# New Climax in service



## llynrice (Jan 2, 2008)

I really liked the looks of Accucraft's new Climax and decided to buy one at ECLSTS. As with many Accucraft locos, this one was not ready to run right out of the box. The reversing lever would not move. Inspection showed that the valve plunger was stuck. Carefully applied force released it and a drop of light oil made the reverser work easily. I could not get the drive train to turn over by hand; so, I disconnected the center drive shaft assembly and found that the input shafts to each truck were bound up and would not turn at all. I removed the trucks and found that the drive shafts were bent. They go right over the hole which is used to access the truck-attaching screw and it looks as if the assembler was somewhat ham-handed about putting the screws in. Also, the drive shafts seemed a bit sticky like the reverser plunger. I removed the end pinion gear in each truck, got the shafts out, straightened them and cleaned them with 400 grit sandpaper. Once I put the trucks back together, they drive shafts turned easily. I tested the loco on rollers and it worked fine. [My K28 had some issues to resolve and, once corrected, it became a terrific running machine] Have any of you had similar problems with new Climax models? 

About a week and a half ago, I had the Climax ready to run; but, there was still snow on my layout which is on the ground in deep shade. Larry Green's layout is raised and was clear of snow and ice, so took it over there for a run. It was a cool day and it made impressive steam plumes.


















Before the run, I installed Spektrum radio control with servos for the johnson bar and the throttle. It worked perfectly. The K28 is quite a bit larger and the installation was easy to do while the Climax is smaller and took a bit of head scratching to figure out.


















One odd thing about this version of the Climax is that there is no fuel bunker of any sort. So, I decided to add side boards and put in a load of coal. I made the side boards of brass and used the very best Welsh coal to fill it.



























All told, I'm really quite happy with my Climax. I'm still doing modifications. I will have working headlamps fore and aft and I'm making a spark arrestor [on my K28, making a spark arrestor really reduced the oil splattering]


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## iceclimber (Aug 8, 2010)

Llyn, funny thing about yours not having a fuel load. I saw one in person and it had a load of hewn wood, which this would have burned. Perhaps they forgot to include it in yours. However, in my opinion, your coal load looks better.


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## highpressure (Jan 2, 2008)

Jeremiah'
The Climax with the Diamond stack has the real wood load.


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## iceclimber (Aug 8, 2010)

Yes, Larry you are right. I went and checked my pictures. Did not realize there were two versions. One with and one without the spark arrester. Sorry.


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Llyn - very nice atmospheric photos there, m'boy! Still debating the purchase, me. I'm in two minds about it, to tell thetruth. The only ones we've seen over herein yUK are the Rushton stack wood-burners, but now that yours is officially a coal-burner, I'd guess that your stack is still suitable. Over here in yUK we have a small company of after-market add-ons called Milton Locomotive Works. They make a range of accessories and handy adaptations for everything from AccuCraft to Aster, including a very nice spark arrestor near-Rushton stack for the Shay. I'll be contacting them about something else I have a need for, and will check if the Shay stack will fit the Climax smokebox collar for those who might need to make the conversion. 

Take care 

tac 
www.ovgrs.org


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By iceclimber on 18 Apr 2011 05:59 PM 
Llyn, funny thing about yours not having a fuel load. I saw one in person and it had a load of hewn wood, which this would have burned. Perhaps they forgot to include it in yours. However, in my opinion, your coal load looks better.







The two versions have to be specified at purchase point, else you'll end up with the one you didn't really want. Bunker/shotgun stack = oil-burner. Log load plus high-sided rails plus Rushton stack = wood-burner. As I noted, over here in yUK we have only seen the wood-burner - after the load has been toned down a bit it looks VERY good.

Best

tac
www.ovgrs.org


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## steev (Jun 11, 2008)

lynrice, 
I had similar problems, the drive train would barely turn by hand and would not run on blocks with less than $40#'s of pressure. The check valve leaked back into the tender, the ronson valve O ring was crushed in assembly and the big ticket was a leaking cylinder. 

I opted for a replacement rather than a fix and Cliff honored the warranty immediately. I now have a well running, out of the box replacement and send kudo's to Cliff and Accucraft for thier prompt no hassle service. 

