Have the HO Scale excursion cars lettered Cass Scenic Railroad and Durango & Silverton been discontinued?  They have been out of stock in the web store and most other online sources for many months.  If not discontinued--is there any ETA on the new batch?

Also, is there any hope of there ever being a new production run of HO Shays and Climaxes?  I have multiple Bachmann Shays, but would be glad to buy a new one--especially if the gearing was updated!

Thanks in advance!

You've probably discovered this by now, but they made two versions of the HO Climax:  one with sound, and one without.  

I preferred no sound (as well the $150 difference in price) and chose to get the one with no sound at all.

This would require you to buy again (perhaps you already have at this point), but would be the remedy to your situation.  Unfortunately the CSRR road name was only available early in the locomotive's release period...they made additional batches of the other road names, making Cass the rare one.  As it turns out, the paint scheme on the locomotive was a farce anyway--when/if the locomotive is completed, it will be painted similar to the Moore-Keppel paint scheme that it originally had, and will retain the number 6, rather than the originally announced #9 (in honor of the Cass lumbering operation's only Climax).  The gold striped paint scheme that Cass uses on its Shays is historically similar to the paint scheme that Lima Locomotive Works used as its standard lettering style.  For many years, the Cass Heisler engine used the "Shay" paint scheme, but this was corrected in 2005 when it received a Heisler accurate silver paint scheme (it appears white in most photographs).

Here is the old Walthers listing for the sound free version (the last five digits of the Walthers Part # are the same as Bachmann's #):

https://www.walthers.com/3-truck-70-ton-climax-dcc-equipped-spectrum-r-cass-scenic-railroad-9

It sounds like it is, indeed, the gears on the drive shaft.  I had several that had that issue where they spin and don't move the gears.  I haven't checked today, but Bachmann does usually stock replacement drive shafts.  You get the front, middle, and rear in one set for $25 I believe.  It is fairly easy to install with a simple jewelers philips head screw driver (I am a novice and I have replaced the shafts on three Shays so far!).  I actually DON'T recommend you send it to Bachmann service department at this point in time as the Shay is no longer in production, and if it needs replaced, you will be receiving a Climax instead.

There is also the alternative option of getting NWSL steel gears installed, but that IS very difficult, and if you are not used to that kind of intricate work you will probably fail or need to find a professional to install them.

Quote from: thewvnetwork on July 11, 2011, 05:06:31 PM

@mattyg--
So u were there in person when the Bachmnann guy was at Cass?  What all did he say exactly?  I wasn't there in person when he was, but came down on Sunday and a couple friends told me what he said.  They've never lied before, but everyone's negative response to the "Big Six" thread made me think they had heard wrong or something.  Maybe u can clear it up! BTW, for some reason, the topic was deleted by Yardmaster.  

Yeah, I overheard him say that "Number 6" was in the works, but, at Cass, that could mean two different things.  I originally thought it was Big Six myself, but now, with the On30 model, the Heisler would actually make more sense.  I only heard him tell a few people, it wasn't a big announcement as far as I know, although I was outside taking photos of the equipment when he was talking to the crowd so I don't know for sure.  

Quote from: ebtnut on July 12, 2011, 01:05:55 PM
If you get to the Cass area, don't overlook the Durbin and Greenbrier Valley operation at Durbin, about 16 miles north of Cass.  They have one of the very few working Climaxes, and run a fine trip down along the upper Greenbrier River.  The line is the former C&O branch, which also ran through Cass.  A lot of the trackage was washed away in a major flood back in the 1980's, but there is some hope that it may be restored so the two lines could once again connect as one.  

The Tygart Flyer is diesel, but neat first generation diesels - F-7 and WM BL-2!  

