Live Steam Shay Locomotive
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Splatter Pak
High-End Scrounger
Are those the steam cylinders on the side, oriented vertically? They turn the rods which run nearly the full length of the locomotive? These rods turn the wheels via worm gears or bevel gears? Did I get that right?? Why was it done that way? Oh! I think I get it - this design avoids the huge reciprocating weight of the rods which turn the driving wheels of most steam locomotives. So this type must run very smoothly, and could probably be scaled up further than the conventional design was able to.
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Splatter Pak (aka: Smurf?)
Yes, the cylinders are on the side, oriented vertically. They are connected to a one piece crankshaft, (challenging, time consuming and fun to machine), which is connected to square shafts. These rods are connected to drive shafts, then bevel gears.
Called geared-locomotives, these trains were used because they could haul heavy loads on tracks which had radii as small as 6 feet and steep grades. Perfect for mines, lumber mills. Look up the Heisler and the Climax!
Duke
Yes, the cylinders are on the side, oriented vertically. They are connected to a one piece crankshaft, (challenging, time consuming and fun to machine), which is connected to square shafts. These rods are connected to drive shafts, then bevel gears.
Called geared-locomotives, these trains were used because they could haul heavy loads on tracks which had radii as small as 6 feet and steep grades. Perfect for mines, lumber mills. Look up the Heisler and the Climax!
Duke
Splatter Pak
High-End Scrounger
1. I don't like Smurfs.
2. I left this thread, looked up Shay Locomotives, and came back. What I read confirmed most of what I had guessed just by looking at the photos. I think the Climax is ingenious, but too complicated. The Heisler looks about perfect. Were these designs ever used long-haul?
2. I left this thread, looked up Shay Locomotives, and came back. What I read confirmed most of what I had guessed just by looking at the photos. I think the Climax is ingenious, but too complicated. The Heisler looks about perfect. Were these designs ever used long-haul?
tube-a-lou
Addicted Member
What track does that run on, it looks great! as a guy who has three scales
Standard, O and S that would look like fun to run.
Tube
Standard, O and S that would look like fun to run.
Tube
Could you post some pictures of it under pressure? Must be very cool to have brought it to life from scratch! Well done, be proud .
jimbofish
for TRULY GREAT MUSIC
Here's some links to a Shay that's located near me in the city park in Cadillac, MI. The 2nd link has an action video of a different one in operation.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Shay_Locomotive.jpg
http://www.midwestguest.com/2009/03/shay-locomotive-moves-lumber-industry-in-cadillac.html
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...VgUevhFKXP2QWkqIDAAg&ved=0CF0Q9QEwBg&dur=1229
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Shay_Locomotive.jpg
http://www.midwestguest.com/2009/03/shay-locomotive-moves-lumber-industry-in-cadillac.html
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...VgUevhFKXP2QWkqIDAAg&ved=0CF0Q9QEwBg&dur=1229
Mark W.
Nut house of the Universe
Shays ran here in Silverton a LOT in the hey day of the Worlds largest saw mill. Which was located about 1/4 mile from my house. My house was built to house a worker at the mill. At one time they had a Dozen such locomotives operating in the woods above Silverton. Feeding the mill.
If I ever win some big Lotto jackpot. One of the things I am going to do is to buy an operating Shay 6cyl 2 truck and set it up as a Steam excursion train between Aurora Oregon and Stayton Oregon with Silverton here in the middle. A couple nice passenger cars a club car and a caboose. Since the existing rail line is never used on the weekends it would be perfect.
Be nice to see your project finished.
If I ever win some big Lotto jackpot. One of the things I am going to do is to buy an operating Shay 6cyl 2 truck and set it up as a Steam excursion train between Aurora Oregon and Stayton Oregon with Silverton here in the middle. A couple nice passenger cars a club car and a caboose. Since the existing rail line is never used on the weekends it would be perfect.
Be nice to see your project finished.
The Shay's ran all over the world, and there are still some in operation, such as Cass Valley Railroad in W. Virginia and Roaring Camp in California. They were the most common geared engines used in for lumbering and mining and also were used in Taiwan and South America.
Splatter Pak- aren't those Smurfs in your avatar? I don't think two truck Shay engines were used for long haul operations because they had low gears.
Thanks Jimbofish and Mark W for further info on the Shay. The photos in Cadillac, MI of the two truck Shay are pretty much the model I'm building.
The deal with my wife was that I could set up the track in our backyard when the kid went to college. I'm about a year behind on that as of next August.
Splatter Pak- aren't those Smurfs in your avatar? I don't think two truck Shay engines were used for long haul operations because they had low gears.
Thanks Jimbofish and Mark W for further info on the Shay. The photos in Cadillac, MI of the two truck Shay are pretty much the model I'm building.
The deal with my wife was that I could set up the track in our backyard when the kid went to college. I'm about a year behind on that as of next August.
Splatter Pak
High-End Scrounger
To answer questions about my avatar, smurfs, and so forth:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aa782wOrUVM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aa782wOrUVM
cubby01
aka Buck
This link gets to his video:
http://s235.photobucket.com/user/philo426/media/2009_0911Spock0137.mp4.html
twitch54
Super Member
For those interested, Cass, WV is home to the largest group of operating Shay's left in this country and you'll see them perform at their finest......11 percent grades ! unthinkable to anything but a geared or cogged locomotive.
For those of you near Denver, the georgetown loop has #9 back up and running !
For those of you near Denver, the georgetown loop has #9 back up and running !
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