Large Scale Central

Our New Shay: The Rest Of The Story

Modeling Motive Power
#21

Tom Bowdler said:

Gary,

I have had the pleasure of running an open cab version of this loco since they first were released and it is a pleasure. I have heard of the truck melting concern but even with a smaller id stack made for me by Torry Krutzke and a Summerlands chuffer installed I have never had a problem. It is absolutely mandatory (even if you add the heat shield) that the flame pops back into the boiler tube vs burning in the smoke box. I always light mine with the door open and it is easy to tell by visual and sound cues that the flame is in the proper location. You will be surprised at how well this loco runs at a very low burner setting, the safety valve rarely lifting.

Bob Weltyk recently posted a video of it running on his track on Mylargescale.com live steam forum under Michigan Backyard Live Steamers 2021. I have done a lot of personalization over the years and it is always a hit at the train shows at which I run. I hope you and your son enjoy this loco as much as I have.

Best, Tom

Hi Tom,

I’ve definitely heard all about your 2-cyl. Shay from Bob Weltyk :)! In fact, he sent me the video of your engine running at his meet a couple of weeks ago. Beautiful engine :). AND it sounds and runs great.

#22

Hey Gary,

I was wondering if you were going to get around to posting this cool story of your Shay adventures.

I don’t remember if I mentioned it to you but those dis-connects started life on the Port Orford Coast Railroad. As I mentioned in my email we were on the coast all week and had lunch with Dick and Helen on Friday. I was telling him that some of those log cars made it all the way to you and he thought that was fine.

Later buddy.

#23

Pete Thornton said:

The crews of yours and Jerry’s shays in the video must be ending their shift and in a hurry to get back to the barn. Speed demons!

Yeah. Ryan commented that the new trucks are a lower ratio, so the newer locos runs slower.

You can’t hear it on the video, but my ‘chuffer’ is audible if the burner is quiet, and with 8 or more chuffs per revolution of those small wheels it does sound interesting!

Pete,

Did Ryan comment if these new trucks (and couplings on driveshaft) would fit the 2-cyl. Shay?

#24

Did Ryan comment if these new trucks (and couplings on driveshaft) would fit the 2-cyl. Shay?

Ryan said: “Yes, you can interchange the two trucks between the models, or at least as far as I know you can. The mount and u joint size are all the same between the various styles of mich-cal 2 and 3 truck. However there could be some early ones that are different in line shaft/universal lengths, as there were at least two batches of both 2 and 3 cyl before the 28ton came about. YMMV.”

In other words, someone needs to try it on an early Shay with bad trucks. But I can’t see it being difficult to fix if the couplings and driveshafts are different, compared with the problems of making a new truck.

#25

Rick Marty said:

Hey Gary,

I was wondering if you were going to get around to posting this cool story of your Shay adventures.

I don’t remember if I mentioned it to you but those dis-connects started life on the Port Orford Coast Railroad. As I mentioned in my email we were on the coast all week and had lunch with Dick and Helen on Friday. I was telling him that some of those log cars made it all the way to you and he thought that was fine.

Later buddy.

Hey Rick,

That makes them even MORE special for Thomas and me. Ordered the new wheel sets from Jason this morning.

I had a long talk with Thomas tonight on the phone and the remodel on the old cabin is really "roarin"g now. Had a dozen workers over there today doing sand blasting on the old river rock stone fireplace (inside and outside), a few rooms downstairs getting brand new knotty pine paneling (the real stuff, not sheets of plywood) dismantling the old floor furnace (dating back to the mid thirties and prepping the kitchen for granite counter tops. The old place is probably wondering what happened after a hundred years!