Large Scale Central

Restoring a 1st Gen. Bachman Shay

Modeling Rolling stock
#81

Tender finally buttoned up

Spent the day today mounting all the electronics and making the final splices and connections. I made sure to test operation at each step; good thing too 'cause as soon as the sound board was connected I had a problem with a missing trigger ground. It was an easy fix before everything was tied down but would have been a real pain to do after.

So here’s the electronics & wiring in it’s final configuration…

Even with all that wire management going on it was still quite a challenge to get the tender shell on. I had an unexpected fit problem when the screw from the tail light kept the tender from sitting fully down on the deck. A little filing of the the RailBoss board top edge was enough to allow a complete close.

Here’s the back-end with all of the tender detail back in place…

The back still needs the step plate and coupler pocket put back on. On the front end I still need to address the space problem keeping me from closing the boiler. I picked up a micro-mini SPDT at Radio Shack today that I’'m hoping I can make work in the space I have.

#82

Boiler buttoned up / electrical work done

It was a real challenge to close the boiler front. I had to abandon the stock slide switch and replace it with a micromini toggle with the handle cut short. In order to minimize the wiring I decided to switch the negative so I could leave the fuse with it’s clunky connectors tucked in next to the battery pack. This decision requied making my own connector from brass rod for the charge input…

The connector fits in one side of a spade lug. I use the other side for one leg of a mini blade fuse…

Here’s the micromini SPDT after cutting the handle down. I learned the hard way that you must protect the switch from heat when cutting - I lost one to heat…

It aint pretty, but it works. Soldering in mid air is a challenge…

Improvised helping hands…

Components mounted on the boiler front…

When all was said and done I was able to get the boiler front fully closed, but the wire wants to push it back open, so a few small dabs of 3M Emblem Cement were used to hold it closed… Here’s #5 all put back together posing at Honey Grove station…

I can finally move on to cosmetics.

#83

Nice work Jon. Cant wait to see it running.

#84

David Russell said:

Jon Radder said: turbo-encabulator.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXW0bx_Ooq4

You Guys could be on the Big Bang if it were made up of mechanics!! :slight_smile:

John very nice job. I hope it runs as well as it looks!

Sean

#85

Thanks guys! I exercised it quite a bit on the indoor layout tonight. It runs extremely smooth and will crawl with or without cars. Top end is a little faster than I had wanted, but that’s easy to program out with the RailBoss. Just need to spend the time to do it.

After running for about an hour the rear truck began to stall at very slow speeds. I’m thinking there might be some foreign material in the gear case. Might have to open that one up again.

#86

Neat idea on the blade fuse. I never seen that before, I’ll have to keep it in mind.

#87

Thanks Jake. That was born of necessity when wiring my Porter. I bought a fuse holder but it was huge. The spade lugs were perfect. There are smaller ones available that work better, but I had these. I’d rather use a poly-switch, but again I had the fuse in stock.

Can you tell I really like heat shrink tubing :]

#88

As do I. I heatshrink all exposed metal surfaces. I have been know to heatshrink the back of switches because I was worried about a short.

#89

I’m still working on the cosmetics, but functionally it is done. Here’s #5 out on the line today…

#90

Nice job bringing the ol girl back to life!

1 Like
#91

Cool!

#92

A very handsome Shay. Good job and this has been an interesting read to follow.

Tom

#93

Thanks guys.

I probably won’t weather it as the CVSRy is a museum / tourist line and #5 will be billed as a recent restoration for tourist service. I’m still working on the prototype back story but I’m leaning toward ‘previously thought scrapped but discovered in a Western PA barn’.

I’ll probably add at least one more beam to the pilot. The rear steps need to be attached; some rather large bolt holes filled; coupler boxes moved down, Accucraft couplers and a few other cosmetic items.

#94

This might be the long lost, thought to be scrapped, prototype…

Originally owned by the McKelvy Brothers and operated around the EBT. It later went to VA where it was scrapped in the 1940’s; or so it is believed.

I’ll need a balloon stack.

#95

You need to reshop it and do the pre 1905 conversion on it now…heheheheheheh

#96

Bart Salmons said:

You need to reshop it and do the pre 1905 conversion on it now…heheheheheheh

Well no; 3128 was built in 1920. It does need a balloon stack and should loose the air tank, but can’t - FRA requires air. Which brings me to; why all the air piping on the Bachmann model but no compressor; or is mine missing ?

#97

Oh, and I did develop the back story over the weekend…

Shay Locomotive #5

Shop Number 3128, a Class B 36 Ton Shay Geared Locomotive was built in 1920 by the Lima Locomotive Works as McKelvy Brothers #2. Shay #2 spent a good portion of it’s service life operating in Rockhill Furnace, PA off the East Broad Top. The McKelvy Brothers operation moved to West Virginia where #2 worked through the 1940’s. It was long believed that #2 was scrapped in the 1940’s. Sn3128 was recently discovered stored in an abandoned building near Shaw, WV. The Candlewood Valley Scenic Railway purchased the remains of sn3128 in 2010 from an un-named source and brought it to Connecticut where it underwent a 30 month restoration effort in the CVSRy Shops. Shown here during a test run as C.V.S.Ry. #5 in March 2013.

#98

Sounds believeable to me. This project really has me my eyeing my half finished shay on the shelf…Jeez there goes my perfectly laid plans, gonna have to probably insert a change order.

#99

I seem to recall adding an air pump and piping to mine.

And according to the picture on the box it came in, there was a barrel where the air pump is now.

It was a Trackside Details part, but that was quite awhile ago when I did all that, so don’t ask me the part number…;).

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/kenbrunt/ShayN011a.jpg)

#100

What’s the part # Ken?