Cannot think of any loco motors that dont come with flywheels. Even the tiny Climax Lemon came with a flywheel. I guess if you are dcc a decoder will do a 100 times better than a flywheel in terms of cruise control of your loco. On the other hand a flywheel in the old days with a power pack or throttle with mommentum worked pretty good too!. Not everyone is DCC so i guess flywheels still added to motors..................quite surprised they are not deleting flywheels on DCC locos as cost cutting measure 

Thomas its the parts protruding the sideframe ends so i guess i have to order sideframes complete..............its the male arm that slips into female sleeve. I just recently replaced the gears with NWSL and it purrs along! Those o rings i think retainers on the shaft.Thanks Steve.................the unit is at leat 8 years old and has served me well.

My buddy says.............its your railroad do what you like!. What you feel is best for you. I use 14 gauge stranded for main buss and 18 gauge stranded for feeders. The feeders are twisted tight L shaped tined and soldered to side of rails..............i use code 100 no issues, I guess code of rail maybe part of the equation for size of feeders, I use suitcase connectors with feeders every leg of a switch and one to every section of flex track and all joiners soldered, I guess with a feeder on every section of flex really means you dont need to solder joiners but believe me they do move over time. Yards and industrial areas with many tracks i run a feeder from the Buss to terminal strips then wire from terminal strips to the tracks all in close proximity to each other................keeps it neat and its easy on the eye and orderly for trouble shooting if need be plus cuts down on a jungle of wires and connectors.A must for soldering and good flow especially sodering feeders is a bottle of Rosin Flux fluid...................electrical solder on its own in my mind does not flow or run quick enough. Soldering is fun ,easy and in terms of  wire its rewarding with extra flux brushed on.When i use suitcase connectors i run the feeder about 1/2 inche through the connector at the dead end end of connector and use a meter to check for continuity to the rail making sure i have connection.So one leg of meter attached to rails using a length of wire to reach and the other leg touching the wire protruding the end of the suitcase connector.Jury is out on suitcase connectors but if you use correct size correct wire and crimp correctly you should have no issues. If you are DCC do the quarter test as you feeder and check your breaker on command is cutting out................if not add more feeders.In terms of stranded vs solid...........solid harder to work with, gets hard over time and if nicked will snap.............if removing insulation for feeders to attach to a solid buss wire and you nick the wire for sure it will break. If need be stranded wire is easier to twist and join.Stranded wire run nicer and easier to staple up or fasten up Iuse the nylon screw on clips that come in various sized wire, they slip over the wire.Obviously solid wire is fine in its right place but all in all stranded i think a better or wiser choice for what we use it for. In terms of cost its not a huge layout compared to everything else on the layout so get the right wire not whats on deal. Remember the wireing is the lifeline of your layout, take your time do it correctly.Steve

Guys the center of a universal tore out. I beleive there are three on the 3 truck HO Shay with the male drive on them. These are not listed in parts .Does this mean they are out or not available as a part?. I assume they maybe part of the trucK assembly available?? I hope this is not the only way to get the part?. Thanks steve

Never recieved any info or e mail from Bachmann on this issue. Im thinking though the Bach Mans intentions were innitially well meaning on  this issue hes been told just to let it die. : Ill be a gentleman and keep my feelings on this matter to myself. Steve

Mr Bach man i have not received any update or message regarding my request.Please resend the direct e mail you mentioned was on its way.Thanks Steve

Glad you got it running! Many DCC sites tell you to remove those capacitors, they are for electrical noise interfence prevention requirements in many countries especially Europe.Im assuming because Bachmann sells world wide they include them as per regulations on all their product lines!Removal of the yellow buttons some locos having one or two or as you state 3 improves slow speed operation of the loco with a DCC decoder. As mentioned by others steep grades with gear lash certainly is the major cause of lurching on a down hill grade .Some guys have far to steep grades that does not help the situation.The othe factor is the weight and number of cars behind the loco.

