Lionel Shay Problem...

I started the first thread on this problem with the Legacy 2 truck Shay and as far as I know Lionel is doing NOTHING about it. The 2 truck Shay runs fine on 031 by itself, the problem is when you try to pull cars with it, the first car is pulled off the track when entering the curve on 031, the engine makes it through just fine. The repair person who told you that it will break the shafts might have been talking about the 3 truck Shay, my Legacy 2 Truck Shay runs fine on 031 curves, and through all my switches without derailing or having any problems. Hook up any car to pull and the car derails every time on 031 but is fine on 042, I do not have any 036 to test it. My Shay is in for a smoke problem repair now, I have a coupler bracket from a K-Line diesel, that I think I can adapt it and move the coupler back the 1/2 inch it needs to pull cars on 031, but need the Shay back to do that.

Again - coupler problems aside, my two-truck Shay DRIVE SHAFT DID NOT RUN WELL on O-31 and O-36. 

Paul, I know you had the coupler problems and that seems to be something every one of these Shays suffers from: I solved that on mine by just using fine wire wound flexibly to tie the loco to a logging car I was going to keep as the lead one behind the loco: it looks like they are coupled but its the wire that keeps them together. Problem solved for me. 

But I think driveshaft problems are common to many of these puppies.

I'm not sure if mine "broke on the smaller radius track less than O-54." or not, because to break it would have had to be unbroken originally.  I think it came form the factory that way.  With care, I did loosen, re-tighten, and adjust the driveshaft to the rear truck so that the thing will almost run perfectly on O-36 curves, it binds up slightly and you can see the effect in a slight unevenness at times, but it runs.  O-31 would kill it though. . . I use mine only on 45 and above now, which means it almost never runs. 

I forgot about this Shay when I said in another post I am 17 for 17 Legacy and Premier locos that I bought and that run perfectly.  Actually, I'm 17 for 18, and this is the one bad one . . .

This might work:

Go to Brasseur Train parts. They list the following:

K2630-01CP
Operating coupler arm with bracket. May be-oo1-26040 DFM

The bracket looks as if it might work. At $4.00 each it might be worth a try. There is a picture. You could just remove the coupler and use the bracket.

That is the bracket I am going to try to mount once I get the Shay back from smoke repair. I believe you emailed that to me and I ordered it, thought it wouldn't work at first and then thought outside the box and think I can make it work. It looked like I could drill 2 small holes and mount it, pretty close tolerance on the drilling though, will post once it gets back and done. It didn't come close to matching any existing holes.