Next geared engine needs to be a 3 cylinder shay

[Artfull Dodger]

After the long awaited Heisler.  I suggest Bachmann produce a 3 cylinder shay.  There is even a real world prototype still in around to measure up.  The Alishan shays in Taiwan.  That is a real world 30" gauge shay.  Would make a nice On30 model and easily modified for any backwoods logging empire.   Mike

[bdbsmb]

I second that I would like a 50-55 ton 3 truck. layoff the dinky engines for awhile.

[Artfull Dodger]

I agree, time for some more well known prototypes.  EBT 2-8-2's are sorely needed!  Bachmann could also easily modify the Connie into a C21 or C25 to make up a D&RGW engine.  I doubt we see a K class since MMI is doing them.  I have seen the HO 3 truck shay turned into a On30 model, but I dont care for the early bracketed style 3 cylinder engine.  Update it to the later crankcase style and you could have a winner.  Make the bevel gears all metal as well.  I know the modeling public would gladly pay the little extra cost per engine to not have to deal with splitting plastic drive line parts.   Mike

[JerryB]

I too would like to see a somewhat more modern and larger 3 truck Shay. It would be a good follow on to operate with the earlier equipment that belongs to a successful logging, mining or construction company.

My little 2 truck Say is currently relegated to service on a road building project being done by a local construction company, but the management would certainly purchase a larger machine if it was available. They will need at least two or three to move workers, materials & equipment to construct the new dam & water project they have bid on!

Happy RRing,

Jerry

[Burlington Route]

Agreed...and a 3 truck Climax too!..then they can do a 4 truck shay!{oh yeah....!}

[TimR]

I would prefer to see a vertical boiler version of a Shay and a Climax. I like the odd, old timey stuff. 

[Artfull Dodger]

Well you can do a 3 truck Climax with a Backwoods Minature's 3rd truck kit, granted its not driven but unless Bachmann upgrades the line shafts to all metal, I wouldnt want the extra strain on the shafts or gears.  The tender looks the part, I have one coming for my Climax.  But if someone were to offer up a BLI C16 #268 in the bee colors, I would swap them even up!    Mike  P.S.   BW also does a 3rd truck for the shay and even found a lima sales pic that showed an early T boiler 3 truck shay.   

[Ken Clark]

   Braden Copper operated 17  2&1/2FT gauge,  3 cylinder SHAYS , both 2 Truck and 3 Truck similar in size to the West Side SHAYS for 3FT modellers.

     Ken Clark
      GWN

[railtwister]

Gee, can't we at least wait until the long requested and postponed Heisler is actually here before we start requesting more geared locos? Personally, even though I think the promised Heisler looks to me like the most appealing of all the geared locos thus far, especially due to all the previous problems, I'm getting pretty burned out on geared locos.

I would really like to see the availability of a small to medium sized steam loco (something suitable for freight or mixed train operation) hopefully with metal gears that won't split, an operating front coupler, preferably on a switching pilot, and one that also doesn't have so much over-hang at either end of the loco that it causes coupling/uncoupling problems and car derailments due to excessive left-to-right and/or vertical swing.

The Heisler looks like it should work well in these situations, but only if it's drive train is robust enough to handle this kind of operation.

Bill in FtL

[Tomcat]

Bill, you are right!

The Heisler is long overdue... This little lokie has a sexy look if one asks me, but I´d love to have one here now... Bach-man: Any update on the situation yet? On the big pond already on their way to you??

Cheers, Tom

[drgw268]

  I doubt we see a K class since MMI is doing them. 

On what planet is this happening?  The only products listed on Precision Scale/MMI's site are a C16 with a September 2009 delivery date and a 4-4-0 with a "November" date. 

K series engines are a bit big and a bit specific.  Would like to see an EBT Mike though.  They definitely need to continue with rod engines, as the geared locos seem to have too many issues.

[Artfull Dodger]

Guess you need to go over to Southwest Narrow Gauge's website as they have them listed, as well in thier add in Narrow Gauge Gazette.  Not that I am buying any of them, to large for my layout.  If Bachmann can just remove thier greedy hands from the pot and use proper metal or brass gearing/line shafting like the older brass models did, we wouldnt have this ongoing issue with the geared engines.  I am not sure if thier engineers didnt think we all would run them this much, or if the all mighty doller dictated thier decision to cheapen(IMHO) the drive line.  PFM shays are pushing 50 years old or older, no major drive line issues, just open frame motors and lack of 8 wheel pickup.  I have a complete spare set of driveshafts/universals ect for a PFM shay/Climax and will solder them onto the metal shafting in my Climax when the plastic stuff splits.  Bachmann should have known better than to use plastic parts in a geared engines driveline.  Engines that are going to see steep grades as part of a proper logging layout!  With the MSRP that Bachmann lists these at, we need to start demanding better, if we dont get it, then boycott the brand, plain and simple.  I am sure many will be gun shy on the inital release of the Heisler and will let others beta test it.  It was that way with the HO 3 truck climax after the first one had major issues.  I also have a Heisler on order, and hope that the drive system was properly tested before production began. Some reassurance from Bachmann in these forums with specifics on what they did to address the previous geared engines issues would do alot to aleviate the rumors and distrust that has developed with thier product. Mike

[railtwister]

Actually, when I worked for twenty years in one of the county's foremost hobby stores, the very first locos I ran across that had what has since come to be known as "Split Gear Syndrome", were brass models. This is one of the things that made NWSL the business it grew into. Not all brass had the problem, and the better ones like PFM tended to use a mix of steel and brass gears that held up pretty well.

Still the biggest problem with most brass locos is poor electrical pick-up, because the loco usually picks up from one rail and the tender picks up from the other. At best, this is only using half of the available wheels for pickup, and the smaller the scale or loco type the more apparent this problem is.

Bill in FtL

[Artfull Dodger]

Agreed Bill, all the early brass pretty much suffers from lack of enough power pickups, but there were pretty good runners when you look at what else was available.  Mantua diecast, Athearn HiFi and early gear drives amoung others, none of which ran as good as what we enjoy today.  Most of the "popped" gear syndrome was in the Kumata built diesels, with either one of the tower spur gears or the axles gears splitting.  You would think we would be beyond that issue now, that manufactures would know to properly "age" the plastic so it doesnt shrink further after production when its got a metal shaft that doesnt shrink thru it.  We are fortunate to have the selection of models that we do have today.  When I got started, the basic "good running" selection was Athearn blue box diesels, Mantua steamers, Atlas yellow box diesels and brass.  I had mostly Athearn blue box diesels and once I started mowing grass I bought my first PFM/United brass locomotive, a 2 truck shay.  Cheers   Mike

[rdftrain]

Amen to the 3 cylinder shay suggestion.