# aristocraft 4-6-2



## domer94 (May 4, 2015)

do you guys know if this 8' diameter and above only ? I cant find definite info on it. I have mostly 22.5 degree piko and lgb turnouts on my mainline and terminal , but maybe tighter around the locomotive facility. will I run into trouble for sure?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I'm not relating 22.5 degrees to a radius or diameter, do you have those numbers?

Also, the frog angle of piko and lgb turnouts need to be determined, but you did not give a part number.

Generally, the Aristo 2-8-2 locos will go around an 8 foot pretty handily, so I think you could get a bit tighter with the 4-6-2, owing to the somewhat shorter wheelbase.

Greg


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## domer94 (May 4, 2015)

Greg Elmassian said:


> I'm not relating 22.5 degrees to a radius or diameter, do you have those numbers?
> 
> Also, the frog angle of piko and lgb turnouts need to be determined, but you did not give a part number.
> 
> ...


 thanks for addressing my seamlessly endless questions... 22.5 or piko R5 / LGB R3 will be mostly used. my loco facility will have branches for the bays using the smaller diameter switches such as LGB R1's.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Do not use the R1's unless you run only tiny locos... just say no.

LGB R3 is indeed about 8'... I was guessing your 22.5 degrees was the portion of a full circle of 360 degrees.

http://www.elmassian.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=328&Itemid=366

The link below has my LGB track data..
http://www.elmassian.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=328&Itemid=366http://

A lot of locos will not like the R1 LGB switches, nor the 4' "diameter" switches from Aristo or USAT.

Stick to a swtich that has a minimum #4 frog or is an "8 foot diameter" switch.

In LGB that will be a 16000 series switch.

Keep the questions coming, all of yours are good in my opinion.

Greg


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Yes, the Aristo 4-6-2 will handle 4' radius, 8' diameter curves.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

answered in post #2, paragraph 3 ????


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## domer94 (May 4, 2015)

I just pulled the trigger on a nice cresent limited 4-6-2 and tender for 450. I was fiddling with my track plan and I was able to get at least three 22.5 spurs for the loco facility. all other mainline and terminal access will be this radius , but even I fi have to squeak around a 5' radius on some areas of secondary line , I hope I can get away with it.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

That will be fine, the mikado has no issues on 10' diameter curves, your Pacific will be fine.

Be sure to check for loose drivers *BEFORE *you try running it, the motor and gearbox is strong enough to snap connecting rods and bolts if you are out of quarter.

Greg


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## JerryB (Jan 2, 2008)

domer94 said:


> snip . . . to get at least three 22.5 spurs for the loco facility. all other mainline and terminal access will be this radius . . .


Not being critical, but you continue to use the term "22.5" as if it is a radius or diameter.

22.5 degrees is an ANGLE. You can have curves that describe an angle of 22.5 degrees and are any diameter (or radius) from inches to miles and more.

You write that you are able to get ". . . three 22.5 spurs . . .", but the critical dimension in deciding whether a locomotive or piece of rolling stock will work is the radius, and nearly as important, whether there are reverse curves that must be traversed.

Most old time model railroaders have historically used radius to describe a curved track, but the large scale manufacturers started using diameter (2x the radius) and that has stuck.

Hope this helps!

Happy RRing,

Jerry


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yes, the 22.5 is the angular section of a circle, which has nothing to do with the diameter/radius. 

Look at my web page again please:

http://www.elmassian.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=328&Itemid=366

many different radii could have a section of 22.5 degrees...

Greg


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

How'd he get 22.5 on his layout?

I could only find 29 & 20.3 on my layout!!!!

Dirk..


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## domer94 (May 4, 2015)

JerryB said:


> Not being critical, but you continue to use the term "22.5" as if it is a radius or diameter.
> 
> 22.5 degrees is an ANGLE. You can have curves that describe an angle of 22.5 degrees and are any diameter (or radius) from inches to miles and more.
> 
> ...


 jerry I know what you are getting at. I guess I reverted to that since I found out PIKO's R5 is what LGB calls R3 , but they are both classified as 22.5 degree , as opposed to 15 degree which are larger radius secionals etc etc. so instead of specifying brand and radius , I just said it that way. not trying to undermine tradition


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

The degrees only tells you the number of pieces of track that completes a circle. It has nothing to do with the diameter. Unless, you know the manufacturer and their "R" value and or some other information, It is almost useless.

Chuck


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## domer94 (May 4, 2015)

here is the new baby... its getting me super motivated to get my trackwork done ! what decoder would you guys recommed on this piece of railroad artwork to give it proper justice?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I'd use the QSI because it will plug right into the existing socket.

Greg


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

That looks like an early version 4-6-2 to me.
Does the tender have a P'n'P socket in it?
If not and it has plastic drive rods and valve gear I would sell it and get the latest version. A much better loco.


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## domer94 (May 4, 2015)

it is a yellow box unit so I think the old version (I haven't received it yet! so I cant verify the plug existance). its all for indoor use and pulling max 3 aristo heavyweights which is all I can get in my terminal stub tracks. as far as the QSI, do you mean just for sound? or is there one you specify with sound and control?


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Yep looks like early version with plastic side rods and crank pins. Id test run to make sure no binds which could break the plastic parts. I's suggest on rollers and power up slow. This unit will not have the plug and play socket.nd and DCC control but can be used on DC but sound goes off the minute power is turned off. Later RJD


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

The Pacific and Mikado had the socket in the boiler. The latest versions of the mikado and others have it in the tender.

The Pacific comes in 2 versions, the original with all wheel pickup, puffing smoke, and plastic side rods.

The second version has the prime mover, metal siderods, and socket in the boiler.

I do not believe there was the generation where the socket was moved to the tender.

Greg


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Greg,
I have converted a couple of the third version Pacifics with tender sockets to battery R/C.
http://www.largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/15422/new-aristo-craft-pacific-gets-th

I disliked the very first version intensely. The middle drivers have a narrower track than the others. This was supposed to make them go round tight curves better but caused havoc with a too narrow back to back when negotiating turnouts.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks Tony for confirming that the Pacific was produced in the "Revo friendly" tender version before Aristo's last gasp.

The first version did not have the prime mover gearbox with the huge side to side motion, so I guess that narrowing the gauge would allow tighter curves. I have never owned a 1st gen Pacific so this is one issue I never ran into. 

Greg


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

The falling off at turnouts was so bad a friend made some cast bronze spacers to mount behind the middle drivers. That solved the problem of derailing at the expense of needing wider radius curves.


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

I had to add a bushing to the front drivers of my 2-8-0's because of the side to side movement. Not for the same reason but I have four magnets on one of the front drivers for chuff sound with a reed switch. The driver sometimes would slide so far to one side that I would lose the chuff.


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Congrats on the new iron horse.

With regard to decoders, QSI is certainly a good choice ($200). I just installed a Soundtraxx Econami in my Bachmann K-27, and really like it as well. It's around $125. Sound is great, and motor control is very smooth as well. 

Later,

K


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Paul, this is a first gen, so I think the side to side motion is nowhere as great as the "prime mover" versions.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

> The Pacific and Mikado had the socket in the boiler.


I installed r/c batteries in the boiler of my 1st gen pacific, and there definitely wasn't a socket in there! It was long before PnP was first suggested. All the wires came to a pair of screws in the firebox - and there was another pair on the frames for all the wheel pickups - we had a thread about that sometime last year?


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