Howdy Folks

I just tried to make use of the Fourth of July discount code for 25% off and free shipping that Bachmann sent me a couple of days ago, that is supposed to be good until midnight tonight ET, which is still about six hours off. The code they emailed me is shown as both "Fireworks24" and "fireworks24" that is both capitalized and not, which isn't a good sign, but I tried both and got the not valid message with each. It is now too late to call Bachmann, I know as I tried, so emailed the parts department with the message and order information, but don't expect to hear back anytime soon.

Anybody else try and fail or succeed at using the holiday discount code???

Don't know how many of you may have attended this years convention in the SF Bay Area, but the concentration of truly superb and spectacular layouts was mind boggling to say the least!

Perhaps my main takeaway however, was that there were more Bachmann Shay locomotives, in both the two and three truck versions, being run on more of the layouts, than perhaps all other types and brands of locomotives combined!!!

Hey Bill ... or anyone else.

Does anyone know if there are specific product code I.D.s for the different versions of the Large scale Climax that identifies the models that have the drive shaft geared at both ends such that they sometimes bind? Both of the engines I have are #85098 painted unlettered and DCC ready. I have heard that the early issued engines have bevel gears at both ends of the drive shaft, and have been known to bind up because of this, but later production only has the drive shaft driven off of the front truck, while the rear truck is blind on the drive shaft so no interference bind is realized.

Here's a question about the metal coach railings that came on the later production J&S coaches, combines, baggage and observation cars. Are those railings a simple drop in replacement for the plastic railings on the earlier production cars?

Anyone here ever changed them out?

I have a small fleet of the early passenger sets that I'd like to upgrade if it is a no hassle switch-over.

I operate in the dirt, as my yard and ballast are all Decomposed Granite (DG) that goes from almost clay like fines to small gravel of about 1/4+ inch diameter. It all seems to work fine as live ballast, through the seasons of heat, cold, rain and snow. However, when the wind blows a fine dust can fly onto the exposed gears and other parts, and obviously sticks to the oils or grease that is on those exposed parts. I am trying powdered Graphite on the driveline and wheel bevel gears as they seem the most exposed and susceptible of all, and having a dry lube helps minimize the problem of fine dust sticking to "wet" lubes and thus causing excessive wear!

Do any of you have experience with using Graphite in this manner? I wonder if it might even be a superior way to lubricate the cranks and valve gears, or even siderods and crossheads on conventional locos?

What got me started down this "train" of thought was walking up to the side of my Shay to turn on the R/C one day and scuffing my foot in such a way as to shower the side of the engine with the DG such that some of the wheel gears were nearly packed with everything from dust to fine gravel. An obvious problem that would have been very destructive had I not noticed what I did, and gone ahead and run the engine anyway. Actually, the size of some of the "rocks" that stuck in the gear teeth would have jammed something fierce no doubt, but also cause damage no doubt.

I now have perhaps a dozen hours run time on the engine using Graphite for the bevel gears, and all seems fine so far. But if anyone knows of any down side to this technique, or has greater experience using it ... I'm all ears!!!