Spectrum HO Shay: a flawed but fascinating model
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- Опубліковано 21 сер 2024
- UPDATE: Plans have changed regarding the camera. After being rather disappointed with the V800's performance, I decided to return it and buy another V770 instead. I'll cover the whole fiasco in my next video.
Before anyone asks, yes, I'm planning on buying the NWSL re-gearing kit for it.
Since the comments were so positive on the previous video, I'm enabling them again on this one. Be excellent to each other.
Beautiful model and beautifully shot video. FYI, I believe the reason the boiler is offset on a Shay is to balance the weight (right vs left side) on the frame.
As the owner of several of the great models, I would like to give some advice
Don't operate your shay locomotive fast. If you can't see the rods and gears working, that is way to fast. On My NCE step one is wide open. Remember top speed was around 12 mph. My first shay ( bought in 2001) still runs and operates on the original gears. Thanks for your video on the shays
I've got two of these Bachmann Spectrum Shays. In both cases I purchased them new. And in both cases I saw the bevel gears falling apart when I was extracting the engines from their boxes. The engines were already broken even before they were put on rails...
Yes. They are beautiful engines but their mechanism...stinks. I had to rebuilt both engines replacing light bulbs by leds, installing Loksound Micro decoders in the rear tender (and installing there also a 20 x 40 mm loudspeaker), installing a fire-effect led in the firebox, improving the lousy current pickups... It was a nightmare. Replacing the bevel gears with brand new gears from NWSL was another adventure.
But I'm proud of my Shays. They are really good-looking engines and I like them.
I have enough of these Shays that I could bring back logging era Cass in locomotive count and prob have a couple to spare. In the last couple years Bachmann offered this, they DID improve the plastic composite that the gears were made from, so the risk of them dry rotting/cracking reduced greatly. I actually tried to install the NWSL gears on mine, but ended up destroying the driveline on mine. Luckily, at the time I was doing it, Bachmann still offered replacement drivelines with the improved plastic, so I just bought up enough to replace the gears on that loco and about half of my other Shays. The ones with the improved plastic work great and haven't cracked yet.
I love Shays, Sadly still have yet to get my hands on one. Hopefully one day, I'm determined to model a logging shortline. Also tempted to model a mine. Thanks for sharing. Always nice to see a shay running.
That’s probably because of my dad he has 4 shays and only 1 runs 😂😂😂
Nice little video, have had 3 Spectrum Shays since Bachmann introduced them about 20 years ago. Just got done regearing all 3 with the NWSL gears... and I should make a video with some tips on how to do it soon.
If you decide to go the route most do and opt to remove the drive shaft from the trucks, don't pry on the retainer covers from the front!!! If you look at the backside of the driven side frame and find the axle journals, just above and below them you should see the holes that the retainer cover pins are driven into. Take a 0 size Phillips head screwdriver and push on the pins to start them moving (the screwdriver is too big to push them through on purpose). Then alternately push just a little on each pin with a probe (I actually use a rat tail needle file for more control) until the retainer falls free. Remember to go easy on those pins...if you break one there's really nothing to hold the shaft in place!!!
Installing the gears is a real character builder... I use an old Unimat lathe to mount mine and it can take anywhere from 1 to 3 hours per truck to get them right... but it's definitely worth it.
One more bit of advice: even if you don't plan on installing the new gears right away, order them and put them in the box with the Shay. I waited 10 years for NWSL to make another run of gears after the first run sold out.
Bruno ⚓
Thanks for the tips! This is really useful info. I did buy a NWSL regear kit for this one, and have it set aside to install at some point. I'll definitely try the screwdriver trick.
@@michaelramsey81 ... forgot to mention that TSG Multimedia's channel has a video on how Daniel Cortopassi regeared his Shay. He pried to shaft retainers off from the front ( something I won't do anymore), but he used a little jig on his Panavise to press the gears on the shafts. If you don't have a lathe, the Panavise is your next best option. I thought about trying to use a drill press, but with a press you don't have the fine control or the ability to hold the shaft and gear in tension and let the gear settle.
