Bachmann - geared steamers

Garden Railroading
1

Hello,

because I don’t have a possibility of investigating at a store nearby:

There are two versions of Bachmann’s Shay:

  • the new one with metal-trucks and metal-gearbox
  • the old one with plastic-trucks and plastic-gearbox

is this correct? and what are the differences in recognition. the metal-body I guess, and what else?

Do these differences in construction also exist with the Climax- and Heisler-engines and what are the signs of difference ?

In general, what should I look for by buying these engins as occassions?

Thanks & greetings

klaus

2

Yes ans Yes

The best way to tell the differences between the Shays is the older ones had a wood style cab while the latest have a more modern steel cab. This is the clearest visual difference between. The new’s are far better operationally than the old’s.

The Heisler is a bigger improvement over the Climax, but its also way more expensive and won’t run on R1 curves. The Climax, and both Shay’s do work on R1’s. The Climax was imrpoved vs the first Shay. The Climax does have a reputaion for not being a strong puller where the Shay always was a mighty puller.

The older Shays can be upgraded, TOC has a bunch of advice on that. I’ll let him give all the techno-skinny on these engines if he reads this topic.

3

None of them have “metal bodies”.
The boilers, frame, domes, tender shell, smokebox front, cylinders, sideframes are all the same.
If you can find an old Shay cheap, great, do it. I have 2 of them, run them all the time.
If you got lots of money, buy a new one!
If you are dcc, get a new one as it’s easier than re-wiring the old ones.
Be prepared for more noise in the new ones, as the metal trucks do not attenuate the noise like plastic does.

Another spotting difference in old ones is the PC Shays have steam brakes and the backup light on the cab roof.
I don’t care for them.
ET Shays have backup light on tender, air pump and air tanks.
Some of the new ons (and I can’t yet say “all” versions as I haven’t seen all of them yet), have tender mounted light, air brakes AND steam brakes!
Odd.

TOC