Sounds like runaway train syndrome ,common in DCC. Do a complete reset on your command to factory default , reprograme the locos individually and try one at a time.Runaway can also caused by a short! Check each loco that they are in fact programed and running correctly, also look for metal object or strand of wire on track or switches. Reset also decoders to factory default settings. If you were not running three locos before at once , ensure you have not exceeded the amp rating required to run three locos at once! Good luck Steve

First elementary thing todo is to ensure if it has the 8 pin socket for a decoder that according to the manual the male pin or pins are in the socket correctly or in to start with. This is the original factory install if it didnt come dcc instaled. If decoder installed and used your going to have to get a DCC system to return it to analog mode . i believe addres 0. If the decoder is programmed you have to get it out of that mode!Again if new and no decoder there should be jumper pins in the 8 pin sockect allowing it to run on DC........removal of the jumper pin or pins breaks circuitry so nothing happens. Circuit again complete once decoder in place and a decoder runs analog on a dcc system on addres 0. If programed and your only DC and its a built in decoder your stuck!

Dear Bach man........looking for news on parts availabilty and whats happening on the drive line fix for us Climax owners with driveline issues ? Whats the status on parts?, will they be coming? Thanks Steve

Nice to see The Bach Man taking what could be considered a serious interest in the climax issue. The million dollar question hopefuly will be answered! can we at least get drive line parts, ie male and female universals either in parts required to put together or as complete, these are the pieces that exit and enter the main gear box and trucks.With the Bach man looking into this maybe he can tell us what parts are or will be available for the Climax.Im also wondering if the Bach Man can put the rumour mill to rest and tell us if the Climax is actually discontinued or just taking a rest from production?It appears to me there is a relationship between no Climax production and no parts available !.Thanks for the open discussion on this topic guys, and im happy it has stayed civil!I know we can get pretty wound up when our locos stop running!My Climax certainly raised my blood pressure lately HA!............but as my wife says ! honey its only a toy!

Its obvious by other threads that the life of ones shay  being operational is going tobe limited.Regards the Climax it appears with even only minimal use its running life is very short. Its an engineering marvel on paper but i guess lacks quality in construction and materials used for a working model.As modelers we ask for more detailed and refined locos, that we get but whats the point if mechanically they fail miserably.I realise plastic cracks and components wear , i live with that but knowing that in most cases if i pick up the phone i can get parts within reason.Getting parts from Athearn or Atlas has never been a problem for me , and i know if Atlas has a failing part they correct it .In fact Atlas lists and documents these things on their website.One can only assume that Bachmann makes such a vast array of locos that they cannot keep up with parts to maintain what they produce!Hopefully though since Bachmann has the molds etc for Climax somewhere we may see parts or a revamped Climax. In the alternative maybe one day NWSL will produce a drop in drive line or at least the universals male and female.At this time im not sure if most failures are drive line associated or if there are also internal issues, the driveline is what i hear about!

Thanks kindly for the response!Anticipating some info soon perhaps!

I have very few Bachmann Locos.However two of my delights are the spectrum shay and the climax. Though now over a year old i was pretty upset when part of the drive on my Climax broke, and even more upset when i found out parts were not available.All i needed was probaly a 10 cent part the front universal exiting the front truck but no its not tobe!The lady in service said the techs have parts to fix the climax but they are not for sale.........i really dont understand this thinking or type of customer service?Others on this forum point to the fact there are no parts period, so im really confused what really is going on here!Based on the fact many apparently are having drive issues cannot Bachmann make a statement as to whether or not parts will eventually come or a replacement upgraded drive is in the works.Bachmann needs todo damage control regarding the lack of parts availability to us modelers who purchase your goods in good faith that believe in a time of need we will be looked after!One can understand no parts for older releases but the Climax is pretty current.Im not slinging mud here and dont mean tobe disrespectfull to Bachmann but im upset at this situation not only for myself but other climax owners. A favourable response would be appreciated.Thanks steve

I to have a Climax very little use and i cant even get the front universal exiting the front truck.Very little use . Phoned and no parts available!I can fix it in a jiffy if i had parts.Im not very happy and i paid a pretty good price for the unit.Bill from Bc right?.........Steve from port Alberni!