Bachmann 3 truck Shay fault.

A

alec dawe

Railways, Cars, Wine!
I lubricated my new Shay, and put it out or a test run. All seemed OK apart from the fact that it seemed a bit sluggish, which I put down to newness, but it stalled on one part of the track, light engine, power on, wheels spinning.
It was only when I got down close that I realised that the front and rear trucks were running, but the centre one under the cab was NOT!
Has anyone come across this? I'll have to take the beast apart to try to sus out the fault, anyone got and tips on this, or any other ideas?
 
Unlike a regular "steam" loco this won't be down to "valve gear" getting its knickers in a twist going "out of quarter" and causing the motions to lock up. Had that happen with my Bachmann Mallet.

Check the wiring to the motor on the centre truck. Is juice getting to it, is it properly connected ? Open up the gearbox plate on the base of the motor block/truck and make sure nothing obvious amis in there. Drive is from a double ended motor with worm gears with 2 transfergears to the final drives mounted to one side of each axle inside the truck. The prototypical gearing on the outside is only decorative and serves no mechanical function.

Do you have the manual with all tthe exploded diagrams ?
Max.
 
I had a problem with a Bachmann Heisler where on one bogie the communicator disc and got rotated and the plungers where not making contact. On newer Bachmann bogie locos the bogies are not wired to the body but there is a communicator disc with 4 contact plungers to transmit the power up and down. It is quite simple to fix by removing the bogie and making an adjustment if this is the problem.
 
Yes Max, I've got the exploded diagrams etc, and I realised that the cylinders and valve gear is 'decorative'.
I'll study the diagrams and work out how to get the bogie off, to check plungers etcetc.
I had a look through the lubricating plug, and cold see nothing obviously wrong, but will take off the bottom plate to check deeper.
Then perhaps try applying voltage direct to the motor unit, and see what happens.
The loco has a factory decoder fitted, but I'm assuming that has to be functioning right for the other two bogies to run correctly.
 
Hi Alec,if its a brand new loco as you say, why dont you simply contact Bachmann Uk at Leicester ?I have a 3 truck Shay fitted with sound and have never had any problems with it yet -touch wood, I am however having some running problems with my Heisler - with luck that will be sorted this weekend
Graham
 
Graham ASH said:
Hi Alec,if its a brand new loco as you say, why dont you simply contact Bachmann Uk at Leicester ?I have a 3 truck Shay fitted with sound and have never had any problems with it yet -touch wood, I am however having some running problems with my Heisler - with luck that will be sorted this weekend
Graham
Click to expand...
Graham,

I bought it from the States, so not sure if Bachman. UK would be interested. No harm in trying I suppose!
 
Hi Alec
I have a 3 truck shay and have found that mine just stopped one day ,on inspection I found some small twigs caught in the cogs on the trucks once removed it ran fine , I have also found that the grease on these cogs do pick up dirt and small stones off the ballast .
 
Alec
I buy most of my locos from the states which is where my 3 truck shay came from, I had problems with an old Climax earlier which had also come from States and they sorted it for me
Graham
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom