# Questions About Bachmann 3 Truck Shay



## SoCalNever2Old2Start (Jan 15, 2010)

Hello Again All,

Could anyone please offer some advise or experience involving the Bachmann 3 Truck Shay.

Specifically:

What is the steapest grade allowable or recommended for this unit?
Is 5% excessive? I've read quite a bit of posts recommending no greater than 2 or 3%, but I've seen others that the Shay can handle up to 7%.
Again, any experience would be grteatly appreciated.
I plan on running it with a maximum of either (5) short logging cars + Caboose,
Or
(5) ore cars (Styrofoam filled) with Caboose.

Also, can the Shay safely handle the LGB 4' radius track? 
I'm building a larger Main Line with 8', but the logging and mining will be limited to the 4'.

Thank you.

John


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

5% won't be excessive. I don't know that I'd push much steeper than that, but 5% will be fine. Your trains will be limited in terms of length, but the locomotives can handle it without trouble. A short 5-car logging train will be no problem. 

The reality is that when it comes to electrically-powered steam locomotives (as opposed to live steam), the difference between "geared" and "rod" locomotives aren't nearly what they are in terms of the prototype, because in the model world, all electrically-driven steam locomotives are "geared" locomotives. How a specific locomotive performs on a grade has to do with the gear ratio and weight of the model. That may or may not be different between models of geared and rod locomotives, just based on how each is manufactured. 

As for radius, I just want to clarify--you're talking about a 4' radius (8' diameter) on the logging line, and an 8' radius (16' diameter) on the main line? The 4' radius won't be a problem. If you're referring to a 4' _diameter_ (2' radius) curve, then make sure you use the longer drawbar hole between the 2nd and 3rd truck, so you don't break the U-joints. It will fit fine if you do that, according to Dave Goodson's (aka Curmudgeon) review in _Garden Railways]_ a few years ago. 

Later, 

K


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## SoCalNever2Old2Start (Jan 15, 2010)

Thank you K.

I know the 'Radius' vs. 'Diameter' can get confusing.

It is the LGB 1100, so yes, I believe it is a 8' diameter.

Thank you again, as I want to make sure I get the right engine (the first time) for the application.

J


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

The 1100 is the 2' radius/4' diameter. The 1600 is their "almost" 4' radius/8' diameter. 

Later, 

K


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## cape cod Todd (Jan 3, 2008)

Hello John 
I recently acquired a 38 ton 2 truck Shay and wow what a great looking engine but it is BIG. The 3 truck is even bigger. I have a small indoor oval with the 4' diameter LGB 1100 track and the shay doesn't look "right" on it. The ends overhang and the drive shafts look ready to pop out. I wouldn't want to put a load on them under those conditions. Outdoors I have a mix of LGB 1500 which is 5' diameter and 1600 which is 8' and one 1100 section that will be changed out this spring. The bigger equipment like a shay will look and perform alot better on the wider radius tracks. 
My layout has grades around 2.5% with a couple spots I need to work on that are over 3. The shay and the other geared locos Bachmann offered are in my opinion heavy robust engines that will haul a greater load than one of their 4 8 0 starter set engines and it is the weight that allows this. 
In the long run you will be a lot happier to give your shay grades less than 3% and the widest curves you can fit in your space.


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## Shekou Jim (Oct 19, 2009)

I'd say do an experiment - I have an Accucraft 2 truck Shay & want to model some of the extreme rough track they really saw. I set up a simple oval and added blocks of wood to elevate it smoothly for the test. It dealt with ~10% no problem - slowed significantly, but made it up with a few cars behind. (I don't plan on going THAT extreme!). Give it a try.


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## Axel Tillmann (Jan 10, 2008)

I have in my layout sections with 5% and even 7% incline. Some important things are:

1. If 7% = Don't have curves
2. If 5% have very wide curves
3. You maybe limitted to a few cars (e.g. behind a single engine I pull 3-4 4 axle passenger cars) Now double heading would change the picture.


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Note that the Accucraft Shay is geared VERY low. (If I recall, it mustered a whopping 11 scale miles per hour at 20 volts!) It's going to handle steep grades better than the B'mann Shay. It's also got a different drive than the Bachmann; its motor is in the firebox, and transmits power to the trucks via the actual side gears as per the prototype. On the Bachmann, the side gears are cosmetic. The motor is in the trucks. 

Later, 

K


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## Shekou Jim (Oct 19, 2009)

Posted By East Broad Top on 17 Apr 2010 10:30 AM 
Note that the Accucraft Shay is geared VERY low. (If I recall, it mustered a whopping 11 scale miles per hour at 20 volts!) It's going to handle steep grades better than the B'mann Shay. It's also got a different drive than the Bachmann; its motor is in the firebox, and transmits power to the trucks via the actual side gears as per the prototype. On the Bachmann, the side gears are cosmetic. The motor is in the trucks. 

Later, 

K Good points - I'm not familiar with the Bachmann, and the Accucraft is indeed a brute! It just reinforces the idea that an experiment can be a big help for a particular set of equipment. (I just used sectional track on top of stacks of children's books on the playroom floor - my 3 year old daughter loved "helping")


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