Aristo Live Steam Mikado

Actually a really good loco for the money. Can be made to run very well and pull well. A few differences from "regular" live steam locos:

• Plastic smokebox - be very careful, smokebox fires will melt the smokebox
• weird sound system, bell ok, chuffs awful, whistle is almost tolerable. (put a Phoenix in there or disable it.

There were 2 runs, or generations

• Second generation one has fuel gauge site glass

Some common issues:

• Like many locos, they will benefit from heating the water bath
• Check gauge of drivers and pilots usually way off
• Fuel tank and regulators usually have a lot of crap in them, should open up and clean out.
• There is astupid regulator on the tender, most units have enough manufacturing garbage that this plugs, it never works well, remove the guts

Gen 1 / Gen 2 spotting guide

Gen 2 has hinged firebox door and number plates on headlight

Opening up the tender

To remove the shell:

• 6 screws hold the shell from underneath, 4 corners and 2 mid long side.
• 4 more screws up near the front truck from underneath (they go through a circuit board) if you don't remove these screws, the circuit board comes up with the shell, unplugging it from the chassis, and it really hare to put back together (tip from R.J.)

7.2 volts is the receiver, 6 batteries in series either nicad or nickel metal hydride.

Connector between loco and tender

The connector between the loco and the tender is fragile. Have not found a replacement yet, but be careful when pulling it apart, try not to put any stress on the wires. (R.J. found this out the hard way!)

Strange issue with no power

Basically several people have had the superheater tube come apart at one end of the boiler or another, also another person had a clog of rusty type goop in it

Gas filler issues

Here's a shot of the adapter for gas that Aristo made, lets you use the foreign brands:  (don't know the part number, it was at the 2008 BTS).