Dave (NWSL) replied to my quiery today, about availability and delivery date, and sent me a pic. He is projecting 3 weeks, and I am excited. Bachmann has sent me 2 complete sets of trucks (6 total), and some were cracked before they came out of the bag. All fairness, the model is beautifully detailed and I couldn't be happier with it, otherwise.
I have really been missing running my Shay on my Club layout, and have been jealous of the guys that have working models. Now I am looking forward to some branchline heavy lifting.
Slow is good.
A long three weeks it will be. I have often thought about adding a spectrum shay to the roster, but just don't care for the plastic drive system (gears), and the issues with cracking gears. Hope you can get yours resolved soon.
By the way, welcome to the forums. when you get your shay back on the rails, take some pictures and post them.
If you get the gears from NWSL, take a couple pictures and post them here. Some on the Bachmann group are really getting antsy. A couple people really come down on the Bachmann rep in the forums called the Bach Man concerning the Shay And Spectrum gears.
The Bachmann stuff comes from China. We ought to be glad there is no Melamine in the locos.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
Thanks for your message. Actually, Dave sent me a pic of the gears mounted on a front truck, with the comment that the gears will be blackened before shipping. I'd like to post the pic, but haven't figured that out yet. I'll spend a couple of minutes now to figure that out.
Robert
Anybody got a technique for posting pics?
The server here must retrieve the URL from a permanent host site such as railimages.com or photobucket. You need a free account at a similar place, upload your image(s), and then post the URL here with the "img" tags at each end in square brackets, and with a / just in front of the "img" tag at the end of the URL. Sounds complicated, but once you have done it you're on your way.
Important...use the URL for the full-sized image that the site will upload, not the thumb that may show.
-Crandell
Thanks, I figured it out with the help of my 14 yr old son, and posted it.
Keep us posted ... there are a lot of people out there that will want to buy the replacement gears ...
Marty
Old post:
http://cs.trains.com/trccs/forums/t/151404.aspx
www.oakhurstrailroad.com
"Oakhurst Railroad" on Facebook
Sweep the floor and get out your tools. Dave has been kind enough to let me review the instructions for the gear replacement. He's doing a great job. With any luck, our Shays will be off the ground and climbing grades in the near future.
I know there are people who would like Bachmann to provide the trucks with the Bachmann gears but with the products produced in China, it is no doubt very difficult to change the process for making the gears and attaching the gears to the metal shaft. The Bachmann rep in the Bachmann forums has said stuff is on the way but no info if the new stuff will be better or is just more of the same production line.
A few people have had the gears slip on the shaft and used CA or some other adhesive as a "fix". I do not know if the crack is only where the gear is attached to the shaft or if the gear is cracked where the teeth are.
I have wanted to get a Shay but have shied away because of the gear issue.
I do know some people have the same cracked gear issue with the two truck Spectrum Climax.
About a year and a half ago I had a chance for a Spectrum two truck Climax but passed because of the gear issue.
Here is a link to the Shay discussion in the Bachmann forums. You can look without joining.
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,9345.0.html
Hi Rich,
My best information is from contact with reps at the customer service number for Bachmann. They have sent me 2 separate sets of 3 trucks each. The gear is cracking at the space between teeth. It is not just slipping, but in some cases is actually falling off the shaft.
They tell me that "Mr. Lee" (the manufacturer) visits regularly, and that he is aware of the problem. Whether or not there is a correction coming is not something I have been aware of.
I suspect that the problem is a matter of tolerances. The gear is plastic, and the shaft is metal. The supposition is that the hole in the gear is too small for proper fit for press fitting onto the shaft, and the pressure cracks the gear. I would think that the gear could be resized to fit, but then again I'm not the manufacturer am I.
I am content waiting for NSWL. I read your link to Bachmann, and it actually is referencing back to this site. What I DO think would be fair is for Bachmann to return the $35 I sent them for gears that continued to fail. It is a small thing, but could affect my future purchases. I really enjoy the way my Shay looks, I just want to be able to run it.
Thanks again for your response, it is good to know there are people out there thinking about the same issues.