jun 30, 2008)

I have been runnig the Dash 9 for 6 years or better now and they still pull and run as good are better than the day 
I got them. My old high nose SD45 are not mush either, they are actually running better now than new. I 
have only one USA engine and I am very disappointed with it, so most of my engines are Aristo. 

Ken owner of K&K the road to nowhere


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## flats (Jun 30, 2008)

Posted By flats on 05 Jul 2010 09:04 AM 
I have been running the Dash 9 for 6 years or better now and they still pulling and running as good are better than the day 
I got them. My old high nose SD45 are not mush either, they are actually running better now than new. I 
have only one USA engine and I am very disappointed with it, so most of my engines are Aristo. 

Ken owner of K&K the road to nowhere


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## Chucks_Trains (Jan 2, 2008)

They were a great value when Aubin's was blowing them out for like 179.89 3 years ago.

I agree with Nick that they run lots better with USA motor blocks under them.

RJ, Pototypical running here in northern IL. means up in the 70 mph range and I don't think Aristo motor blocks can go that fast. My USA Trains can go over 100 smph


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Of course I will get "hit" for Aristo bashing, but my investigations into the electrical and physical shortcomings of the Aristo design makes me agree with Chuck and Nick. 

The USAT design will track much better over rails with dips and crowns (because the 3rd axle has more travel and acts more like a pilot) whereas the Aristo design is a rigid frame (the rotational freedom does nothing on track that is not warped) and can "high center" on a crown in the rails. 

Electrically, the power pickup system has proven to be better on the USAT, since it relies on metal journals and the tips of the axles. 

The Aristo design relies on the hope that a small finger on a metal clip touches a spring in the gearbox which touches a ball bearing that rides on the axle. The other weak points of conduction is that this metal clip is not made from spring material and it relies on touching a metal strip in the inside of the motor block housing. To complete the circuit, the power is conducted to the loco chassis by small metal fingers on top of the motor block, again not made from spring material, which often bend and lose contact with the circuit board in the truck "bolster" assembly. 

All these potential points of electrical "non-conduction" are what makes the power pickup less reliable. See my web site for detailed photos and explanations. 

So many people have good reason for the statements above of preferences of one over the other. 

Regards, Greg


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## main131 (Jan 3, 2008)

Greg.I have no reason to doubt that you are technically correct and clearly you have an 'in depth' knowledge on the subject.

The Santa Fe is not the only Aristo Dash 9 that I have run for some years now out of the box, and all without the possible problems referred to.
If I have any personal issues, then it is with the US collectors and not with poor conductivity with the Aristo range.
Running over indifferent turnouts, plus various rail joints and a range of frogs (on other folks garden railways) exposes these pick ups to a few realities out there and I have more confidence with the Aristo product in these circumstances.

Incidently, great video from Chucks trains..


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks main131, and as well, I have no reason to doubt your experience either. 

I have re-set the fingers on the motor blocks, and tested all the drivers for pickups in my 3 E8's and they are now fine and run very well. One of the 3 out of the box had no power pickup from one motor block out of the box. 

I'm happy with my Aristo E8's. 

Looking at the long term, the chances I will have problems with Aristo power pickup appears to be greater than with the USAT, and my shorter term experience (5-9 years on the locos) seems to follow this. 

On the issue of "tracking" I have recently experimented with lower flange wheels. The Aristo design is much less forgiving than the USAT locos. 

That said, the enormous flanges on Aristo diesels are there for a reason, and they work most of the time. 

So, I really should have qualified that I'm pushing the envelope and thus more aware of weak points in design and assembly, because I am expecting more than usual from my trains. 

Regards, Greg


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Here in Nebraska they run the trains on the UP tracks at up to 65-70mph, so you don't really have to creep around to be 'prototypical'.


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## Joe Mascitti (Oct 30, 2008)

Thanks Nick...I sure would appreciate it!!!!


Joe


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