I agree. I rode the Climax on Railfan Weekend...it is a pretty trip, but the line is in pretty bad shape.  It is nice to see the Climax pull the former Kinzua car though...they even had a short runby since it was Railfan Weekend.  Personally, I actually prefer the scenery of the Tygart Flyer...even though it isn't steam (YET...presumably it will be when they finish restoring the West Virginia Northern 2-8-0!), and the overall experience is much more worth the money than the Durbin operation.  While at Durbin, the conductor mentioned that the line will never be rebuilt all the way to Cass because there is one section of track almost a mile long where the grade is missing entirely...its not just that the tracks are displaced.  There are plans, however, to reach the town of Hosterman, which is 3 miles from the present terminus.  This will bring the total route length to 8 miles.  As a couple of people have pointed out, there may be an alterior motive for not rebuilding all the way to Cass...if they were to do so, the Durbin line would have to comply with FRA guidelines, whereas now they are exempt because they are landlocked.   

Quote from: wtierce on July 10, 2011, 05:17:31 PM
I know that the new items have been announced and the new Hiesler caught my attention. One thing that I figure now that Bachmann has the full logging assortment in Large and On30 most likely they will come out with a HO two or three truck Hiesler in HO scale. I'm hoping a three truck but that is just me. Another reason they may is that they already have the Shay and Climax in HO. This is just a thought so don't start bickering. So what do all the folks out there think?

I would like to see a three truck Heisler myself, and it does only make sense really that it would come next.  On the other hand, Rivarossi already released a Heisler for a limited time in 2005, maybe that is too new for Bachmann to release a "duplicate"?  I'm sure Bachmann would use a better (or at least different) prototype engine than Rivarossi did, though.

Personally, I was hoping the Bachmann rep who came to Cass and let slip that #6 was in the works for HO meant that it would be out this year, but I suppose we'll have to wait a while longer.  I saw a thread on here about it a couple weeks ago but didn't get a chance to read it...now I can't seem to find it.  Hopefully they didn't scrap the project...  Anyone else see that thread or have any new info?

Anyway, as you may be able to tell from my thumbnail, I really enjoy Bachmann's HO Cass line...whether its a Big Six or Heisler #6 or something else related, I hope they will continue to use Cass and/or West Virginia in general as a prototype...I think West Virginia/Western Maryland are probably among the top contenders for most common layout settings based on East Coast prototypes...hopefully they will keep it going in HO!    

Funny, I was literally just looking at your website and projects yesterday and didn't make the connection that you had the same screenname on here.  I am also glad that Bachmann has many parts online now...heck of a step up from the two or three parts total that they had a couple years ago.  I actually prefer the diamond stack to the straight stack (probably because of Cass, lol), and now I can change over all of the straight stacks to diamond if I like.  Having the parts available also encourages more scratchbuilding, even just as far as taking the risk...if I mess something up during a customizing job, now I can just buy the replacement part and not have to worry about permanently injuring my locos...just my wallet  .    

You can see a few photos of my layout by clicking the link on my profile page if you like!

What exactly is it that is wrong with your Shay's trucks?  I actually just bought the driveline kit to repair my worn out gears (I actually had bought a set of the NWSL steel gears, but ended up bending the line shaft during installation...it really ISN'T as easy as everyone says...).  Although I'd imagined it would be complicated to replace the entire driveline, it WAS completely easy...only had to unscrew two screws and just pulled the old one off and slipped the old one on...EASY! 

If the gearing or anything on the "business side" of the engine is the problem, then this could be your answer.  Just refer to the schematic that came in the box with your Shay, and you won't have any problems.

Hope this helps!

Bach Man,
I'm sorry to be a broken record, but are more excursion cars currently in production?
The aforementioned batch from last July were sold out within a couple weeks...maybe more could be ordered this time around (more Cass than the others   )?  I just assume from this fact that these must be uberpopular with the Shay #5 model (and now the Climax), as I've mentioned before.  Even the slightly less popular non-Cass versions are running out.  Hope they aren't totally discontinued...everyone needs at least five to go with their Shay/Climax.    

Please let me know...I try to keep the Cass community informed, and am working on a review for the Climax in The Log Train, would be a nice footnote to mention the cars again (I wrote an article about the cars in the May 2010 issue!  )!

Quote from: Ianw on February 01, 2011, 02:11:48 PM
What era-authentic logging-related rolling stock would be available for the DCC Sound-Equipped 80 Ton Three-Truck Shay?

Thanks

Ianw,

With the exception of JDLX, it seems that everyone has misread your inquiry (no offense to anybody...   ).

