Don’t read this TOC. It’ll just give you agita.
Has anyone successfully installed AMS couplers on a Bachmann Shay? If so, how did you go about it? Now that I have my Shay running again, with another coming out behind it, those truck mounted kadee couplers are beginning to look a bit wierd. I suppose body mounted Kadees would work too … but they’d have to be ones without the wierd bent shanks…
Matthew (OV)
Matthew (OV) said:I have Kadees mounted onto my Accucraft #2 Shay, and I chopped the "shank" trip-lever thingy off first. They are a lot less offensive-looking without that thing sticking out. If that's your primary issue, just cut 'em off.
I suppose body mounted Kadees would work too ... but they'd have to be ones without the wierd bent shanks...
But if you also think you ought to move away from unprototypical truck-mounts toward prototypical body-mounts, let me tell you my story: I used to have a knuckle coupler on my Bachmann Shay that was body-mounted; it mounted into a link-and-pin pocket, and swivelled back and forth…just like the real ones! Neat! I will not be going back to that arrangement, thanks. On the layouts I visit (TOC’s, Marshall’s), the Shay would pull the other cars RIGHT off the track, especially on even the mildest S-curve…it was shocking, really. So unless you’ve got, say, 8-foot radii as a minimum (I’m guessing here, no real idea what it would take), I think you might be frustrated with the performance you get. Just my opinion.
Good luck, and let us know what you end up with!
I’d like to hear some more about this. I have to hope that the end beam on the Shay would be about like the end beam on the Diesel … with which I can switch cars on 5 foot (or so) radius and my #4 switch doesn’t give it any trouble either.
So, you went back to the truck mount? I hope there’s a solution that will work… maybe a Kadee with a slightly longer shank or something…
Oh, and bent shank… I didn’t mean the trip pin, I meant the drawbar that rises up from the pocket to a different height, like the Kadees currently attached to the trucks (836) … only 1:1 loco I 've seen with this type arrangement is the itty bitty 0-4-0 parked in front of the 4012 (4-8-8-4) at Steamtown… and it’s because to otherwise have a coupler at the right height on the rear of that little switcher, you’d have to mount it on the backhead…
So many things to answer, so little time…
First, length from end beam to end beam on Shays can be an issue on tighter curves with overhang on body mounts.
Check to see where the centerline of the coupler falls between the rails, then check the cars…
Plus, truck-mounted couplers lead INTO the curve, body mounts lead OUT of the curve, exacerbating the situation…
AMS on Shays, yes, done them, no problem, as long as you have the mahogany to make a new lower beam and 8 brass wood screws, and 4 old Big-Hauler long body screws.
Take the bottom plate out of the end beam, cut your new wood beam to match in length the plastic factory ones, lay the plate on the beam to mark the holes, drill clearance holes and recesses, install late, glue new beam to plate, insert screws, tighten and align.
Then set the engine on the track with a gauge or AMS car for height, fit coupler, cut out necessary recess for box, pre-drill screw holes and mount.
Piece of cake.
Although shorter than the Shay, I have Kadees fitted to the body of my Climax, and using body mounted cars it will traverse quite sharp curves, perhaps not 4 foot diameter though!
Regasrds, Danny Sheehan on Oz.
Oh, I see, the shank, right. I have to be able to couple up with plain old Bachmann couplers at plain old Bachmann coupler height, so my couplers are really low. My frame-mounted Kadee on the Accucraft Shay is actually mounted to the bottom of the end beam, so its little box sits, literally, on the end-beam step. Sorry I don’t have a picture.
It’s POSSIBLE that my failed link-pocket-mounted knuckle simply didn’t have enough swing to accomodate corner articulation. It’s difficult to imagine that the Shay has much longer overhang than the diesel. Heck, I dunno…give it a try and tell us how it works out! 
Mine didn’t like one 6.5 foot diameter curve i have going in to Owl’s Bend. Finally mounted Kadee on top of the Shay’s truck mounted shank.
just bolted it in place…well…after cutting part off… 
You added a small piece, I see.
I added an entire third beam.
Changes the entire appearance (for the better, eye think).
TOC
Great color on the beams, Bruce. Looks almost moldy.
Thanks - I think it’s some of that powdered stuff…
Nice photo ,Bruce , nice model .
Mike