I have repaired 2 split collars with super glue and now another collar split. Read thru prior messages and thought I would check with the group and find out if anybody has used a repair shop other than Bachmann to fix this ongoing problem. I have less than 3 hours running time on this loco and although I like it, I am getting frustrated. The reason I am asking about a non-Bachmann repair is the comments about their response to this problem on a few threads as well as replacing the bad parts with the same defective ones hoping for different results seems counterproductive.

Bob Miller

Thank-You,Thank-You,Thank-you.   Took a little while with these old eyes and a magnifying glass. Turned out to be the little (universal?) joint connected to the rear trucks. A little (very little) CA glue and I'm back in business again. Runs like a champ...

Bob Miller

I have a 28 Ton Two-Truck Climax (#28605) with what looks like a stripped gear on the rear drive shaft. When the loco gets to a curve the drive shaft spins but the wheels do not turn. Could a drop of glue fix this problem or will I just create more problems? I am not adverse to sending it in for repairs, just thought a little glue might get it working again.

Bob Miller

This is the Spectrum 16948. It is new out of the box. The motor gear (brass?) spin's but does not fully engage the large plastic drive gear.  In fact it just spins around most of the time. If I work it by hand it seems to engage just fine. Tightened all the body and motor mount screws, added extra weight and even held down the motor w/my finger - no real change. Everything looks O.K. and the plastic drive gear does not seemed stripped.
Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

Bob Miller

I'm a little embarrassed on this one. The problem was dirty track, both my test and layout track. I am using the Ballast vehicle chassis as a base for a little fantasy car on my On30 layout. Even though all my On30 loco's are DCC w/sound, they run fine and the sound is consistent. The HO car could not get good contact - must be the big wheel sets on the On30. Cleaned the track w/acetone and the car works fine now.     

I use an NCE Powercab. Easy to set-up, easy to use and not a lot of money to buy.
I have a Spectrum 2-8-0 and a Climax both w/sound.

Bob 

Bought a slightly used Spectrum On30 2-6-0 Santa Express to try out a sound decoder install. Have a Digitrax SHD164D to insert. Got the shell off along w/a hand full of plastic parts. My questions are:

1. Any special tricks to stripping the wire (the gap in my teeth is too big)?
   Apparently not, using the gap in my teeth worked fine.
2. I plan on using a liquid insulation instead of shrink tube - any known problems?
   Seems to work O.K.
3. I have a soldering gun - seems too big for this job. Any recommendations on what to use on the small wires?  
   Used low melt solder paste with my 150 watt gun - no problems

Will test it tonight ....
p.s. - took off the cab and put the speaker in the top and the decoder in front of the boiler and put the cab back on the loco shell.
        a little tight but it fit.  Seems like I solved my problems w/o expert guidance. Who knew!!!

Bob Miller

Quote from: Doneldon on April 04, 2011, 10:42:38 PM
bob-
You can try the 0-6-0.

Just finished trying my 0-6-0. It didn't even budge the CMX tank car. I'll go with with the DCC EMD B Unit as my prime mover. From the input provided, it should work - just look a little funny.

Bob

And now for the rest of the story.... I bought a CMX track cleaner that recommended driving it with a 4 axle (8 wheel) diesel loco. As my biggest loco is an 0-6-0 switcher, I looked at diesel loco's w/dcc just to drive the CMX. As all my equipment is Bachmann (Spectrum), I checked out their locos and found the EMD B units w/dcc and couplings on both ends that were much less costly than the locos. From what most of you were saying, I guess I could run the B Unit like a loco to push the CMX (this thing weighs a pound in HO). Please advise if I am wrong on this assumption.

Also I want to thank those members who provided much needed (on my part)  background on B units. Prior to asking for info here I tried a few Google searches and got very little info.

Bob

I'm kinda new and a steam dcc guy. Can I assume that an EMD FT-B w/dcc on board is really a diesel loco w/o the loco shell?

Quote from: Tom_Carter on October 19, 2009, 06:32:49 PM
I have a Climax and LOVE the thing, just a neat little locomotive.  I think you'll really enjoy it.  Runs as great as it looks.

Thanks for the support. I ordered the one w/factory installed DCC and sound. Has not arrived yet but am interested to hear how it looks and sounds on my little HO layout. As for running, it will have to wait until I build something for it to run on!

Quote from: Linzthom on October 15, 2009, 03:41:48 PM

Other wise, I'd go for the Climax as a personal choice. Nice loco. It will negotiate 15" curves as well.

Bachman stuff is great, so welcome to the fun mad world of On30

But we all know we'd :

                                                                    RATHER HAVE A HEISLER !!!!


http://heisler.webs.com/

Looked at your site. Very nice,although a Heisler looks a little funny. But hey, just a few months ago I thought a Shay and a Climax looked funny. Anyway, will take your advise. I am going to buy the Spectrum 28 ton two-truck Climax. Thank-You ...

I am new (10 mo. into model RR) and building my 1st On30 layout. It will be a logging layout ( surprise, surprise) and I am considering a Shay or Climax w/DDC & sound. My questions are:

1. Will the Climax take the same radius curves as the Shay?

2. Having read through the discussions on the above 2 loco's, would I be better off buying a brass import? I am not that handy or knowledgeable on the detail of the various problem fixes under discussion. In fact, I hardly understood half of what was being said!

Your expert advise on this matter will be deeply appreciated...

Check out http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/of_280/ 

He runs an On30 2-8-0 on 15" radius w/no problems.
For those real tight curves there is always the turntable!

I traded my 4-4-0 for a  Spectrum 80 ton 3 truck shay.  It works great on my layout ( in my opinion ). Takes the curves w/o any problems.

My question was prompted by browsing ebay and noticing that some O scale cars were going cheap. Seemed like the only difference was the wheels. I guess the obvious (to me) was not. Thanks for the input; I'll stay with standard On30 products until I gain more experience.