Bachmann 1:20.3 (3-foot gauge) three-truck Shay

This three-truck 1:20.3-proportion three-foot gauge Shay from Bachmann gives large scale fans an action-packed logger complete with Digital Command Control. A SoundTraxx Tsunami decoder adds realistic steam sound effects to this Spectrum series locomotive.

Built to order. Beginning around the turn of the 20th century Lima Locomotive Works built Shay geared locomotives according to each customer’s specifications. The 1:20.3-proportion 41′-6″ wheelbase of the Bachmann model is within scale inches of that of 50- to 70-ton three-truck Shays.

Large scale legacy. This latest model uses much of the same tooling as Bachmann’s two-truck Shay from 1997, including the cab, boiler, trucks, and running gear, coupled with a new water tender for the three-truck Shay. It also sports a new coal bunker behind the cab.

The model has a plastic body riding on cast-metal trucks and running gear. The mechanism captures the action of a real Shay.

Like Bachmann’s first Shay, this engine is designed for no. 1 gauge track, which represents three-foot gauge in 1:20.3 proportion.

Detail and decoration. Our sample came decorated for Little River Lumber Co. no. 2147. Paint coverage is smooth and the white lettering is opaque. The builder’s plate has serial number 2940 and a built date of 1917, the same information found on Bachmann’s first 36-ton two-truck Shay model.

Piping and handrails are separately applied. Running boards have molded wood grain. The cab interior includes a lighted red flickering firebox.

Sound and DCC. When run on DC, at four volts the locomotive’s headlight shone, and compound air compressor sounds began to pound. At eight volts the engine began to chuff. As programmed from the factory, the whistle sounds twice before moving forward, once when the locomotive is stopped, and three short toots before reversing. Other sounds, such as the bell, can be programmed to trigger in DC mode according to throttle settings.

When operating with a DC transformer, I didn’t exceed 20 volts, as specified in the instructions. The decoder is rated for 27 volts, but prolonged higher voltage can damage it. Sounds will cease at 21 volts as a warning. At 18 volts the model chugs along at 14 mph, which is fast for a Shay.

Using a DCC cab, I operated all eight function buttons, including the bell and dynamo sounds.

By virtue of a powerful and well-enclosed speaker, the sound quality is impressive with no distracting buzzes or rattles. In DCC the model’s Dynamic Digital Exhaust feature changes the intensity of the chuffs according to the engine’s load.

A note on chuffs. The model includes an Auto-Exhaust feature, which requires the user to manually synchronize the sounds to the motion of the crossheads using Configuration Variable (CV) 116.

Even after adjusting the chuff, it still didn’t synchronize perfectly with the crossheads. The two chuffs matched the motion of only one cylinder, not all three.

With realistic sound and an oper-ating smoke unit that produces a steady plume from the stack, this Shay is an impressive addition to Bachmann’s 1:20.3 logging fleet.

Bachmann 1:20.3 Shay

Prices: DCC-and-sound equipped, $1200; DC, $1000

Manufacturer
Bachmann Industries Inc.
1400 E. Erie St.
Philadelphia, PA 19124
www.bachmanntrains.com
Description: Plastic and die-cast metal 1:20.3-proportion geared steam locomotive
Road names: DCC-and-sound equipped: Little River Lumber
Co. no. 1247; West Side
Lumber Co. no. 4; painted,
unlettered (black with red
and white trim)
DC only: Meadow River Lumber Co. no. 7; Oregon Lumber Co. no. 110; painted black, unlettered; black with red and white trim

1:20.3 Shay features

Dual-mode SoundTraxx Tsunami DCC sound decoder (on DCC-equipped versions)
Constant directional headlight and backup light
Die-cast metal drive train including trucks and wheels (mounted in gauge)
Drawbar pull: 48 ounces (equivalent to 48 large scale freight cars on straight and level track)
Engineer and fireman figures
Minimum radius: 24″
Operating knuckle couplers (mounted at correct height)
Packet of lineside detail parts
Three-position polarity switch
Two-disk DVD user’s manual with historical information
Weight: 11 lbs. 12 oz.