I have a question for other Climax owners, is your water consumption high? Water is needing to be added every 4-5 minutes or I run out.


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## llynrice (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Steev,

I've not had enough chance to run my Climax to really judge water consumption, yet. I have noticed that, during warm-up, it dribbles a huge puddle under the front truck. I'm guessing that the reversing valve is leaking a fair amount until the loco warms up. Have you run your loco quite a bit?

Llyn


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## rwjenkins (Jan 2, 2008)

Lisa had her new Climax (the wood-burning Mich-Cal no. 4 version) running for the first time at the NHGRS Milford, NH show last month. It ran right out of the box, no apparent issues with the drive line, although it was a little tight at first. After a few laps around the track, it was running very smoothly. Llyn, I see you swapped out the headlight, do you still have the original box headlight? And if so, are you willing to part with it?


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## llynrice (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Richard,
That headlight has already found a home with Larry Green who plans to mount it on his 4-4-0 tender.
Llyn


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## rwjenkins (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By llynrice on 19 Apr 2011 03:06 PM 
Hi Richard,
That headlight has already found a home with Larry Green who plans to mount it on his 4-4-0 tender.
Llyn 

Oh ok. If anyone else out there with the unlettered Climax would like to sell their box headlight, or trade it for the round headlight off Lisa's #4, please shoot me a PM. 

For that matter, if anyone is interested in doing a cab swap, please let me know too (long shot, I know, but I figured it's worth a try). Lisa was torn between the two versions, she liked the wood-burning stack and wood load on the #4, but she prefers the box-style headlight and wood cab of the unlettered version.


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## steamtom1 (Jan 2, 2008)

.


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## steamtom1 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By steamtom1 on 19 Apr 2011 04:09 PM 
I thought I posted this maiden run of John Wessels' Wood Burner here, but I can't find it. Anyway, here is a flawless first run...


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## Andre Anderson (Jan 3, 2008)

Greetings,

I work for Tammies Hobbies in Beaverton Oregon and we sold two Climaxes and one had the bent drive shafts







, Cliff is well aware of this problem.When we sent the one back to him he had it repaired and back to us in a week. Like other people have said nothing but great service from Cliff.

Andre


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## iceclimber (Aug 8, 2010)

what do you think is causing the bent drive shafts? Is it shipping related or perhaps something else?


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## llynrice (Jan 2, 2008)

As I mentioned in my earlier post, it's a matter of ham-handed assembly. The drive shaft in each truck passes just about directly over the hole in the truck bolster which the assembler must reach through with his/her screwdriver to attach the truck to the loco. If you are VERY careful, you can get at the screw at a bit of an angle and not bend the shaft in the process. The person who assembled mine obviously jammed the screwdriver in without considering the possible damage that could result. I love my Accucraft locos; but, I'd love to receive one that is not an unintended do-it-yourself kit.


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## iceclimber (Aug 8, 2010)

I see. Well, good to hear that Accucraft is quick to make restorations.


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By iceclimber on 19 Apr 2011 07:04 PM 
I see. Well, good to hear that Accucraft is quick to make restorations. It's a bit less good to hear when you live in UK and get a futzed AccuCraft model. Sending it back to Union City is NOT an option here.

tac
www.ovgrs.org


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## Bill4373 (Jan 3, 2008)

My Climax ran good right out of the box (even if the I installed the planking the wrong way)(we had a saying in the military that fits any comments about it being installed 90 degrees out of phase)(which can't be printed here). 

The right hand cylinder was leaking but I tightened the bolts.... now if we could just get warm weather here in Michigan, which 33 degrees and rain isn't. 

.


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## Larry Green (Jan 2, 2008)

Sorry Richard, but I just finished mounting the headlight on my tender. 

Larry


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## Smokey2 (Aug 11, 2010)

My Climax has 2 bent drive shafts- does anyone have an email address for Cliff? I'd like to get replacements to install myself. 
Thanks in advance.


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## iceclimber (Aug 8, 2010)

[email protected]

They will forward your email to Cliff.


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## Smokey2 (Aug 11, 2010)

Thanks for the address- already sent one there but didn't get a reply so I thought there might be another. 
Rick


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## llynrice (Jan 2, 2008)

I certainly can appreciate your desire to have Accucraft put your Climax right. 

