Aristo #6 switch

WKDOR

Registered
26 Oct 2009
775
6
Welsh Marches
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The design of the Aristo #6 frog is problematic and the flangeways are too deep.

Both Train-Li and Aristo have produced insert pieces to raise up the flangeways. I have had some success with the former but can't obtain the latter and am currently looking for one for a LH switch.

Are there any other alternatives about?

Mike
 
I am just getting some replacement from Aristo themselves. The cost is $1 plus $10 shipping for as many as you need. Just contact Aristocraft for them.
 
For my Aristo #6, I added thin styrene to the base of the frog (flangeway) and repositioned the guardrail on the divergent track to ensure the wheel tread entered the frog correctly, i.e., rode on the wheel tread and not the wheel flanges.
 
Just a question, why are they charging for a fix to a point they make that don't operate?
 
minimans said:
Just a question, why are they charging for a fix to a point they make that don't operate?
Don't know, Paul. The No 6 switch does work fine for some stock but not so well for others so aristo are no different to LGB (bobble inducing frogs on there R3 and R5s) Piko etc etc. Bar the handmade variety there are no perfect mass produced switches unfortunately...it can't be that hard to make one that has no probs after all.
 
beavercreek said:
minimans said:
Just a question, why are they charging for a fix to a point they make that don't operate?
Don't know, Paul. The No 6 switch does work fine for some stock but not so well for others so aristo are no different to LGB (bobble inducing frogs on there R3 and R5s) Piko etc etc. Bar the handmade variety there are no perfect mass produced switches unfortunately...it can't be that hard to make one that has no probs after all.
I guess if they standardize a wheel profile all these problems would just go away?.........................................
 
I have a wide variety of wheel profiles, and three different manufacturers' turnouts.

For smooth running USAT is the best.

Aristo doesn't give me huge worries about a litle bit of wobble, some locos are visibly guided by the check rail on the curve.

LGB has the wildest wobble, but I've disguised that by managing to get the the track bed so uneven at that point, so that the whole train heaves (prototypically, of course) :rofl::rofl::rofl:

Bachmann plastic wheels can be problematical - the back to back was too narrow.
 
Just had a thought - virtually all my stock runs on bogies, apart from two 4-wheel cabooses which run on Aristo undercarriage - that may account for the difference.