After two years of service my HO 3 truck Shay has cracked a gear.  It is in the middle truck and despite it now driving only half of the middle truck the Shay runs well.  I would happily purchase a new middle truck assembly but your parts people tell me they can't seem to get the Chinese to send them a supply.  It still runs so I'm not taking it out of service just yet- any idea when/if those trucks will be available again? 

Thanks for the help guys; I'm still fumbling along but now have a better idea of where I'm going.  The Bachmann folks got their exploded view diagrams back up as well. 
Roy

What is up with the newest HO Climax diagrams?  While listed in the index, nothing comes up when you try to access them on Bachmann's service & parts pages.  I am trying to figure out what I need to salvage off the large circuit board in the third truck tender when I convert it to a two truck model.  Is there anyone out there who can tell me which resistors I should salvage (or get replacement for) and what can be tossed?  There is no room for that oversized circuit board in the smaller 2nd truck tender.  I plan to install a micro Tsunami sound decoder (it will fit) and squeeze a small speaker into the roof of the cab.  Somewhere between the decoder and the lights I know I'll need resistors but I don't know what resistors nor exactly where to insert them (I suspect one in each of the blue common positive leads going to the front and rear lights).  I'd feel a lot better if someone who knew could tell me what to do. Thanks in advance for any help.
Roy   

After three trips to Bachmann's Philly shop they declared my old 2-truck HO Climax irreparable and offered me a new 3-truck Climax to satisfy their warranty.  On the first and second return they offered a 3-truck Shay and like you I already had one so turned the offer down.  Now that they have the 70 ton 3-truck Climax available that is their exchange offer.  I've already converted it to a 2-truck (easily done) but it is larger than the original 2-truck- it's taller than the 3-truck Shay. 
Roy

My memory is almost as short as my faith in electrical gizzmos.  I use mechanical levers to throw switches and a glance at the lever tells me which direction the turnout is in.  The Hump Yard Purveyance levers have never failed in operation, require no electrical connections and are less expensive than the electric gadgets.  If you give some thought while setting them up you can align the levers so that all are pulled in the same direction for the main track or opposite for the siding.  It works well for me despite my unreliable memory.                        Roy

Perhaps my answer is too simplistic but if I recall correctly the gear train is exposed via plates on the underside- three machine screws easily accessed.  I know I had mine apart several times (to repair split gears) and I never pulled the boiler off to do so.  Getting to the motor is another story but I never had to do that and can only suggest you look at the exploded diagram hidden somewhere on the Bachmann web pages.  I once thought it would be easier to detail the cab interrior  if I removed the cab but dropped that idea after looking at that diagram a few years ago.  I think I pulled the tender body instead of the cab.... too much work to remove the cab.          Roy

Hi Rich,
My question involved only the speaker and its baffle.  I sent Bachmann an email asking the same question and they told me to ask Soundtraxx.  Soundtraxx assured me those parts are made for Bachmann in China and Soundtraxx supplies only a decoder.  After another round of email I was finally told by Bachmann that parts for the 3-truck Climax are not yet available and to give them several additional weeks then try again.... grrrr.
Roy               http://s1014.photobucket.com/home/looseclu/index   

Hi Ozzie,
I've been thinking about a similar conversion and came across the Shay Fixer
www.shayfixer.com and his alternative solution to install sound decoders into brass 2-truck Shays.  You'll have to look around his site to locate photos of  his approach (in his decoder installation section).  At first I thought this was a poor idea but the longer I looked at it the more positives I realized.  First off this could be wired for a sound only decoder and connected easily to my motor/lights decoders I already have in my small roster of geared steamers.  A few of these would take care of all the locos I have running at any one time (usually two are about all I can handle).  The cost of a pair of sound only decoders seems a better buy than one full option Tsunami.  This would also add yet another task to my underworked rail crew- now they would have to switch the water/fire car to which ever loco was heading into the woods next.  Owners of the RR also approved the idea of having the coal burners carry extra water as well- it gets them better rates on their fire insurance.  In the case of the 3 to 2 truck Spectrum conversion this would keep the current small tender (looks better) and avoid the frame surgery.  Either way it is quite reassuring to know replacement parts are available should something go very wrong. 
Good luck,
Roy              http://s1014.photobucket.com/home/looseclu/index