My attitude was that the defects were something that I could handle and I really didn't want to go through the drudgery and lost time of repacking the loco to ship back. The drive shafts through the trucks are soft enough that they can be straightened by eye with finger pressure once they are out of the trucks. IF you are comfortable with partially dissasembling your model and are handy with tools, it's a straight-forward fix. You should do whatever makes you most comfortable and I only offer this post as a general possibility. 

Llyn


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## iceclimber (Aug 8, 2010)

Rick, give them a call. Remember they are on the West Coast, so take into account your calling time. Judy is the person who usually takes the call and can either transfer you to Cliff or leave him a call back message. The number is on their website.


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## Chrisp (Jan 3, 2008)

Out of the box, my Climax had a severe binding issue. I thought I had bent drive shafts as well, and Cliff sent me replacements very quickly. On closer inspection (you can watch the trueness of the shafts if you run the engine up on blocks or rollers), that wasn't the problem. The stalling issue on turns seemed to be caused by both universal joints on the front truck were overtightened so they were binding on one axis. I loosened up the screws on the binding axes, applied plenty of grease and now my engine doesn't stall on my 8' diameter curves anymore. 

Of course while testing this, the brakes on the rear truck fell off (!) - they don't seem to have been screwed in at the factory on one side, I have a hard time believing two screws on non-stressed compoents worked themselves out. Had to shut down and call it a day, as the spare screws that came with the engine aren't the right size.


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## iceclimber (Aug 8, 2010)

Chris, just cut some dowel pins and use some gorilla glue. I am sure you can get it right. J/k'ing of course.


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## highpressure (Jan 2, 2008)

http://www.tracksidedetails.com/ Has a 1:20 scale brass box headlight. Number TD-85.


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

We seem to be having the usual AccuCraft lottery here, gentlemen. I'm going to bide my time. 

tac 
www.ovgrs.org 
Supporter of the Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund


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## Smokey2 (Aug 11, 2010)

Replaced the drive shafts on mine- one was bent 1/16" out of true. There is no way it would have run smoothly between binding in the bearing blocks and gears. 
Had many leaks at the cylinders. Couldn't really find any tight fasteners anywhere nor the use of any thread lock. The cylinders each have 1 on the inside that is impossible to get at without disassembly. Has anyone been able to tighten them and if so, how? Wrench? 
It would be nice if Accucraft included exploded drawings with the instruction manual.


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## iceclimber (Aug 8, 2010)

Seems like Accucraft could benefit by making kits so people can build them better from home then they seem to be assembled from the factory in China. Not being critical of Accucraft, but of the people in China putting these things together.


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## Smokey2 (Aug 11, 2010)

My Climax is running better in reverse- is that normal or is it due to the timing being off? If it's the timing, how would you go about adjusting it? 
Thanks 
Rick


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Jeremiah - it prolly costs more - a LOT more - to make a kit that anybody can assemble, than you think. 

For a start, all the short-cuts that can be easily accommodated on a production line, no matter how small it might be, would have to be fined out so that the average guy could build the thing with as little hassle as possible, and STILL have a working model at the end of it. Then, fool-proof instructions would have to be produced that Mr Average Guy could follow, and in English, too [Herr Regner, please take note, although you are better than you used to be]. Then the packaging of a kit into the familiar little packets that we know from Aster kits would have to be done - another cost. 

It's all adding up....... 

All-in-all, I'm amazed that Aster can actually produce the wondrous models they do for the money they charge, bearing in mind what has gone into making their kits as fool-proof and easy to assemble [comparatively] as they are. 

tac 
www.ovgrs.org


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## iceclimber (Aug 8, 2010)

Well, after assembling just the tender of my Mikado, I can't see myself ever buying another engine I can't assemble from kit form. I am not saying I won't, jut that I don't see that happening. I don't care if it was Willy Wonka who made the kit, I just love building them.


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## HeliconSteamer (Jan 2, 2008)

Jeremiah, 
As Tac pointed out, kits are more difficult to make than it would appear at first blush. First of all, the quality control has to be very tight in order for all the parts to fit together properly and for all the fasteners to be right. As I understand Accucraft's assembly process, each loco is literally hand assembled with the best fitting parts in the bin used on each respective model. Unfortunately, that sort of fitting strategy doesn't work out so well in kit building. 

