I assume since they are releasing the 3 truck version, they are “gearing up” [:D] with parts. So those of you with the 2 truck Climax sitting on the RIP track for the last several years, get em while you can.
Maybe the release of the 3 truck will inspire NWSL to make some replacements gears for the Climax line? (hint:hint)
edit-link has changed, but will take you to the store
Dave of NWSL has said he was working to develop new gears for the Climax but have not heard anything the past few months… A couple people here did mention that some months ago.
Rich
There are a bunch of inoperable 2-truck Bachmann Climaxes out there due to the gear problem.
This looks like an opportunity for someone who enjoys working with those things to offer an installation/repair service.
Bill
If I had a Climax that needed new gears, I would personally wait for the NWSL replacements. They’ll more than likely be metal, and would easily outlast Bachmann’s plastic gears. I’m glad I waited for the NWSL gears for my Shay, because it’s been a great runner ever since.[:D]
My Bachmann Climax with easily-scratchbuilt fuel bunker; awaiting NWSL gearing.
Mark
It sure would be nice if they’d get it right the first time, this just shows what trying to save “pennies” gets you. If they weren’t the only game in town they’d have a lot of crappy engines sitting on their shelves and maybe learn something in the process.
They did a great job with the 2-8-0’s, 4-8-2’s, and the 2-10-2’s, then shoot themselves in the foot with the shays and climaxs…don’t they ever “test” this stuff before they approve it for sale???
I have several of each of these and although they are hardly run I can see I had better get my order ready for NWSL for when they do take a dump on me…what a deal.
Mark
Mark, I agree, it would be nice if these kinds of problems never made it to the street. But Bachmann is by no means the only one with these kinds of problems.
As for the shays, I know some have had problems and others have run them hundreds of hours with out a glitch?
This tells me that these problems are not “design” problems, and not easily caught in advance. More likley they are assembly or part production/tolerance problems that show up as the production run progresses.
Often that type of thing is found and fixed - but only after hundreds or thousands of units are in customer hands - or, the problem is not fully understood until way after the run is done and shipped - than the only fix is for the next run and to “warranty” the duds as they come back.
To my recallection, the climax is one of very few “serious” problems that they did not have enough “replacement” locos for every customer - but now they have parts, hopefully better parts, no matter what they are made of.
I don’t have the shays or the climax since they don’t fit my modeling era/scope/theme, but I must agree all of my 2-8-0’s 4-8-2’s, 2-6-6-2’s and my 2-8-4’s converted in to 2
This doesn’t excite me too much, and I have a Climax with split gears.
I am working on an On30 railtruck, and right out of the box, it would not run because, you guessed it, 2 split gears. I was in contact with Bachmann about this and they did send me replacement gears. The only problem was, the first round of gears they sent were super glued used ones that were split. The second round of gears were not split until I ran them for about, roughly, 30 seconds.
I am in the process of regearing this thing using NWSL parts. I still have a bit of work to do, but at least I know it’ll run!
Mark
The history of making HO model geared locomotives is strewn with “failures”, and very few clear-cut successes.
PFM brass Shays: run well, expensive. Initial B2 Shays are over size. Most use only one truck for pickup on each rail.
Rivarossi Heisler: scales to some of the largest Heislers ever made. 1st run does not run very slowly and motor was of questionable quality. Later run (20 years later) has improved slow speed gearing. Plastic axle slots wear creating quartering and performance issues (and vice versa) over time. Light weight and insufficient gear reduction creates average pulling power at best.
Roundhouse Shay: copied the over-sizing of the PFM model. Tried using a diesel type drive setup to avoid cost of precision metal components in the line shafts. This decision created closed loop lockups between drive shaft gears and line shaft gears on the same axle - result is often split gears on all stock units. For superior performance, NWSL regear kit is recommended, electrical pickups replaced, and lockup on the line shafts resolved - usually by disengaging or removing gear teeth on
To keep a gear (metal or plastic) from spinning on a smooth shaft, the hole in the gear must be smaller than the shaft diameter. This puts what I guess would be called circumferential tension on the gear. Different materials tolerate different amounts of tension before they fail. If the hole isn’t small enough, the shaft will spin in the gear. If it’s too small, the gear will split. There is a certain sized window for the hole diameter.
I do wonder if knurling the shaft would be the answer.
Ed
Great post Fred, one forgets that our choices in geared locos were quite limited and have always has some type of performance issue of one kind or another. The Bachmann Shay, even if it was required to replace the gears with NWSL, is to me still a great value, and the Climax would be as well if NWSL ends up producing gears for them. I have the last version of the Rivarossi Heisler, it’s unfortunate that they were discontinued, it is really a great runner, and one of my favorites. It seems the complexity of geared steam engines lends itself to each model having to be tweaked by it’s owner, and like a lot of things in this hobby, this is acceptable to me.
Thank you for this timely post. My Climax thru a gear the other day, and has been sitting on the RIP track ever-since. Thanks to your tip, I now have two replacement gears on order.
I just noticed a post at Cherry Creek hobbies about the Climax;
HO Scale
In the Spectrum line. A three truck Climax. Yes! It’s finally here! This is based upon the prototype at Cass that is being restored. With or without DCC/Sound. Looks great and the mechanism problems that plagued the earlier two truck Climax have been resolved. Bachmann has repair parts for the two truckers, give them a call. List price $350.00. Scheduled for September delivery."
I wonder what they done? Different plastics? Interesting to see. Anyone here know?