Has anyone had any experiance with the MDC two truck Climax? What kind of mechanism does it have? Is it worth buying or should I avoid it? Thanks for any information. Jesse
I've had one for many years. The drive system is MDC's old reliable, but noisey, plastic bull gear/idler gear system. I modified the shell following an article in Model Railroader some yaers back. And just recently, I remotored and regeared it with a Sagami can motor and NWSL transfer gear box. I wanted to improve the slow speed performance and reduce the noise. The engine is OK as is, but as I said, has marginal slow speed performance and sounds like a coffee grinder coming down the track. Unless MDC has modified their drive train since I bought mine, I would be prepared to spend a little time and effort to improve it.
Ok guys, you stumped me! This is one loco I have never owned nor got my hands on! However, I can dirrect you to try and get in contact with the High Modeler, Mr. Paul Templar... Hes got one, possible many of these.. He models a logging era/scene and may be more help.... As for the hobby shop stumping on working on one of these... I wasn't to fond of the cab over design of the MDC Climax. I like the open version. So..I never bought one, it just never caught my attention. And not many people have one! So, I haven't gotten my hands on one to say the good or the bad on one. As I've said tho, try getting in touch with Mr. Templar. He'll be able to help you alot more then I can.. Paul ole buddy you out their somewhere???? He's a member of TrainBoard so.. You can look for his screen name and PM him or even e-mail him....
Are you talking about the Climax, or the two-truck Shay? There's quite a bit of difference between the two. I know the newer releases of the Shay have a can motor, but I can't vouch that MDC upgraded the motor for the Climax. MDC's Climax is kind of a weird critter. I've never seen any prototype like it. I think the model actually uses the mechanism for the old boxcab diesel, which is why it looks like it does. There was an article in MR a few years ago, on how to convert a Shay to a more realistic Climax. Ended up with a fairly realistic engine. Pat
For the money, the MDC Climax is one smoking deal in steam operations. I picked my Undecorated version up for about 21.00 from a internet discounter. it is a kit, but it took me less then 3 hours to assemble the hardware up to the midstructure. I haven't detailed or painted it yet, that will take at least another 3 to 5 hours, but that is because I am addicted to detailing. Operation wise, I haven't broken it in, so I don't know what it should sound like, but right now it is a nice whirring coffee grinder set on High Purree. This locomotive has an optional and VERY LOW gearing, it purrs along really slow. Even at my junk pack's lowest setting, near off, it was still moving...but just barely. John, I think you might enjoy looking through one for a little while. There is also a person on Ebay that is offering the Lafever Climax. He is nearly finished with building them, as he says, but the words on thm look very nice indeed. Either way, this looks to be a lomocotive that looks a lot different then everything else in the yard.
Hi guys, I think the MDC Climax and shay a good value for the money (In kit form) I have both. As for the Climax, I did away with the original body and scratchbuilt another with the boiler sitting lower. I have so far made two like this and one other climax using a "Shay chassis". Paul
Thanks for the information. It sounds like over-all this is not a bad little engine. I have a college student's budget, and I wan't more steam, particularly a small switching/logging type engine. This might be the engine for me. Jesse
