bachmann 3 truck shay: fix it, replace it, fuhgeddaboutit?


kjchronister

kjchronister

Member
So, I've figured out why my spectrum ho three-truck shay won't even haul itself along a flat, much less a grade with cars: The little crown gears are all cracked, stripped and otherwise broken off the drive shaft. It had one left that was actually doing all the work.

Judging by the fact I see some for sale/recently sold cheap as "needs new gears"... I'm apparently not alone. Admittedly it sat in its box for the last 5 years until recently and has maybe 10 hours run time on it ever. When I got it out, I gave it a hint of lube and didn't do anything crazy... Frankly it NEVER pulled worth a damn and certainly nothing like its prototype. From the get-go it was one of my weaker pullers.

The parts to fix it seem to cost ~$75 from bachmann, since both drive-train and truck assembly are impacted.

New-in-box ones seem to go for about $130 on Ebay pretty regularly.

So choice one is do I spent $75 and a lot of my time to try and fix it (which outcome is not guaranteed should I mung it up, break a little part, etc.).

OR choice two is fork over $130 for another one? If I sell mine on Ebay for $20 or $30 as "runs but needs gears" then the equation gets even closer. I'm into it for at least $75+time and perhaps as much as $130 if I buy another and can't be bothered to sell the old one...

Or... Is any of that throwing good money after bad? Am I spending money just to get another one that's good for 10-15 hours run time before it grinds up those gears? Since I'm not alone, the specter of "design flaw" certainly rears its head.

Maybe I should be looking at another option for my 'log camp loco'... I have a Rivarossi Heisler that runs like a champ. Maybe just pick up another one of those? Or perhaps a climax? Or a shay from someone else? If I'm on the hook for roughly $100 anyway, putting that toward "a better option" is a realistic choice... PLUS I'd love to get something that has sound in it, or at least the potential to have it installed... But not sure that's realistic for any log-loco.

Curious what input folks have to offer about the decision, the loco, other 'log line' loco options, etc.

Thanks,

Kris
 
Bruette said:
That is enough to make me say, what else do you have?

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Rivarossi-HO-2-Truck-Heisler-Georgia-Pacific-p/riv-hr2412.htm
http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Rivarossi-HO-3-Truck-Heisler-Weyerhauser-p/riv-hr2413.htm

What do you think of those 2 locomotives?
Click to expand...

I think they're great: In fact the two-truck version is the exact Rivarossi Heisler I've already got (though mine is unlettered). Very nice little loco, runs great. Adding a 2nd of him might well be the best option, or the 3-truck version.

But partly, I had the other in the first place because I'd like 'something different'... The heisler is used at the quarry on my layout, and I kinda like having something else for the logging camp.

BUT... getting one of these is effectively my fallback. Though part of me would prefer to somehow have it be a shay or climax.
 
Oh! But 2-truck version has sound already installed... That's tempting. And 3-truck says it's ready to have sound installed.

Of course now I have to find out if it has/could have an actual heisler-sounding decoder. I've seen a few too many geared locos that 'chuff' like a standard loco (e.g. here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_M2cf4hTeU), which the real ones most certainly did not. Almost more a spitting noise...
 
Back to your original question:

Since there is no way to know if the "new in box" unit doesn't already have the same problem, I would spend the lessor amount to fix what I have. Also I would hope that the new parts were better then the old.
 
Doh! And I knew that too, just didn't occur to me. It's Spectrum and over a year old, so actually $45. But still seems the best option.
 
Call Bachmann before sending it in. They probably don't have any replacement shays laying around, and you don't ant to lose it.
 
I do too, and may eventually order them anyway. But letting the pros fix it for less than the parts would cost me is a first step anyhow.
 
They may even have changed the plastic the gears are made of and solved the problem, lets hope so!

kjchronister said:
I do too, and may eventually order them anyway. But letting the pros fix it for less than the parts would cost me is a first step anyhow.
Click to expand...
 
I have one that did have gear problems and Bachmann did send replacements, but that was quite a few years ago and from what I understand they no longer do this. As mentioned in previous posts, NWSL does have replacement gears available. If I have the problem again, I will be going this route but I do very seldom run it.
 
Well, unless they want to tell me the lifetime warranty... isn't, we'll have to see what sokution they offer. I'd not mind accepting one of the 3-truck heislers in lieu... :)
 
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