# disconnect track pickups on shay



## kcndrr (Jan 7, 2008)

I have a new Bachmann shay, what is the easiest way to disconnect track pickup and add battery power to it? 
I have not yet disassembled it; will most RC/sound fit in the coal bunker?
KC


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## Bill Swindell (Jan 2, 2008)

If it's the 3 truck one, you can remove the oil bunker and cut the 6 wires from the track pickup where they connect to the circuit board. On the Shays that I have put batteries into, I removed the circuit board completely anyway.


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

You could simply remove the ball bearings that rub along the insides of the wheels and leave all the wiring intact.


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## kcndrr (Jan 7, 2008)

it is the two truck shay, and on my climax i did remove the ball bearings in the trucks, but didnt want to do that again in case i ever wanted to run off track power in future. i would like to put a DPDT toggle in it for track battery power.

thanks

KC


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## Bill Swindell (Jan 2, 2008)

That will be a problem since the pickups are connected to the motor within the truck.


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## kcndrr (Jan 7, 2008)

Ok, like Bill said, it seems the pickups are connected to the truck motors.
I removed the ball bearings but also the wires and connectors to them, it seems that the ball bearing pickups connect directly to the motors. So that means I need to reconnect the wires and the metal pieces they connect to the motors and leave the ball bearings out.
Funny how you find these things out.
I also unhooked the coal bunker and found 4 wires not attached toanything
Looks like in the schematic that two are for track feeds to run the sound board, I was thinking of putting my battery power to these and attaching souind board after the RC receiver to the motors.
Anyone done this?

KC


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Bill, I have a 2 truck shay with the latest trucks. If I don't sell it or give it away, I will convert to DCC. Do you have an idea what the simplest way is to disconnect the motors from the pickups? 

Thanks, Greg


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## kcndrr (Jan 7, 2008)

Greg
If I am right, there are only two wires going to each of the trucks. They carry the voltage from the track pickups to the truck motors, main frame to run lights and smoke. If after doing mine wrong, you just remove the ball bearings and springs from the pickup to wheels, (remove the 6 screws on the bottom plate of truck which opens up the wring and ball bearings). This will remove the track pickups. Then you could connect your power hookup to the wires leading from the truck to the frame for power input to loco. These wires will also supply power to the trucks.
I believe if you just wire power to one truck it will supply power through existing wiring to the other truck and rest of loco needs.

I think this is how it works.

KC


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks KC, but I am DCC, and track powered, so I cannot remove the track pickups, but have to separate them from the motors. I was hoping to find out without disassembling to see how tough it is going to be... If it's really going to be a pain, then I may be giving the loco away for Christmas. 

Regards, Greg


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## Road Foreman (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg, 

If the Shay has a NMRA/Large Scale switch the track pick-ups should be issolated from the motors.. 

BulletBob


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## Bill Swindell (Jan 2, 2008)

I have worked on 1 2 truck Shay. It only has 2 wires from each truck. No reversing switch. I'm not sure how one would seperate the pickup from the motor for DCC.


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## K27_463 (Jan 2, 2008)

Remove the bottom plate of the truck and you will see some small brass buss bars/right angle clip . Remove the clip completely and resolder the wires directly to the tab that remains. Check with meter for isolation. Use silicon to insure the brass tabs cannot make contact. There is , however, no such short cut for track power DCC. You must perform the step I just outlined, but will still need to run a second pair of wires from the brass pickups up into the loco to the main board. All pickup and motor circuits are tied together in the board on the bottom of the firebox.. But the internal truck connections from pickup to motor still need to be bypassed. Greg: it will be a bit of a chore in your case.


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## kcndrr (Jan 7, 2008)

How do you remove the power truck from the frame/ cant seem to find the power truck side screws to remove from swivel 
KC


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## Matt Vogt (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 12/15/2008 12:20 PM
... If it's really going to be a pain, then I may be giving the loco away for Christmas. 

Regards, Greg

Greg. this is going to be a tremendous pain. It is _definitely_ an engine you want to give away for Christmas. I will send you a check to cover shipping as soon as you let me know the total!

Thanks, 







Matt


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## Trains West (Oct 4, 2008)

the replacement trucks from bachmann also have the 4 wire feed plate to run power to the loco and back to the motor .....

so you can upgrade the trucks to ones that wount split the gear or you can find someone that used the upgrade trucks but did not use the plates from the kit .....

I do not rember what I did to the last one I fixed with new trucks but will look when I am at work tomorrow


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I do have the new trucks on it, bought a couple of years ago. The old ones had a few cracks in the plastic bottoms, but no running problems. But, I figured what the heck. I will check for the reversing switch, good tip. 

By the way, if someone wants to drop by and get 2 free trucks, email me (pick up in San Diego). 

Regards, Greg


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