Buying an Aristo Snow Plow in parts??

[Anonymous]

I was thinking of an AristoCraft Snow Plow for this fall and winter operations.

A/C sells one for $92 bucks!! http://www.wholesaletrains.com/Detail.asp?ID=5798 

Kinda steep for a gondola and a wedge??

So I was thnking of buying the gondola car for $24 dollars http://www.wholesaletrains.com/Detail.asp?ID=20017325

Then buy the snow plow wedge $10 bucks http://www.wholesaletrains.com/Detail.asp?ID=20010093   and attach it to the gondola car for a total of $35 bucks, a lot better than $92........Has anyone else done this??

 

dan

 

[Don H]

Dan,

 I think the AC plow comes with metal wheels.

[Curmudgeon]

I used an old Bachmann gondola (free), and made the wedge from black PVC pipe.

It's even adjustable, and removeable, should I ever need more than 15 gondolas.....

 

Total outlay:

 

zero.

 

Plus, we use it to plow the railroad.

[Tom The Brat]

Wow. Even the discounters want $92 for them.

There's one simple rule in G gauge: If you don't want to buy it, make it!

[Train 284]

Agreed Torby! I did not they sold the wedge seperately. I am going to attach to it a gonadola. I did not want to spend almost $100 either because we hardly ever get any snow and it would not be worth. I will put that on my project list!!

[Curmudgeon]

If anybody wants, I can take a couple of photos and post......

[Puckdropper]

Hey Curmudgeon,

That half-finished wheel-less frame and wedge of a plow I've got in my garage is your fault!  Without your inspiration and pictures, I'd have never begun that project...  There's just one thing I've got to say:

Thanks!

(I have hit a bit of an impasse with it, I need wheels to put under it and haven't got a source yet.  The LHS hasn't gotten back to me about finding wheels and trucks.)

[CandCRR]

I had ordered just the plow from my local dealer but he went out of business before it ever came.  I like the idea of using PVC pipe for the plow.  I was going to try to kit bash it on to a cabose.  I saw one on one of the other forums that looked really nice.  Maybe now I'll have a plow by the time snow flies around here.

Thank you,

Jaime

[Curmudgeon]

What kind of wheels and what kind of trucks?

[BillBrakeman]

Curmudgen,   I would be interested in seeing pictures of your homemade plow.

Bill

[Marty Cozad]

AC usually sales the wedge with Ball bearing wheels because of the weight needed to keep the plow on the track.

[Curmudgeon]

I'll try to get some photos today.

 

Marty:

Guess how many pieces of rolling stock I have with ball-bearing wheelsets in them?

 

(Hint: well over 100 actual pieces, all 15 years of heavy use, some 20+)

 

I load my plow up with rock.

One of the locals used lead ingots.

The only "trick" is to tie the Bachmann sideframes togeter with a paperclip under the sideframe screws.

 

TOC

[pimanjc]

I bought the separate snow plow from Aristo.  It came without the leading-edge blade.  Aristo has told me for the last six months, that the leading edge is out-of-stock. !!!!!!!! 

I am hoping to mount it to it's own single truck, with weight [batterys] and light, so it can hook to whatever loco I choose with a kadee coupler.

JimC.

[Curmudgeon]

Got three.

The PVC is cut at what ever angle you want.

We used 45 degrees.

There is a 1/8" or so brass rod, threaded, fits through the back lower corner of the blade, and through the end beam of the car.

Remove the nut and washer, slide it out, remove the adjustment rod, and return car to revenue service.

The blade tip can be adjusted up and down by turning the double nutz on the adjuster rod inside the end wall of the gondola. The blade pivots around the horizontal rod through the end beam. 

This shows the adjustment rod and spring.  Those are real rocks, load to suit.

It is an old clevis from an r/c aircraft servo link. Someone had it in their junk box.

On this you can see the old paperclip. I later soldered the ends. Keeps the truck from spreading (ball bearings would make NO difference to truck spread with weight).

I only use plastic wheels in show and ice.

Some folks think letting their metal wheels set to outside temp works, maybe where they are, but NOT here and NOT at the North Pole.

[pimanjc]

Thanks for posting the pics and narrative, Dave.  There are lots of good ideas there to borrow.

JimC.

[Anonymous]

Thank for posting the information on the snow plow, now to get a piece of pipe and try and make one , did you use pvc glue to glue it together.

          Thanks    Ben

[Curmudgeon]

Yeah, I had the glue, so I used it.

Hasn't failed in use in 15 years, so I guess it's gonna hold up.

You can choose the size pipe, too.

Some guys used a chunk of 4"....

[Marty Cozad]

I said the Ball bearing wheels because it does affect the price.
I broke my part off then glued it back rather than buying one.
heres my plow built onto a 40ft gon


I just use 1/4 of a window weight in the front and body mounted couplers for sure.
AND there is approtoype to this in CB Iowa, just different road name.

[Puckdropper]

What kind of wheels and what kind of trucks?

It's up in the air right now...  I've got enough room to put just about anything under there.  Any recommendations?   

[Curmudgeon]

Whatever is cheap.

You actually going to use this in snow removal?

 

Metal springs in the sideframes rust, and you get them all impacted with snow, well, I wouldn't.

German trucks are expensive, metal trucks ditto, the best bet for me for MOW service would be Bachmann with a clip tied across the sideframes as shown to keep the trucks from "spreading".

I should probably ask if you are doing Narrow Gauge or Standard Gauge?

 

TOC

[Puckdropper]

It occurs to me I'm hijacking this thread...  Please visit the new one I am about to create.

[dwbeckett]

I have not looked yet, but a new forum post was added that will allow subscribers to download past published pullout plans. I know GR has published one for snow plow in the past. I think it was in two parts.

[piercedan]

The Aristo plow comes with metal ball bearing wheels and these are wired to a lamp on top of the wedge.

I know that the street price is high, but I was able to get my Maintenance of way version for much less when it was the club offering.

I add a brick for weight and in heavy snow I use 2 sd-45's to push my plow.

It is awesome to watch in action at night with the light.

[FJ and G]

Curmudgeon,

Really cool scratch.

Some Qs:

1. What adhesive to join? Standard purple primer and PVC glue?

2. How did you get the bottom to flair?

3. How did you determine the closeness of the plow to the rails?

4. For snow, do you spray some WD-40 or Pam or something on the plow to make the snow slide off?

Thanks. I may copy your idea. Nice.

[Curmudgeon]

Whatever the standard PVC glue I had on the shelf!

I set the car on the track, figure where the blade will fit, grnd the bottom on a bench grinder until it lays the way I want it to, lift the back up to clear the rail by, oh, less than 1/8", drill the pivot holes, insert brass rod.

Then attach the clevis mount and rod, so I can adjust the tip up away from the rails.

 

Never have sprayed anything on it.

It just curls off nicely.

The notches in the bottom corners are done to clear the Tenmille Ground Throws.

 

A little trial run in both directions, mark and grind.

TOC

[FJ and G]

Thanks, TOC, just seems there's a bit of flair at the bottom. You've inspired me to give it a try.

[CandCRR]

I too am inspired to try making a PVC pipe snowplow.   I was hoping to make the type that looks like it was made from a caboose or boxcar, see photos below.

   B&M snow plow in Nashua NH.

I have seen photos of this style plow that others have kit bashed that look good.  I also like the idea of being able to have a "wing" to push snow even farther back (the dark square/rectangle just behind the plow - there is one on each side so it could clear 3 tracks at once).  I also figure you could hide a lot of weight inside this plow.

Thank you,
Jaime