Welcome to the madhouse! And to the wonderful world of large-scale model trains. I bought MY Bachmann two-truck Shay from Caboose Hobbiers in Denver CO, exactly a month after it came out! True, I've replaced the trucks a couple of years ago, as the older plastic versions had cracked gear issues, but it was money well-worth spending. Mine came from that nice couple who run Reindeer Pass Hobbies.
If you are a complete beginner, never fear! This is THE place to ask questions about anything, including large-scale model trains.