From my personal statement cperience and what I have read everywhere, their life span is not long before the plastic gears split.  I've even read of them splitting just sitting in a box new.

I remember mine came with the typical bag of goodies like pick, pry bar, oil can, etc. and the water hose to fill from a stream.   

Will we really get a real answer?  Of course they will say no, if you even get a response.

So how do you get the specs for the printer?  Are there scanners? Draw your own?  Pre existing CAD or other file?  Seems like buying a printer is the easy part.

Does the service dept still repair these if you go through the the time and expense to ship it back?  Can you get an answer before going to all this trouble?

Thanks Kevin.  That was very informative and really kind of what I was interested in.

Are there available as a part the plug in dummy boards for doing you own wiring?  The Pervious owner cannot find the original ones. Are these the same board for any of the newer K-27 and later engines?

Just as a curiosity, has anyone ever tested the tractive power of the various Spectrum units, the 2/3 truck Shay, Climax, 2-6-6-2, Heisler, K-27 and C-19?  The. Compared that to real world specs?  Just curious.

Why did they have such small fuel bunkers?  Or were the fuel bunkers on the Shay and Climax about the sane.  Obviously I'm referring to the real world.

I'd call NWSL (I believe that's what they are called) before he closes his doors.

The point I was making is that the whole manufacturing business model has changed.  We get less expensive items, relatively speaking, but repairing with the manufacturer parts is dying off.  Same is true of many things, TV, toasters, blenders, etc.  Back in the 50's, things were more expensive, relatively speaking, but were meant to be repaired.  Stocking parts for a 10-15 year old items was the normal.  I know personally because my dad ran a TV/appliance repair business in small town Marfa, Texas. Now things are run in a one time batch, for the most part for economies of scale (read lower price).  Then they change something and run again as a different model, like coffee pots, toasters, etc. and old parts discontinued.  Then convince us we need the latest, greatest, with extra special whatever, so throw the old in the dump and buy new.  And 'we' (me included at times) bore of the old and want that new shinny, cool version.  That's the new economy. Some appliances like dryers have changed very little, internally speaking, so timers, idler arms, motors are available for 'older' models.  Hell they are all Whirlpool inside. But $500-1,000 trains don't get that luxury.  So for me, I'm gambling on what parts I 'think' I may need and buying while available, both mechanically and cosmetically. But it's just a crap shoot gamble.

Call NWSL as he still has parts and will be selling until he's out, as I understand it.  

It's a shame about parts, but that is the new business model with cheapest international manufacturing cost, which is currently China.  Whatever size run in the beginning and when it's gone, it's gone.  Parts business for almost anything is history for anything.  At one point Japan was the cheapest, then Mexico, and which ever.  I anticipate Africa will be next.  Maybe be India as they have a better workforce?  Who knows, but we get these lower price consumer goods this way, even if they don't last.

I did see them there and ordered one last week.  Thanks.

I guess I don't know who me Riley is.

Why has there not been a re-release of the long caboose since 2009?  Was it not successful?  Seems like it would not be as expensive or extensive as re-releasing some of the engines.