If the gears are a little loose on the shaft, don't think you've screwed up yet... Apply a bit of cheap black nail polish (I used Maybelline, Lol!) to the back (larger) side of the pinion gear where it meets the shaft. Let it set for a day before testing the fit and mesh...if things are not quite right, the laquer is easy to clean away so you can try again. I also put a dab on the shafts before reinstalling the plastic u-joints (again you want to let it dry for a day). It may take a couple tries to get a good bite, but remember that the u-joints are bearing all of the torque between the wheels and the drive motor, which is significant on a Shay or any geared locomotive.
If you have any questions, please let me know before you try anything that you aren't confident about... I like your videos and want you to have the most fun in the hobby!
Bruno ⚓
@@brunobiava4833 I'll definitely check out TSG Multimedia's video. Thanks again!
@@michaelramsey81 It would really really be awesome if you could make a video when you install it with any mistakes or things you learned along the way included
@@brunobiava4833 I’ve just started the re gearing on mine but unfortunately on my front truck I have broken one pin on each of the gear shaft covers. Getting the gears to mesh correctly is a challenge so I’ve bought calipers to try and get it closer. Is there a way I can repair my broken shaft covers and salvage them? Thanks.
This is a beautiful engine and seems to run well. I shy away from the spectrum models because they had a few issues. I have several MDC models that are fun to build but verrrry difficult to get running. I finally purchased my first brass PFM and then a second one…. I started to attempt a scratch build .. go check it out if you want!!! Gotta love shay’s!
Sweet locomotive! Just got my first spectrum engine! Keep up the great work!
Nice...I bought one the year they came out...2003...and I would run it at the club. A full lap would take an hour and drive the guys nuts while I "ran" to the next siding so they could take the hole. I lost 5 of the 6 gears that first year, so it was shelved for 12 years waiting for NWSL replacement gears. Putting them in wasn't too difficult, and was well worth the effort.
Looks great. I've got the MDC shay which I built from a kit and put the NWSL regear kit into. It runs nice but would use some cosmetic upgrades
When I model trains some day, I will model both in HO scale and in HON30 scale (narrow gauge HO scale).
And yes, I will strive to have at least one or Two Shay, Heisler, and Climax locomotives in both standard and narrow gauge.
Lima shays were fairly common, hystler, climax less so but have gearboxes to run a higher speed.
Then you get into oddball like davenport duplex
I just recently bought one of these. I appreciate the heads up about the plastic bevel gears, though I trust all of mine are intact, since it was freshly refurbished by a the hobby shop I bought it from and Spectrum tends to be of higher quality than the rest of Bachmann's line
Edit:
Mine also has cracked plastic bevel gears, but it seems to run well regardless. Still gonna look into replacing them with NWSL metal gears to help with the locomotives longevity
It's worth the effort. All of the bevel gears will eventually split. NWSL steel bevel gears saved mine.
Hi Michael, loving your videos. We also had an offset boiler steam locomotive here in the UK, although you wouldn’t think it to look at one - known as the Bulleid Leader class. I believe that KR models of Canada are producing an OO scale model of this fabulous machine.
Awesome, thanks for sharing! I have a Rivarossi 3-truck Heisler that I love.
Thanks! I got a chance recently to test one of those Heislers. They are gorgeous models.
Awesome video and trying to find me an HO scale Shay soon! -Kenn
There are a few tourist railroads that run shays including arguably the most famous , Cass in W.V. along with other geared engines
The Shay Engine, I have seen and ridden in cars behind them one a Narrow Gauge on the West Side Logging RR in Tuolumne City, Tuolumne County California. And on a standard gauge on the Sugar Pine RR out of Sonora/Standard Pickering Lumber Co. Tuolumne County CA. With a skilled Engineer they were quiet running and not as slow as you claim. If my son gets his Model of a logging RR started I will get one for him.
Awesome! I would love to get a Shay for my own layout sometime.
great video, I have three of them in storage, this makes me want to get them out and get to work modeling again.
Awesome locomotive I do o scale and I have a 2 truck Shay. Shay locomotives look amazing it is cool to see all the parts moving. Shays are my favorite engines since The first steam engine I saw was a Shay locomotive. I think you can get replacement trucks for this locomotive and they are metal.
