I'll second Peter O's comments on the fragility of the wires
connecting the tender to the loco on the 3-truck Shay; I had a wire break within a few days
of getting mine. Rather than send it back under warranty, I got out my tiniest soldering pencil (a 16-watt one I've used for surface-mount component work) & was able to VERY CAREFULLY
resolder it. In particular, one of the outside wires is a speaker connection; that's the one that broke on mine. ![Tongue :P](https://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/Smileys/default/tongue.gif)
All was well for a few months; then it broke again.
In my case, carrying the loco from indoors out to the garden RR requires unplugging the connector each time, since the two pieces would be ackward to carry together, to put it mildly! ![Wink ;)](https://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/Smileys/default/wink.gif)
- So I came up with a permanent solution
- did away with the original Bachmann wiring harness entirely & replaced it with a pair of regular telephone plugs & jacks!
A few pictures below -
The new wires as first installed on the rear of the loco-
![](http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/tomlapointe/3%20Truck%20Shay%20Rewire/3_Truck_Shay_Rewire_new_wires_on_loco.jpg)
A "Marks-A-Lot" marker turns them black
-
![](http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/tomlapointe/3%20Truck%20Shay%20Rewire/3_Truck_Shay_Rewire_1_wire_blackened.jpg)
The new wires were soldered directly to the Bachmann printed circuit board (Not a step for the electronically "faint-of-heart"!)![Undecided :-\](https://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/Smileys/default/undecided.gif)
![](http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/tomlapointe/3%20Truck%20Shay%20Rewire/3_Truck_Shay_Rewire_PCB_Closeup.jpg)
I cut out a larger opening in the tender floor & installed a pair of conventional 4-wire telephone jacks side-by-side -
![](http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/tomlapointe/3%20Truck%20Shay%20Rewire/3_Truck_Shay_Rewire_Tender_Jacks_1.jpg)
A close-up of the completed conversion -
![](http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/tomlapointe/3%20Truck%20Shay%20Rewire/3_Truck_Shay_Rewire_Drawbar_2.jpg)
Ready to return to service!![Cool 8)](https://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/Smileys/default/cool.gif)
![](http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/tomlapointe/3%20Truck%20Shay%20Rewire/3_Truck_Shay_Rewire_Cab_and_tender_view.jpg)
The new system has held up well in service, much easier to disconnect & re-connect than the original Bachmann harness!
Tom
![Angry >:(](https://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/Smileys/default/angry.gif)
![Shocked :o](https://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/Smileys/default/shocked.gif)
![Wink ;)](https://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/Smileys/default/wink.gif)
![Tongue :P](https://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/Smileys/default/tongue.gif)
All was well for a few months; then it broke again.
![Sad :(](https://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/Smileys/default/sad.gif)
![Wink ;)](https://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/Smileys/default/wink.gif)
- So I came up with a permanent solution
![Cool 8)](https://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/Smileys/default/cool.gif)
![Cheesy :D](https://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/Smileys/default/cheesy.gif)
The new wires as first installed on the rear of the loco-
![](http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/tomlapointe/3%20Truck%20Shay%20Rewire/3_Truck_Shay_Rewire_new_wires_on_loco.jpg)
A "Marks-A-Lot" marker turns them black
![Cheesy :D](https://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/Smileys/default/cheesy.gif)
![](http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/tomlapointe/3%20Truck%20Shay%20Rewire/3_Truck_Shay_Rewire_1_wire_blackened.jpg)
The new wires were soldered directly to the Bachmann printed circuit board (Not a step for the electronically "faint-of-heart"!)
![Undecided :-\](https://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/Smileys/default/undecided.gif)
![](http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/tomlapointe/3%20Truck%20Shay%20Rewire/3_Truck_Shay_Rewire_PCB_Closeup.jpg)
I cut out a larger opening in the tender floor & installed a pair of conventional 4-wire telephone jacks side-by-side -
![](http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/tomlapointe/3%20Truck%20Shay%20Rewire/3_Truck_Shay_Rewire_Tender_Jacks_1.jpg)
A close-up of the completed conversion -
![](http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/tomlapointe/3%20Truck%20Shay%20Rewire/3_Truck_Shay_Rewire_Drawbar_2.jpg)
Ready to return to service!
![Cool 8)](https://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/Smileys/default/cool.gif)
![](http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/tomlapointe/3%20Truck%20Shay%20Rewire/3_Truck_Shay_Rewire_Cab_and_tender_view.jpg)
The new system has held up well in service, much easier to disconnect & re-connect than the original Bachmann harness!
![Grin ;D](https://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/Smileys/default/grin.gif)