Hi Bob,
I have both of these and both will navigate 18" radius curves but the Shay did not do well through the 15" radius curve I had to alter for it.  The problem is in the clearance between the larger tender and the smaller one- they make contact on the tighter radius.   I never tried the new Climax on anything tighter than 18" (I had removed all the 15" curves by the time I got the new Climax) but it might be able to negotiate 15" radius since it has more room between the tenders.  The original 2-truck Climax blew out a gear box on the 15" radius curve... well it was in that curve when the gear box failed.  I have no way of knowing if it was the curve or just the lousy gears in the original that caused the failure- probably a combination of the two.  I do know both of the 3-truck geared locos will run well on 18" radius.
Roy

After several years of disappointment with my Spectrum 2-trk Climax the good folks at your Philly center offered me a new 3-trk version with a decoder when they were again unable to repair the 2-truck model (which ceased to move <10 minutes out of its box).  I have decided the new one needs to have sound and would like to know if the factory speaker and its cover are available.  I could reinvent the wheel and install an aftermarket speaker (to go with my aftermarket sound decoder) but figure you all have already made a speaker and corresponding box that will fit perfectly (which my fabricating skills could not match).  No such parts are listed in you on line parts catalog but they obviously exist... somewhere.  Can you tell me where I can purchase those parts?
Roy 

I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of my new 3 truck Climax after three years of looking at my terminally out of service 2 truck version.  I am curious about how difficult it would be to make the new 3 truck version into a 2 truck type.  I have found nothing on line about what is in that third truck tender nor how much space is available in the second truck area.  Does anyone out there know where such info may reside?                                 TIA, Roy

Another couple of weeks and still no reply.  Guess I'll learn to take a hint  that the company line is let it die.  I'm banking on others in the industry being aware of Bachmann's design problem and a growing market for a reliable Climax/Shay driveline.  I'll be their customer in the future, not Bachmann's.

During the time I've been waiting for your reply, my Climax has shipped to the Philadelphia repair center, has been repaired, and returned to me.  A major thanks to "Tom the repair guy" for his work.  The $20 was not a problem because I bought the little engine online and even with the service charge I still got it at near half price.  What is a problem is the speed of your reply- do the guys you work for even talk to you?  I was warned that I might receive a Shay to replace my Climax when I called to check on the repair process and had almost resigned myself to running a pair of Shays as opposed to my former Shay/Climax combination on my still not completed SOL RR.  As a semi-pro procrastinator I can live with my slow progress but why is it you can't get a reply to Steve AND the rest of us out here who bought a Bachmann product?  Will spare parts ever be readily available?  Is there any hope of getting gears that will last more than a few hours?  I hope you enjoyed the show in Chicago- now get to work!   

I would be happy if I could purchase an extra tender for the Shay.  I've already got the decoder (Tsunami micro) and it would be much easier adding sound to my Climax if I could get that tender to install both the speaker and decoder  rather than trying to fit it all into the tiny Climax.

There is a freeware track planning software program that uses Atlas track that would allow you to figure how to lay track in those corners.  Try this web site:  <http://www.winrail.com>  They will sell you an updated version but will also allow you to download the free version.  Its a simple program that will allow you to play with track design right away- its easy and you don't even have to read a manual before you get going (of course if all else fails.... there is an adequate  instructional program included).  When you get the design down, a simple push of a button will list everything you need in the way of track items to build what you've just designed.  It does not have all the bells and whistles of the their latest updated version but it is fun to play with and will show you what radius of curve will fit into how much space.  If I had a nickel for every layout I've designed on that software I could have bought their retail version by now.