Really, even though I am a Cass fan and proud of it, I will admit that Bachmann focuses a great deal on Cass because it is a "living" example(and Bachmann's headquarters in Philly is in relatively close proximity to Cass, making it a great source for their inspiration)...albeit in a different form as a tourist line...and very little on other prototypes, at least in HO scale so far (btw, Bach Man, I'm not dissing the Cass releases in any way...keep them coming but offer some other protos, too!)  With that said, the best accompaniment to the Bachmann Shay are the ACF log cars (also based on a Cass used prototype), the portable log skidder, and the bobber caboose...not to mention the new Bachmann Climax!  Rivarossi also had released some great skeleton cars when they released their Heisler a few years ago, but these are long out of production and getting harder to find...even on eBay.  Outside of these, you will need to do some scratchbuilding and kitbashing I'm afraid to get what you want.  

Surprisingly, it is now easier to model East Coast prototypes in HO rather than West Coast, which, thanks to Bachmann, was quite the opposite just over a decade ago now.  Also, the Cass tourist cars look great with the HO Shay as well (I know my saying this won't surprise some who read this since I've been a major advocate for those cars on this board, lol), so you could really purchase the HO Shay and portray any era from the 1880s to present day depending on what accessories you get.  

I, like millions of other children in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, grew up watching Mister Rogers' Neighborhood on PBS, so in reality, my love for trains (or, I guess, trolleys back then) probably stemmed from that. 

One of the first things that a viewer sees when watching an episode is, of course, a finely crafted HO scale model of the neighborhood that Mr. Rogers "lives" in.  I realized some years ago when I started model railroading that most of the structures in the town are Bachmann Plasticville kits (others structures that aren't are either IHC or custom built), a few of which remain in production today, I believe.  Here are a couple of examples:

Cape Cod House (Mister Rogers' house!): http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/160-45131

Split-level house (seen in the first few seconds of the credits):  http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/160-45213

None of the kits were ever marketed for their fame of having been in the series, and I believe there are THOUSANDS of people out there who have wondered who made the models, and if and where they could buy them.  I have placed a few comment responses to YouTube video comments over the past few months to people wondering about the models, and just thought that I'd bring this fact up to the Bachmann community. 

There is, at the very least, a niche marketing opportunity here, and I've often wondered why Bachmann never partnered up with Family Communications (the show's long time production company, which has recently been re-christened The Fred Rogers Company) and offered the models, in their 'Neighborhood' color appearance, under the 'Mister Rogers' brand.  I realize the legal ramifications, but I would honestly think that the company would be glad to go into business with Bachmann (just like "Thomas and Friends") for a cut of the profits for their organization, in exchange for the use of their logo and endorsement of the product.  Perhaps something could be arranged to offer a model of the "Neighborhood Trolley" as well?  Just a thought.

As a side note, I just found some interesting information regarding a particular structure on the layout, which I thought fellow modelers might appreciate and one that many former 'Mister Rogers' fans will remember.  One of the more unique looking structures in the model town, the "lop-sided" apartment house, is not Bachmann made, but custom built.  The reason for this is the house was built to represent the logo of the series' original broadcast network:  NET (National Educational Television), and was used with the logo superimposed over the structure in the original opening sequence.  When NET folded into PBS in 1970, just two years after the series debuted, the house was remodeled to an orange color, and then was finally repainted to its more infamous incarnation as a red brick structure a few years after that, and remained through the majority of the series.   

_{BTW, I'm posting this in both the HO and Plasticville sections, since it is related to both.}

I, like millions of other children in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, grew up watching Mister Rogers' Neighborhood on PBS, so in reality, my love for trains (or, I guess, trolleys back then) probably stemmed from that.  

One of the first things that a viewer sees when watching an episode is, of course, a finely crafted HO scale model of the neighborhood that Mr. Rogers "lives" in.  I realized some years ago when I started model railroading that most of the structures in the town are Bachmann Plasticville kits (others structures that aren't are either IHC or custom built), a few of which remain in production today, I believe.  Here are a couple of examples:

Cape Cod House (Mister Rogers' house!): http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/160-45131

Split-level house (seen in the first few seconds of the credits):  http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/160-45213

None of the kits were ever marketed for their fame of having been in the series, and I believe there are THOUSANDS of people out there who have wondered who made the models, and if and where they could buy them.  I have placed a few comment responses to YouTube video comments over the past few months to people wondering about the models, and just thought that I'd bring this fact up to the Bachmann community.  

