WHY DOESN'T ARISTO-CRAFT USE PICK-UP SHOES?

Pick-up shoes are not scale and, in our opinion, mars the attempt to create a scale look of a locomotive model product. We have made major engineering innovations to eliminate the need for them. In addition to the unsightly appearance, the pick-up shoe is also a drag on the rolling power of the loco and requires an ideally clean track system.

Aristo-Craft is now using a dual pick-up system in its diesel locomotives that maximizes pick-up power without restricting movement.

The first pick-up point is the brass collet bushing on the end of each axle or, in the case of our diesels, eight pick-up points spread out over more than one foot in length to assure a steady flow of current even over less than perfectly clean areas of track. This bushing was a careful choice originally to eliminate a brush system against the wheel that is more typical. While a brush is practical in H.O., the heavier weight factor of Large Scale trains allows for the bushing to provide the powerful contact points, bringing in a consistent power transfer. This has been a successful approach and has allowed the Aristo-Craft diesels to make a major impact in the market place.

This doesn't mean that the Aristo-Craft planning was complacent. It was decided to add a brush and spring pick-up of a different type. When our diesels were first made, we made the early runs using an axle brush hidden in the journal box of the truck, pressing against the end of the axle. The results were good, but not as good as the collet version used for the majority of the production. What would happen if both systems were used simultaneously?

The answer is a near perfect pick-up system that not only gives a good transfer of power from the track to the motor, but minimizes the build up of carbon black on the track where a natural sparking of electricity occurs. This helps to keep both the wheels and track cleaner for a longer time and this is perhaps the bigger factor in the performance of a loco.

Aristo-Craft's locomotives use all-wheel pickup through axle brushes except for the first loco, the Rogers, and does a fine job of power transfer to the motors without the use of shoes.

Aristo-Craft is proud of its engineering and innovation that is constantly upgrading the product on an annual basis. The feedback from our customers is always listened to carefully and changes made to keep the process of evolution of the product always in motion.