Bachmann C 19 2-8-0 versus Aristocraft C 16 2-8-0

[trainstrainstrains]

Please help me decide between the two.
What are the differences,  what the similarities, advantages, which is stronger,  which is bigger, they look so alike on web pages.
Thank you.

[armorsmith]

3X T,
I own neither, but will answer like this. The Aristo Craft C-16 is out of production, and the company is out of business, so parts/service will not be forthcocming. The scale is 1:24-ish. The C-16 is a smaller prototype.
The Bachmann unit is either still in production or just shortly out. Bachmann is still here and will be for the foreseeabke future.  The scale is 1:20.3 and is a slightly larger prototype.
The drive mechanisms I would consider on par wirh one another.
As for which one to purchase, opinions are like butt holes and that is all I have to say about that.  Good luck with your purchase.
Bob C.

[Loco Bill Canelos]

Go with the Bachmann C-19,  it is a beautiful locomotive and runs exceptionally well.  being a 1:20.3 scale it is true narrow gauge, and when you want to add a locomotive, the are other great Bachmann 1:20.3 locomotive available.

[Chuck N]

T3

What cars are you running or planning to run.  As as been said earlier, the two engines are different scales, 1:20.3 and 1:24.

In my opinion, Spectrum (1:20.3) cars would dwarf an already small AristoCraft engine (1:24) and Big Hauler cars (1:22.5/24) might look small behind the Spectrum engine.

It is your railroad and you can run what you like.  I just don't think that the two scales look nice together in the same train.  Others don't seem to mind.  Narrow gauge trains did tend to run different sized cars.

If I have trains out in the two scales, I might have them out on the layout as separate trains and do not mix the scales in the same train.

Chuck

Here is a picture comparing a 1:20.3 train (background) and a 1:22.5/24 train (foreground).  The engine in the back is a Bachmann Spectrum Mikado. The engine in the front is an LGB Mogul, about the same size as the Aristocraft.  I think that most Bachmann (Big Hauler), LGB, Delton, USAT narrow gauge freight cars are 1:24ish rather than 1:22.5.  That is based on the length of the models and the length of the prototype.  Height and width may be slightly different scales.

[Chastity]

The Aristo is the old Delton model redone.  It was scaled at 1:24 which for 45mm track puts it at 3'6".  While there were railroads running such a gauge it was not common narrow gauge either.  As already pointed out the 1:20.3 makes a true 3ft model on 45mm track.

As far as the two, the Bachmann C-19 is way more detailed, a good solid drive train and is already provided with a decoder slot for onboard sound and control (it even already has a speaker inside). 

Prototypically the Delton/Aristo is of the Class 60 locomotives (60,000 lbs or 30ton  locomotive) and later re-classed as C-16 (Consolidation approximately 16,000lb tractive effort).  The C-19 was a development of the C-16 with larger boiler (so the boiler if the two were same scale is larger around), and with larger cylinders.  Essentially a beefed up C-16.  These were classed as Class 70 (35ton) and later as indicated C-19. 

This ended development of the consolidation type for the D&RG as they moved to the Mikado type with the Class 125 (later the k-27 - MiKado 27,000 pound TE).

By far though a bit more expensive, the Bachmann C-19 is far and away the better model in my opinion.  Great runners, well detailed and set for decoder installation.

[Ted Yarbrough]

I have both locos. Both run well. The Aristo is MUCH smaller than the Bachmann loco. As has been said, the Aristo is 1:24 and the Bachmann is 1:20. In real life both would be about the same size, with the C-16 having slightly smaller cylinders and a few other minor differences. Some are happy running the two scales together, but there is a BIG difference in size. I do say that large trains got me into G-scale modeling way back in the 1990's, and the big 1:20 scale Bachmann locos have made me change primarily to 1:20 (the correct 3 ft. gauge). The Bachmann loco will run on 8 ft diameter, but likes larger diameter track best. The Aristo takes 5 ft diameter to run best. There is a price difference in the two locs as well with the Bachmann costing more. The newest Aristo have the plug and play electronics for the Revolution controls. Plug and play with the Bachmann is sometimes hard to find an exact match product.
Happy Rails To You,
Ted

[Chuck N]

Ted

Since you have both locomotives, it might be helpful to T3 if you could give him (us) the lengths of the two engines with tenders.

Chuck

[Ted Yarbrough]

Aristo C-16 is approximately 22 1/4 inches long from pilot tip to rear LGB coupler tip.
4 inches wide, and 6 inches tall @ stack. This loco is 1:24 scale
Bachmann C-19 is 30 inches long, coupler tip to coupler tip.  It is 6 and 7/8 wide cab window screen to window screen, and is 7 and 7/8 tall to the spark arrestor. This loco is 1:20 scale.

[Ted Yarbrough]

Look at photos @ https://www.google.com/search?q=1:22.5+scale+to+1:20.3+scale+comparison&client=firefox-a&hs=1Ku&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=np&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=NhhcVPfcOIqyogSw_oKIBg&ved=0CB8QsAQ&biw=1024&bih=615

[Chuck N]

Thanks Ted!

Those measurements show the differences.

Chuck

[Chuck N]

T3

Here are some Box car measurements to go along with Ted's engine measurements.

These are from the box only.  Height from bottom of car body to track not included.

LGB (Sorry, I don' have a Big Hauler Box car)

length 14.5", width 4", height base of cabin to top of walk 4 5/8"

Bachmann (Florence and Cripple Creek)

length 17 7/8", width 4 1/2", height base of cabin to top of walk 5 1/8".

The Spectrum cars (1:20.3) and other cars in the same scale are significantly larger than the cars produced in the Big Hauler series.

Chuck

[trainstrainstrains]

As I learnt from K S all my locos and cars except my 1:20.3 Shay  are 1 :22.5 , so I suppose they are  closer to 1:20, I certainly did not know the Aristo was so much smaller, I guess the Bachman C 19 is much the same scale as my Shay. I'm a little disappointed because  I find the long cow catcher, square decorated lamp and other details extremely beautiful and elegant in the Aristo C 16. But I'm not prepared at least not now,  to buy a whole new dimension of cars. I guess the length given for both models is including the tender? Just out of curiosity since I'm not buying it.  Are the gears metallic on the Aristo? 
On another subject I just bought a Dalle sound board for my Shay, I was convinced of the beauty of  good sound watching the following youtube video "Alternating Trains with Acceleration & Deceleration and Phoenix Sound " which also  features the StationMaster I just bought for my "once around every half our " project and is where I first  saw the charming Aristo C 16.
Thanks everyone.

[Ted Yarbrough]

My measurements were with tenders (entire loco and tender coupled together)
Aristo has a nylon belt drive. I've had mine about 4 years and it is OK.
C-19 is metal gear drive, which, in my opinion, would be best over time. I've only had the C-19 (two of them) for about 2 years.

[Ted Yarbrough]

A good comparison of 1:20 and 1:22 scale can be found at http://forums.mylargescale.com/21-rolling-stock/11055-ams-j-s-coach-compared-lgb-coach.html with photos. Remember that the C-16 is actually 1:24 scale and slightly smaller than LGB, although LGB and Bachmann equipment work well with it.

[trainstrainstrains]

I found  a youtube video showing clearly the size difference with the big hauler I have,  do you run the C 16 only with exactly compatible cars? I see Aristo has different scales which complicates things further. I guess nobody makes a bigger C 16.

Everytime I shoose a file no matter how small I get a red message saying it is too big, any idea why?