Aristo 2-8-0 C-16

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Overview - 3 versions can be found

Originally this model was developed by Delton.

Later, when Delton went out of business, Aristo produced and sold this version with a few small changes from the Delton version.

Around 200-72008, Aristo gave the loco a "makeover" and it has extensive drivetrain and electrical improvements.

An interesting note: the profile of the rear of the loco was changed in the first Aristo version from the original Delton. In the second Aristo version, apparently this was restored to the original Delton profile. I need to add pictures to show this.

Note well: The part numbers are UNCHANGED between the old and new Aristo versions: 80100 and 80200 for the coal and wood tender versions. (dumb!)

Delton version:

The easiest way to determine if the loco is a Delton, or an early Aristo is to look at the domes on the boiler, they are turned brass.

In 1993 Aristo-Craft acquired Delton Locomotive Works. The acquisition was made primarily to acquire Delton's popular C-16 Classic locomotive representing the 19th Century era.

Aristo-Craft updated the loco with die-cast wheels to replace the plastic wheels with metal covers that were hard to produce as round wheels. In a second revision, Aristo added the "Prime Mover" gear boxes, so that every axle was powered, and updated the smoke unit to the newer style fan powered unit, and the Aristo "socket" The locomotive was offered as either a wood or coal burner. Aristo also continued production with a matching classic style wood caboose of the same era and a host of former Delton freight cars in the same scale and classic style were also available.

First Aristo version:

• plastic siderods
• plastic domes on the boiler
• heavy split chassis/gearbox, you can see this from underneath the loco, the longitudinal split

The photo below shows the plastic domes and the split metal chassis/gearbox

The loco has a spur gear drive from the motor to a gear on a long jackshaft, only the 1st and 4th axles were powered.

There is additional power pickup in the tender was from carbon brushes on backsides of wheels, but the loco will run without the tender.

Second Aristo version:

Aristo modified the loco with some new features:

• metal siderods
• new "prime mover" modular gearboxes - all wheel drive
• belt drive from motor to gearboxes
• Aristo socket in the tender (which means the tender must be connected for the loco to run)
• different (better) power pickup on tender wheels (metal journals on axle tips)

Notice the siderods are shiny metal, as opposed to the black plastic in the original Aristo version

Note that the switches for lights and motor are now in the tender chassis.

Sub-Pages

Click the links below to go "deeper" into details on the Aristo-Craft C-16