Showcase Miniatures, great product and excellent customer service.

emaley Sep 21, 2017

  1. emaley

    emaley TrainBoard Supporter

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    I just order the Shay loco kit from Showcase. I had a missing part, but a quick email and an even quicker reply have resolves the issue.

    The kit is up to the usual standards I have become accustomed to from Showcase and again any issue I have had was fixed quickly. If you have not had the opportunity, try them out, they have a nice product and stand behind it. I have built N and Z scale structures and vehicles and they go together nicely and make a great finished product.

    Very satisfied customer,
    Trey
     
  2. Hardcoaler

    Hardcoaler TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks Trey. I'd forgotten how much cool stuff Showcase Miniatures makes.
     
    tracktoo likes this.
  3. PGE-N°2

    PGE-N°2 TrainBoard Member

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    I might get in trouble for this, but what are the possibilities that the Class A 16 Ton Shay Locomotive from Showcase could be converted to standard gauge? :whistle:
     
  4. JimJ

    JimJ Staff Member

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    I agree with Trey. I’ve built 2 of their Nn3 locos and several of their rolling stock kits. They are great for kitbashing. They are a super friendly company to deal with. Their website shows a photo of my models at the top of the homepage.
     
  5. John Moore

    John Moore TrainBoard Supporter

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    Might be possible depending on the mechanism and the available room in the shell. One of my Class A Climax is an Nn3 model that I was able to remove excess metal from the interior to fit a small N mechanism into.
     
  6. JimJ

    JimJ Staff Member

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    Get a Searails Power Max motor in N scale and the front truck from their N Shay kit.
     
  7. PGE-N°2

    PGE-N°2 TrainBoard Member

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    Z scale motor and N scale trucks... Sounds like a typical shay to me, :rolleyes:

    Unless you meant the PowerMAX 9MM power unit.
     
  8. JimJ

    JimJ Staff Member

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    Yes. I stand corrected.
     
  9. spyder62

    spyder62 TrainBoard Member

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    does anyone have a better wiring diagram for the power max? The one I have is like 3 point print and the drawing is way to small.
    The shay kit itself is fantastic.
    rich
     
  10. PGE-N°2

    PGE-N°2 TrainBoard Member

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    Would the body be wide enough for standard gauge?

    Also, wouldn't you need both trucks for a complete loco?
     
  11. wbv

    wbv New Member

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    I only know of a few Class A Shays that were built for standard gauge. The only problem I see (and the reason we didn't create a Standard gauge kit) is with the rotation of the front truck. The turn radius may be limited by the conflict with the front pilot. The solution would be to extend the front pilot to allow sufficient rotation of the front truck. The 9mm Powermax should work fine in the Class A (however, I have not attempted to build such a model).

    The two cylinder engine would not be set out from the frame but would be angled away from the frame at the crankshaft to create the proper alignment with the drive train for standard gauge builds. Conversely, the larger 3 truck Class C Shays would have their engines angled oppositely for use on narrow gauge track.

    Our new kit has the front and rear pilots as separate assemblies that should make extending the frame a bit easier if you would want to try. Feel free to contact Debbie through the website and she can help with individual parts if you want to experiment with the kits. We can include the standard gauge front truck from our Class B kit if you prefer. Its wheelbase is a bit longer then the Class A but probably not noticeable.

    Walter
    Showcase Miniatures
     
  12. bremner

    bremner Staff Member

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    Hi Walter,

    Your "Hollywood Car" looks great, but it is a little bit smushed....any plans on making one that is scale length that runs on a Tomix chassis?
     
  13. wbv

    wbv New Member

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    Thanks........!

    Yeah, most people didn't "get" the idea we were trying to do with the trolley - to create a more caricature of the trolley to fit a pretty inexpensive power unit. It was never meant to be prototypical but more in the "whimsical" category of kits (similar in concept to the trolleys at Disney).

    No plans at present to create an actual scale kit.......Unless...... we see a lot of interest in such a model.

    Walter
    Showcase Miniatures
     
    bremner likes this.
  14. PGE-N°2

    PGE-N°2 TrainBoard Member

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    I kind of forgot that I made this post, but I can still considering it in the back of my mind :rolleyes:
     
  15. sd90ns

    sd90ns TrainBoard Member

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    My layout is littered with Showcase Miniatures products. Their vehicle models, along with GHQ, make or break many of the "Scenes" I have built here and there and everywhere across the fruited plains, or painted plaster as the case may be.

    I could probably post a couple of dozen pictures of the above scenes and not get them all.

    As far as customer service.
    Between the two hobbies I am engaged in I have dealt with more vendors, manufactures and various and sundry individuals from same than I can ever hope to keep count of and I have NEVER had anything but great and courteous service and support from any of them, SM and GHQ included, and that's saying a lot when you consider that these folks are undoubtedly bombarded with phone calls and e-mails from "customers" whose attitudes would leave much to be desired.
     
    Last edited: Mar 19, 2021
    BNSF FAN likes this.

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