There is, at the very least, a niche marketing opportunity here, and I've often wondered why Bachmann never partnered up with Family Communications (the show's long time production company, which has recently been re-christened The Fred Rogers Company) and offered the models, in their 'Neighborhood' color appearance, under the 'Mister Rogers' brand.  I realize the legal ramifications, but I would honestly think that the company would be glad to go into business with Bachmann (just like "Thomas and Friends") for a cut of the profits for their organization, in exchange for the use of their logo and endorsement of the product.  Perhaps something could be arranged to offer a model of the "Neighborhood Trolley" as well?  Just a thought.

As a side note, I just found some interesting information regarding a particular structure on the layout, which I thought fellow modelers might appreciate and one that many former 'Mister Rogers' fans will remember.  One of the more unique looking structures in the model town, the "lop-sided" apartment house, is not Bachmann made, but custom built.  The reason for this is the house was built to represent the logo of the series' original broadcast network:  NET (National Educational Television), and was used with the logo superimposed over the structure in the original opening sequence.  When NET folded into PBS in 1970, just two years after the series debuted, the house was remodeled to an orange color, and then was finally repainted to its more infamous incarnation as a red brick structure a few years after that, and remained through the majority of the series.  

_{BTW, I'm posting this in both the HO and Plasticville sections, since it is related to both.}

OLD BILL,

Do you have any pics of your layout?  I have a freelanced HO layout also based on Western Maryland in WV (although I decided not to model a specific location, but rather hint at several locations), and have all the equipment you mentioned and then some.  There is a link to my pictures on my profile.  

You're headline caught my attention...I am also waiting on those two peices in particular!  You need to visit the Cass area one of these days...both of Climaxes your father-in-law worked on are still around...the two-truck is hauling tourists on the Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad (aka "Durbin Rocket") at Durbin (www.mountainrail.com), while the three-truck which is the prototype for the new Bachmann engine is being beautifully restored at Cass, and expected to be operating @ 2012 for the first time in 40 years.  (www.msrlha.org for pics of restoration; www.cassrailroad.com)

It's so funny, everything you say describes the prototype exactly!  I'd say if its doing all that, Bachmann really captured the prototype well in this model, didn't they?  With that said, I have seven of them, and they all do everything you said, and are running correctly!  

You should try to catch a ride on a real Shay sometime...and see just how much it really does "waddle" along!

Have fun!  

wtierce--

Thanks for letting me know about Peach Creek Shops...that's a pretty fair price!  I hope you are able to come up with enough to acquire one for your collection, or maybe you can do as I do and ask for it for Christmas!  Have you seen any pics of the Cass or Moore-Keppel versions yet?  

As I've learned from experience, when Bachmann says its a September release, that usually means the end of September.  Furthermore, that is even more tentative for the customer because that date is when they START shipping to RETAILERS and E-TAILERS, not necessarily when the customer is able to bring it home.  I'd say it would be a safe bet that you could have one in your possession by Christmas (I'm actually asking for one for Christmas, let my loved ones have all the headaches of acquiring it...'tis the season, afterall!   )  I am also asking for a WM RS-3...which isn't "scheduled for release" until November, which means I can plan on having it in time for my birthday in February   .

Anyway, has anyone seen any more photos beyond the original one of the test model?  I'm really interesting in seeing what paint scheme they choose for the Cass Scenic Railroad version...especially since Cass hasn't finalized their decision on how they plan to paint the prototype when they finish restoring it (to date, it has never been lettered for CSRR...although it has been on site for 40+ years!).  Its hard to tell what they will decide...a few years ago they decided to repaint their Heisler locomotive to its "factory new" paint scheme...boxed in silver lettering, as opposed to the gold trim and lettering it had at Cass previously.  How will Cass ultimately choose to paint the prototype Climax?  How will Bachmann choose to portray it sight unseen?  This could really be interesting...