I sent in my original request for gears on June 2nd and sent in a follow up message about a week ago and to my suprise there was a box from Bachmann in the Saturday mail today. I received gears for one On30 shay, two Climaxes, and one  set of wheels and gears for the Davenport diesel.
  I wasn't sure that I would receive anything as I never had sent in the warranty cards for any of my locos. I never sent in a picture of all my locos either that I have purchased over the years.
  My advice is just to be patient as they will arrive one day, if you received an acknowledgement from Bachamnn then you will surely get the replacement gears.

  I sure like my new heisler! The only issues I am having with it is getting the rear light to work as it is hard to get the rear light plugged back in, need to try again. You have to pull the leads in order to get the sound module installed.
  As for pulling power it should do well as it weighes almost 12 1/2 ozs. My U.S. Hobbies 10 ton shay that I had converted from On3 to On30 eons ago weighes 14 1/2 ozs. and it really pulls well. The shay originally sold for $295 but U.S. Hobbies blew them out at $99.95 back in the late 60's and if you can find one at a good price, get it!
  I personally feel that the heisler was a good buy and I feel that it was worth waiting for. I paid for mine in advance back in 2011. The heisler fits in well with the 4-4-0's. the Davenport, and the small porters as well with the new 18' freight cars as they are all the right size I feel.
  I know that I will be picking up another heisler soon!

  Gimble43

Bill in Fl:

  I wasn't surprised as I knew about the new cars coming out since Feb. as I heard a rumor about them at a large train show. I didn't want to say anything about it in case it was just a rumor.
  The cars look nice but I doubt that I will be purchasing any as I feel that the price is way too high. Even the street prices for them which I will guess be about half is still too high. Besides I believe that the cars will only 6' wide and I prefer 6 1/2' - 7' wide.
  I am going to pass on the 2-4-4-2 also as I perfer smaller locos like the porters, the 4-4-0 and my U.S. Hobbies 13 ton shay last year  which was narrowed to On30 from On3. It first has PFM sound in it but I had Soundtrax DCC & sound installed. I also have had the new heisler on order since November of last year.
  Sometime ago I built a freight car jig and so far have about 40 underframes made up. These cars are 7' wide and 20' long and a few 16' long frames which is perfect for my small logging line. Cars are easy to build if you first make yourself a frame jig. I will build the cars 10 at a time. I think that the basswood for these 40 cars was less that $20 (I order my stripwood through a local dollhouse shop). About the only parts that one needs to buy other than the trucks and couplers is a brakewheel and pawl. I make my own truss rod pads from styrene shapes and if I decide to use a brake cylinder I will cast them using my spin caster and maybe even duplicate the brakewheels and pawls using the spin caster too. I made up my log bunks useing styrene strips so I might just spin cast them too which will really keep the costs of the freight cars low.
  Even though I have 16 prs. of Backwoods Miniatures disconnect log cars I wouldn't mind seeing what Bachmann could come up with too.

  R. Gimble

  Maybe Bachmann will suprise us someday and offer some 18 ft. rolling stock! Maybe they will finally release the long awaited Heisler! I paid for mine last November.

  R. Gimble