It sounds like a coffee grinder.
Any way make it less so?
WHat is the best lubes for that engine?
Any way make it less so?
WHat is the best lubes for that engine?
Round hoyuse Shay...can you quiet it down?
- Thread starter Gil Finn
- Start date
L
lester perry
Yeah you can turn off the power. I have heard some people say they did but I have my doubts. I did it the easy way. Bought a Bachmann one and parked the Roundhouse one.
Les.
Les.
Gil Finn
The Roundhouse Shay often needs tuning and work to run well. A loud noise may be an indication something isn't right, depending on what the cause is. Continued running when there is binding present may lead to more damage or parts not working properly. You need to figure out where the noise is coming from - motor, main gearbox, truck gearbox, universal joints, line shaft sliding joints, line shaft gears, etc, and whether or not any of these parts are binding.
Also, Shays were designed to run very slowly because of their low gearing. The prototype made incredible noise (most models do too) running above 15 MPH. Are you trying to run it too fast?
I strongly recommend "The MDC Shay Handbook" by Jeff Johnston - out of print but can be found used - as a guide for tuning the mechanism. A search of earlier threads should show some discussions of how to make this special model locomotive run better.
yours in gearing down
The Roundhouse Shay often needs tuning and work to run well. A loud noise may be an indication something isn't right, depending on what the cause is. Continued running when there is binding present may lead to more damage or parts not working properly. You need to figure out where the noise is coming from - motor, main gearbox, truck gearbox, universal joints, line shaft sliding joints, line shaft gears, etc, and whether or not any of these parts are binding.
Also, Shays were designed to run very slowly because of their low gearing. The prototype made incredible noise (most models do too) running above 15 MPH. Are you trying to run it too fast?
I strongly recommend "The MDC Shay Handbook" by Jeff Johnston - out of print but can be found used - as a guide for tuning the mechanism. A search of earlier threads should show some discussions of how to make this special model locomotive run better.
yours in gearing down
More often than not the grinding noise will be coming from the primary reduction box.
Straight cut gears in an open gearbox isn't the best design for quiet operation.
The NWSL gear sets after being lapped in will runa little quieter.
I am looking for another MDC shay to experiment on. I plan to mount a smaller motor vertically in the firebox driving the center drive shafts by way of a double start worm and gear.
Straight cut gears in an open gearbox isn't the best design for quiet operation.
The NWSL gear sets after being lapped in will runa little quieter.
I am looking for another MDC shay to experiment on. I plan to mount a smaller motor vertically in the firebox driving the center drive shafts by way of a double start worm and gear.
This is an old one and has always done this.
I just got it back from the shop where they repaced some gears and again the whirring noise.
I plan to get a Bachman one vacation is over.
I just got it back from the shop where they repaced some gears and again the whirring noise.
I plan to get a Bachman one vacation is over.
lester perry said:
hamr Now why didnt i think of that?
I am looking for one on ebay, I think I can swing it this month maybe..
Mine has frustrated me to the point where I have all but given up. Not to run quietly but to run at all. I have gotten it to a point where the driveline doesn't jam, using only one driving axle (gears cut off the other 3) but now the 3 other axles won't turn, so the thing just sits there and spins it's wheels.
Such a pretty little thing but it brings such negativity upon me. <sigh>
Such a pretty little thing but it brings such negativity upon me. <sigh>
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lester perry
I paid $125 at train show. I saved my pennies for a long time. I is well worth it though, my J&M short line runs quit well now.Gil Finn said:hamr Now why didnt i think of that?
Maybe becuse it is a moronic idea. Send me $180 and I will buy a really good one Lester.
J&M Shay # 4 in action
Les
That is how I bought my O ga Shay, preoreded it and made payments each month.
This little round house sounds fine when the better half is in the room venting on what I spent on trains, I cant here gear one.
This little round house sounds fine when the better half is in the room venting on what I spent on trains, I cant here gear one.