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A comparison of the running boards of the Aristocraft Pacific and the
C&NW E2 Pacific shows a noticable difference in running board
treatment. While height on both engines is the same over the majority of
the engine, the running board remains at the same level all the way to the rear
on the C&NW. It drops to the bottom of the cab on the Aristo.
While it can't bee seen from the photo, the Aristo's running board is one piece,
all the way to the front of the engine. The C&NW prototype doesn't
join the lower running board in the front to the higher running board in the
middle with a vertical member as does the Aristo.
In this set of modifications, the Aristocraft's running board is modified to
overcome its two major differences from the prototype. These modifications
are made up of the following steps.
 | Remove steps and lower running board from the front of the engine.
Cut off the vertical portion joining it to the higher middle running
board. Fabricate a bracket to support the back portion of the lower
board. |
| Cut off the portion of the Aristo's running board from the point it drops
down to go below the tender. Use parts from this portion of the
running board to fabricate the portion of the higher board that will run
back to the tender. |
| Modify the top boiler half so it will sit on top of the higher running
board. |
| Fabricate a new skin covering the portion of the lower boiler from just to
the rear of the rearmost driver to the back of the engine. This will
cover the hole left in the side resulting from relocating the back potion of
the running board. |
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The stairs and front lower portion of the running board can
be removed by removing two screws, one at the bottom of the stairs and the
other where the lower board joins the higher board on the front of the
engine. The lower object is the piece that has been removed. The portion of this running board rising to meet the higher middle board
has been removed. One thing that has always bothered me about the
Aristo Pacific, is the overly thick steps at the front of the engine shown
in this photo. These steps will be replaced with steps fabricated
from brass. |
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Engine cab and boiler were removed prior to this step.
The portion of the running board that drops down near the back of the
engine has been removed.
One of the removed pieces is shown at the top of the above photo.
This piece and its mate will be saved and used to extend the running board
back to the cab in a later step.
Piping and rivets have been removed from the portion of the boiler
below the running boards in preparation for attachment of a piece that
will cover the holes (on both sides of the engine) left by removal of the
running boards. |
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