What a stunning model it looks very nice and honestly who doesn’t like buying a used model train
I love this model Shay!
Might be buying an MDC roundhouse 3 truck shay soon, alongside some NSWL gears to regear it. Problem: its an auction. Hopefully I get it!
Both their shays and climaxes both the class b and class c were really good but unfortunately, both of them had the gear issues plus the motors in the class c climaxes didn’t last very long either. I’m very fortunate to have all three and I upgraded him with the metal gears. Which I know unfortunately, they don’t make the gear kits anymore.
I have the privilege going to Cass Scenic Railroad in Cass West Virginia a few times my late grandfather, where they run several Shay locomotives. Cast is the current home of Western Maryland trade number 6 which is the largest Shay ever built. I've also been to the Roaring Camp in Big Trees railroading California where they have a Narrow Gauge for Shay.
I think the prototype for this Bachmann model might actually have been one of the Cass locos.
@@michaelramsey81 Kind of looks like the No 5. Similar smoke stack. 5 being overhauled when I last went.
If your able to buy a working one of these great, put it on the shelve that way it always works..there drive train was severly under designed on these locomotives..
Very nice locomotive! Too bad it wasn't the shining star it could have been.
It will be eventually. I need to get the NWSL re-gearing kit for it.
You can get a replacement gear set from Nothwest short lines. They are super easy to install.
I already have one stashed away for this loco. I'll get around to installing it eventually.
Imagine a Big Boy Shay custom loco! 😳
I got an old bachmann climax free from my model train club a few years ago because it completely stopped working, still haven't gotten it running yet
Great Video Mike
:)
I had to fix mine however I love my 3 truck shay!
There's some metal gears out there for them and there are also few fixes with glue on the gear.
I actually bought a set of NWSL metal gears for it after filming this. I haven't installed them yet (too many other projects going on), but when I do, I'll make a video about it.
@@michaelramsey81 enjoy
Looks like other comments solved this, but maybe it would be worth it to invest in 3D Printed metal parts for the plastic gear bits.
I have one of the Bachmann shays. But one of the plastic gears cracked and broke. I use it for display now.
Cracked gears are a very common problem on these. I have a set of NWSL metal gears for mine, I just need to get around to installing them.
Next, do an 0-6-0 Saddletank of some sort. With all the tender steam, The Westport and Shelter Cove had to have done some experiment with a tank engine somewhere down the line.
I've had an idea floating around for a while to get one of those little Bachmann Porter 0-6-0Ts and turn it into a 2-6-2T. I'll keep an eye out for a good price on one. It might not be my next project, but I'll get around to it at some point, hopefully soon.
Such a cool looking engine! How much did that Shay cost you?
I think I paid about $200 for it, but that was from a friend who gave me a discount. Ordinarily they would go for a bit more than that.
There is a company out there that sell replacement metal bevel gears.
Already bought some! Just need to get around to installing them.
Michael, I need to regear my shay too. I’ve looked on the nwsl website, but there are too many choices. Would you reply with a link to which item you ordered? Thanks
I believe it was this one: nwsl.com/products/bevel-gear-ho-bachman-2-truck-shay-81907-80-ton-3-truck-upgrade-bevel-gear-6
3 total geared locos is many?
Nice engineering
this era? bachmann didnt have problems with plastic gears when this was made .. back in the 80's and 90's sure but not in 2010's you blow the gears by adding to many cars
Most of Bachmann's gears were fine by the 2000s, but the Shays (and Climaxes) were a unique case because the gears were so small and press-fit onto the shafts. As the plastic shrunk gradually over time, they would crack. This issue affected both HO and On30 models. The only long-term solution is to replace the plastic gears with metal ones.
@@michaelramsey81 had to do with the torque the gears were subjected to not the actual size of them or the plastic they used if they would have made the shay like other locos where the gearing was just for show they wouldnt have had a problem .. after all Atlas used the same plastic on their much smaller n scale gears and there was no problem cus it was just visual not functional
Theres a new company that is makeing lima shays but they are pricy but they are mostly dicast metal but dont come out till next year
That sounds interesting! I'll have to look into them. What's the company called?
Three of yours are broke all of mine are broke so ye
Pog
I had to look up what this means, lol