I've not yet built an Aster kit simply because their products and my modelling interests don't really coincide. I have built a couple of Roundhouse kits, which go together quite nicely. My first kit had an untapped hole (6BA, right hand side wrist pin, to be specific), and I was just very lucky that one of our club members is an ex-pat that held onto his BA taps and dies. 

My final comment is that the only two locomotives in my stable that were purchased new were kit built by me. All others were acquired secondhand from friends. 

Cheers, 
Paul


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## iceclimber (Aug 8, 2010)

I understand. With that said, it would seem that if Accucraft were indeed to produce some kits, the price of those might even surpass Aster. Take the GS5 offering on it's way for one example. RTR out of box the price is 5,500. Taking into account all the added prices you mention, what cost would a kit be I wonder? The last time I saw a Berkshire kit for sale it was offered at $6,000.00 so, would Accucraft charge that or more for the modifications it would take to let the buyer build the GS5? Just some food for thought here.


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## deltatrains (Nov 25, 2010)

Posted By Andre Anderson on 19 Apr 2011 04:57 PM 
Greetings,

I work for Tammies Hobbies in Beaverton Oregon and we sold two Climaxes and one had the bent drive shafts







, Cliff is well aware of this problem.When we sent the one back to him he had it repaired and back to us in a week. Like other people have said nothing but great service from Cliff.

Andre








Congrats to you too Andre, when Neil and I came to your shop last month while down at Staver you went above and beyond to help out a couple of live steamers on our visit to your shop. We really enjoyed our shopping experience at Tammies. Thank you [email protected]


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Me and ig are of the opinion that Tammie's Hobbies in Beaverton is due a visit from over here. We have to go to Leopold & Stevens anyhow, and the ride on the MAX is something we all like to do. mrs tac and I have a pal in the local area - she moved out here last Fall, so now we have three reasons to go visit. 

Andre - perhaps we could make a lunch-time meet? 

tac 
www.ovgrs.org


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## Smokey2 (Aug 11, 2010)

Has anyone put a bark box or similar device on their Climax?


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## llynrice (Jan 2, 2008)

I installed a Summerlands Chuffer in mine and am very happy with it. It was an easy installation and each chuff has a distinct "bark" to it. As with any geared loco, chuffs come at a fast rate and can blur together. Running at prototypically slow speeds yields a very satisfying sound.


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## Smokey2 (Aug 11, 2010)

Do you have any video?


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## llynrice (Jan 2, 2008)

So far, I'm only set up for still photography.


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## Smokey2 (Aug 11, 2010)

I've decided to order a bark box for my Climax but can't find any info regarding bore and stroke. Can anyone help me out? 
Thanks


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## weaverc (Jan 2, 2008)

Smokey 
Both Trainmaxx bark boxes and Summerlands chuffers are custom made to be installed in the smoke box over the exhaust. Nothing to do with bore and stroke.


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## Smokey2 (Aug 11, 2010)

Than why does trainmaxx ask for the bore and stroke?


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## weaverc (Jan 2, 2008)

No clue. Why don't you ask him. I ordered two, one for my K-28 and one for my K-27 and this question was not asked. I suspect he has not yet designed one for the Climax and needs this information to proceed. I don't see the Climax on his list of available bark boxes. Give Richard a call.


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## Smokey2 (Aug 11, 2010)

Don't need to call him- I think you've answered my question which is why I asked if anyone knows what the bore and stroke are. 
Anyone?


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## trainmax (Feb 16, 2008)

That's not true with the Trainmax Bark Box. To get the best sound, the Bark Box has to be the right size based on the steam displayment of the locomotive. We have worked very hard to make the Bark Box the best sounding chuffer on the market. Anyone who has one can tell you the sound is the best. It is unfortunate that some locomotives have had melt downs, which is something that will happen even without a Bark Box. After talking to Cliff at Accucraft, I was advised that the melt down problems have occurred on various locomotives. In the owner's manual it is advised that you should not leave the locomotive unattended while it is under fire. Lighting the fire and walking away from the locomotive is just not a good idea.


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