CLICKING ATLAS SHAY

[pennsyfan1361]

I have an Atlas Shay and at one time it ran great but now makes a clicking sound running in one direction. I heard of this being a problem with some of the first run Shays I have an Pennsylvania Power & Light, I think it's the first run?  Does Atlas service their locomotives? I know the next run of Shays has been postponed or canceled? I read about the motor mount tabs being loose so the gears slip. The tabs seem to be engaged on the bottom of the locomotive. Is the problem something I would be able to fix myself? And are the parts available from Atlas?  I read that some people have taken the shays apart and the locomotive never ran right after that. Thanks in advance for any help  getting my Atlas Shay running again.          Rich

[Chris333]

You can just glue the motor in place. Pop the body off and push the motor down into the frame. At the same time add super glue to the 4 tabs under the loco. I did it to mine.

[pennsyfan1361]

Chris, I don't think it's the tabs, if I remember right one of your tabs was broken and your motor was not down all the way. I think all my tab are ok and are set right .    Thanks Rich 

[Chris333]

Oh that was you the last time?    Thats why I still had the photo.

Maybe something near the motor ends is loose?

[pennsyfan1361]

Chris, no that was not me the last time  I looked at the Shay last night and it only makes the clicking sound in one direction. I read some other Shays were doing the same thing but don't recall what is causing the clicking?
 

[bill pearce]

Clicking? That's a timer. Look out, man, she's gonna blow!

[pennsyfan1361]

But only in reverse 

[central.vermont]

But only in reverse 

Just run it forward. 
All kidding aside it sounds like you have some slop in the motor that may need a thrust washer
at one end or the other.  I had an Atlas gp9 that did this and I put a plastic shim in at the end of the motor shat and it got rid of the problem. Not sure if something like this is what's causing your clicking or not.

Jon

[SquirrelHollow]

Watch the pistons/connecting rods, crankshaft, driveshafts, and trucks very closely.

I had a clicking sound coming from my first-run CWP shay, a few years back.  The problem ended up being some flashing on the front truck sideframe, causing a misalignment in the driveshaft.

After it had some more wear on it, the crankshaft started dragging, and causing the same issue.

[pennsyfan1361]

 I read this about the Shay on Train Board ( There were some known problems with the 1st release for sure! I have one so I know. The problem is that on the front truck (at least on mine anyways) that when running in reverse it wants to hop down the tracks. This was caused by a drive shaft that was a millithousands too short. I am not sure of this problem was corrected for the 2nd run or not.) My question is it the drive shaft on the motor? or the drive shaft on the outside trucks?

[pennsyfan1361]

 I read this on Railwire  from  David K. Smith "I'd heard from Atlas that the reject rate due to the universals on the drive shafts was very high; I'm surprised they ran another batch".