Actually Shawn with the Teflon seals you don’t need steam oil. The Teflon is self lubricating. I have 2 old locos that have Teflon valves and pistons and neither have a oiler. The one is going on from the very early 80s
Jason Kovac said:
Actually Shawn with the Teflon seals you don’t need steam oil. The Teflon is self lubricating. I have 2 old locos that have Teflon valves and pistons and neither have a oiler. The one is going on from the very early 80s
Good to know. Learn something new everyday.
I have the Mich Cal two cylinder shay and it pulls whatever I put behind it up grades or whatever. I have a garden railroad on the ground that runs around my yard. Have you looked to see if all the wheels are touching the rails? One are both of the trucks may be twisted.
Perhaps one of the mavens here can advise me why manufacturers don’t install Teflon parts in the factory.
Here in yUK I know a number of G1-ers who have had such conversions carried out on their models, with great success. So far I have not bothered, but may well take that path if and when any of my little collection of steamers needs new pistons or valves.
tac
John Frank said:
I have the Mich Cal two cylinder shay and it pulls whatever I put behind it up grades or whatever. I have a garden railroad on the ground that runs around my yard. Have you looked to see if all the wheels are touching the rails? One are both of the trucks may be twisted.
John - Thank you for your comment. I have not checked that and will be sure to do so.
I am, however, pretty sure the problem is oily SS rail because when I ran my Sparky Shay just after the LS Shay, it also had problems on the grade that it has never had before. I cleaned the rail tops and picked up a lot of black greasy crud. Sparky pulls the grade better now.
Jon,
Having been in a consultation adviser position with the original purchase of that engine, I would suggest it might be SAFER to make it a “Shelf Queen” than sell it. You should probably take the word “sell” out of your vocabulary when talking ABOUT THAT ENGINE.
How about addressing traction? Could you add some temporary bags of lead shot over each truck to see if it improves or maybe some type of filing or grinding action on the surface of the track grade of the stainless track to give a little “tooth”.
Where that track runs along coal dump curve and banks toward the street and front yard, could you put a switch in and turn to the right and go out over the yard and create a raised track helix to reduce the grade and increase the run length and then come back in to the track further up the hill? Wouldn’t be a raised steam roundy-round, but you could use it like that for steaming and such. If committed to the idea of a helix you could leave the turnouts out of it and just extend your run.
All good ideas Ric - especially the first one:)
Someday; if I decide to stay here; I could reduce the grade significantly and extend the run with a modification of your Coal Dump curve idea… When exiting the basement, rather than turning upgrade toward the curve; I could run out into the yard on raised bench-work where there is plenty of space to gain the elevation needed to join the front yard trackage without the need for a helix. There’s just the need for the $ for track, time and ambition to get it done!