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I did some testing of my wife's Bachmann 3 truck shay a few years ago.  Without any modifications, the shay can push 3 loaded bachmann log cars or 6 emptys up a 2% grade.  3% 2 loads or 4 mty.  4% 1 load or 2 MTY.  5% the locomotive was able to push 1 MTY, no loads.  6% the locomotive could not make the climb itself.  I then ran into the issue that the locomotive will slide backwards on a steep slope with no power applied (more so with loads than empty).   Added Bullfrog snot to treads of every other wheel, allowed time to cure.  Locomotive performance was greatly increased.   6 empties on 5% grade.  After a few tests with Bullfrog snot gears on the sides of the drive wheels disintegrated (this had already happened to my friend's wife's shay, and he did not apply bullfrog snot, so I believe it only accellerated the failure).  I have the NWSL replacement gears, just have not had the time or interest to take up the project.  They are not very expensive from what I remember.
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