Point of Service - 55 Ton Spectrum Shay

[Featherbed Railroad]

I just motored down to Sacramento train show specifically to look at the Bachmann Spectrum 55 Ton large-scale Shay. I've been eyeing this baby on line for a while and have decided I wanted to see one in action. Long story short, I saw the Bachmann booth at the show and a few rows over someone had a great price on 'em so I bought one.

Took it home, put it on the track and had a demonstration run for a number of our bed & breakfast guests who were very impressed. I hooked everything I could to this locomotive and I think I could almost pull my full-size pickup truck with it. It's a beautiful and powerful model.

But then I took out the instructional DVD and saw the extensive oiling instructions for this unit. But there's no oil included.

As beautifully made as this piece is, wouldn't it make sense for Bachmann to either oil the darned thing at the factory or at least include the lubrication necessary? I don't buy a car or an electric drill or even a pressure washer that doesn't come with the oil either in it, or with it.

So now I've got to wait until Monday to try to buy the four lubricants recommended from Bachmann or go back to the Internet and buy them and wait and wait while my new loco sits on a side track. Hey, at least the fire box and headlights and even the smoke work while the locomotive is stationary - that's cool. But having something this nice that I can't play with is like having (insert beautiful woman's name here) sitting naked across the table from me while I try to undo my seat belt. Never you mind why I'm wearing a seat belt at the dinner table.

I appreciate the schematics, Bachmann, but I'd rather have an owners manual and a quick-start guide that includes lubrication points, a few bottles of oil or, best of all, a pre-oiled machine. I think a nice description of what all the "extra" bits are in the bag would also be great. Some are obvious, others I have NO idea and I've seen a Shay like this in real life. Okay, I've actually run one.

Lastly, the typical LGB-style couplers that come with the unit don't fit so I really had to put my thinking cap on to get it to couple to everything else I own.

But, as mentioned, this is a beautiful piece that I can't wait to run. You could say that once the lubricants get here, I will say "oil's well that ends well!"

[Doneldon]

FB-

Your frustration is understandable but, unfortunately, necessary. Manufacturers don't lubricate their models at the factory for two reasons: First, they don't know how long a loco will sit on a shelf someplace before it sells. There's no problem if the loco sells right away, but after months or even years on a shelf the lubricants turn to varnish and gum the whole thing up. Second, if that loco sits in the same position on a shelf or in a warehouse, the lubricants might leak out a little and damage a finished surface. So there are good reasons for not lubing at the factory, and this has been fairly standard practice for many years. But why not include some lubricants with the model? There's also a good reason for this: Someone has to pay for those little tubes and bottles. Okay with me, you might say. But do you really want to pay for another set of lubricants every time you purchase a new loco? I doubt it. So you buy your lubes once for all of your models which require them. And you have them on hand for standard maintenance as it becomes needed. They'll last just about forever if you keep the caps on and store them away from temperature extremes and you can use the same lubricants on all of your models. Brand doesn't matter. A plastic compatible grease from one manufacturer will work just fine on somebody else's train.

I understand the frustration of looking at a great new toy but not being able to play with it. I really do. But in this case it does make sense. I know you'll appreciate your new locomotive once you can finally get it under steam.
                                                                                                                  -- D

[Featherbed Railroad]

So this is interesting - today was the first day Bachmann parts & service were back in the office after I bought the locomotive (late Friday so they were already closed). I called to order all the different oils and such and was told by the lady I spoke with to just order them from the website, which I did. That same representative also told me "aw you can just run the locomotive - it's been lubed by the factory."

Dear Bachmann - every employee from the floor sweeper to the president represents the entirety of the business to your customers. Think about that when hiring and training.

Part B: I still have no idea what half the things are in the little baggie that came with the locomotive. What is all this great stuff that someone took the time to engineer and tool and create and paint and package?

I no longer feel "enrolled" in this product as I feel that the company's management just don't care. While this would have been a terrific opportunity for Bachmann to excel at service and a great customer experience, I would qualify this as an almost complete failure.

Yes, the locomotive is terrific and I think it's a great value and a beautiful product, but I have no feeling of loyalty or even "warmth" for Bachmann as a company at this point. That was my point with this post - Bachmann is just another company making stuff in China and boxing it up to US consumers without there being any passion about the product from the management standpoint, or that's what I walk away with. Maybe that's why these things are sold at fire sale pricing all over instead of at a premium.

[Doneldon]

FB-

Yes, they lube at the factory but just enough to hold the line on
oxidation. You can run a little but it's better to lube before you
use the locomotive extensively.
                                                 -- D

[the Bach-man]

Dear Featherbed,
We had seven home-office folks at the show, any of whom would have been happy to discuss your purchase with you.  How many other manufacturers did you see going to that expense and effort?
Your loco came with a video and a manual.
You can ask any specific question on this forum 365 days a year.
There is a great community of users here as well.
You are welcome here, and I hope you enjoy the forums and your Shay.
Have fun!
the Bach-man

[the Bach-man]

Dear Featherbed,
By the way, the bag of detail parts can be positioned artfully on the running boards and other flat surfaces of your Shay. Check your library or bookstore for the Kinsey locomotive photographs, a book of glass plate photos.
Have fun!
the Bach-man

[Featherbed Railroad]

I will have to say, the reason I went to Sacramento was specifically because of the mixed reviews of the Shay - I was hoping to see it in action and I loved how your booth had one there running the entire length of the show on a stationary track. Because I saw it in action there I decided to buy it.

Now that my frustration is over and the various lubricants have arrived, I followed the instructions on the videos and got the locomotive lubed up and running.

You are to be commended for this model - it is a beautiful piece and seems to be very well made with lots and lots of little details that are much appreciated. It runs amazingly smoothly and I absolutely love it. Furthermore, we have had a number of our guests (we're a B&B made of cabooses) in the dining room just sit and stare at it going around the track.

I still wish there were a parts description of some of the little parts, but oh well. Now I also have the lubricants so I used them on all our locomotives and they all seem to run better. It is a bummer that the dealer didn't ask/inform me about oils and such but I used to work for a big computer company and training dealers is difficult to impossible.

Now I'm going to buy some appropriate cars to couple to this beautiful loco - the ones I have aren't good enough any longer.

[Doneldon]

Now I'm going to buy some appropriate cars to couple to this beautiful loco - the ones I have aren't good enough any longer.

Oh, oh! It looks likw FB has a bad case of the dreaded model railroading fever. I prescribe lots of new trains and retirement to enjoy them.

                                                      -- D

[Featherbed Railroad]

Now I'm going to buy some appropriate cars to couple to this beautiful loco - the ones I have aren't good enough any longer.

Oh, oh! It looks likw FB has a bad case of the dreaded model railroading fever. I prescribe lots of new trains and retirement to enjoy them.

                                                      -- D

You're darned right I do - I've been looking at the Bachmann website to determine just what type of train to haul behind this locomotive. I'm thinking some log cars and ore cars, but should I hang a passenger car or two off the back as well? We have a local train that started as a logging train and then added some ore cars and now hauls passenger trains as well. I'm thinking of making my own little "Skunk Train" with this locomotive.

[Doneldon]

FB-

Lots of railroads ran mixed trains, even some of the major ones. Smaller branch lines were notorious for the practice. Many small lines that serviced only a few industries ran mixed trains specifically to help get employees to the industries to make the goods the railroads would later deliver to market. This was necessary on logging and mining railroads in the 1800s because the mines and woodlots were often in such isolated places that there was no other way to get to work.
                                                       -- D