Has anyone ever attempted putting one of the newer tender control boards (like a C19) in one of the early Spectrum 440?  I would assume all the wiring would already be there except possibly the power wiring from trucks?

I don't see it on the parts but is it still possible to get one of the replacement driveshafts for a 1st gen Climax?

In reading the original review of this engine in Garden Railways, it mentions a fan in the engine compartment above the motor.  What exactly is this fan there for?  Can't imagine needed motor cooling, but maybe? Or for smoke chuffing?  Is it always on?  I know the C-19 has one in the tender, which I assume is for circuit board cooling.  Does the K-27 also have a fan in the tender?

I too appreciated the Bachman getting the owners manual for the Heisler scanned for us. I was able to find the K27 but would like to have the other engines I bought too.  Is it possible to get the Climax (2nd edition), C19, 2 and 3 truck Shays, 4-4-0 Spectrum and 2-6-6-2?  I have the parts ones but not the owners manual like above.

I've read about Bachmann releasing a 36 AND 38 ton Shay, as well as the 55 ton 3 truck.  I have the 36 and 55, but what exactly was different about the 38.  Even on eBay, I always see 36 but never 38.

Just to let you know that your new interface in the parts section is absolutely horrible. It is very slow and cumbersome.  You cannot see right off if the item is out of stock.  And you can't easily move between engines. It is just bad design. 

Does anyone have any idea how many of the 2 Truck Shays were sold?  I see them all over eBay now days.  Just curious.

I am looking for where to get a male end for the connectors that Bachmann uses for going between the engine and tender.  In particular the 6 pin cable CONNIE-10548.  I talked to parts and she has no idea but said they never got the corresponding end for the 6 pin just got the 2 and 4.

Does anyone know the history of these?  I recently acquired 2 of these (see pics) on eBay.  Both have the same number but one is more reddish and with a black roof the wording is a also more extensive on it. The other has the body and roof the same color. I'm guessing just different release dates?

Ok, first of all, we know that Large scale is having some issues, as is the model railroading in general.  With our white knight long gone, the odds of getting much, let alone what I want, is slim to it ain't ever gonna happen. But a guy can hope.  Bachmann, are you listening?

What I think is needed is a specialty "car" that can get some attention but not be crazy expensive like a new engine.  Bachmann has been there, done that.  But what if you took something from the HO that's already been done, but scale it up.  What I'm thinking is doing the steam crane like what's been done in HO.  Yes, I would like to see it be an actual working one, but I'd settle for one that would allow the outside market create that part.  So create some Spectrum features (like they did the cabooses) with like some moving crane parts, or whatever.  Maybe a smoke unit in side?  Other suggestions?

The Trainworld site lists the Climax as "New Release". Is there a new release of the Climax?  I know there was an original release, which I got, then a second release with all the DCC stuff, which I also bought.  Is this a new 3rd edition or just some left over stock, or just new road names?

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.

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.

A number of my engines came with tapes for history and maintenance but I no longer have a vhs.  I know you can see them on YouTube but I want to download them onto my home server so I will always have access to them.  Who knows sometime in the future Bachmann may discontinue the channel, go under, whatever.  Anyone know where I can download the ones for the original Shay, second generation Climax, Connie, 440 and the 3 truck Shay?

Personally, I have both Shays, a Climax, an older 4-4-0 Spectrum and a Connie and I really love them.  All the mechanical intracies is what really got me interested in trains beyond some occasion playing with them and originally my young son. Due to life getting in the way, this 20+ year adult hobby has mostly been on hold.  But as we start preparing for semi-retiring, down sizing and a move, and hopefully more time to put towards trains, I'm packing up trains, track, etc., etc., and realize that I have some damage, missing or lost parts.  Projects started and not completed so things already taken apart trying to get all the parts back to the right place for packing.  Tons of stuff is now not available as parts.  I fully understand that some of this stuff goes back to the 90's and understand the business side of it from Bachmann's prospective, but what are you guys doing now for parts?  With no apparent new G locos coming out I'm assuming there is not a lot of hope for parts reruns.  For example, I'm glad I bought the original Shay metal replacement trucks, even thought they have not been used yet and the originals have not failed yet, but now they are not available.  I had 'planned' to get one of Barry's Connie drives after reading about failures and his universally praised replacement, but never got around to it, only to read about his now health situation, that option is gone. None of my engines have any amount of hours on them but I have no idea what I might run into. So what are you guys planning?  If something goes, just junk it like I have with the 3 Gandy Dancers I have in a dead box?  Really curious what others are thinking.

First, will the Bachmann replacement ties fit the Aristocraft brass track?  Second, how does it compare in terms of lookand durability.  I'm moving my layout as we downsize and retire and when I pulled up the Aristo track, the ties were in horrible shape.

One of the pipes broke off my newer version Climax right where the valve attaches to the boiler.  At first I was going to just use super glue, then I started remembering how in the past sometimes super glue doesn't last. Before moving forward, what do others use on these small parts?  Epoxy?

I keep reading about G scale being way down, which I don't doubt with manufactures going out of business, out of G or not producing much in the way of new.  With that said are existing items we own going up in value?  I occasionally look at Trainsonline just for the heck if it and they still have some of the later Climax engines.  Seems like they have had them for a ton of years.  I had to have gotten mine 4+ years ago and I don't think it was when they first came out. Did they just buy a ton of them and get stuck, or are they being inventoried by Bachmann?

For me life has gotten in the way of trains, I barely got my outside layout done then life got in the way.  Now we've decided to downsize and semi-retire to Durango.  So as I am starting to pack everything up for possible 2 years of storage, I'm trying to decide if I will get to mess with them in Colorado or not.  And with the wild elk, deer, turkeys and bears on the land we bought, an outdoor layout may just not be smart and I won't have the room inside for a layout.  I had my share of dogs, critters, and one time a cow, on the current one.  That does get old.