Does anybody know what the prototype for the PFM B2 Shay was?
Lima Historical Society doesn't and said they never saw one like it with superheater pipe. PFM wasn't one to produce fictional locomotives.
Thanks.. Jim
Picture would help....anyway, you can try paging through this Shay Images - A - Geared Steam Locomotive Works or this Shay Locomotive Search Header
From what I have read there is no known prototype for the B-2 Shay. They had to slide rule up a standard Shay to fit the available motors for propulsion.
By the way Bill Ryan from PFM would modify from prototype to have the model be more eye appealing.
Rick Jesionowski
Rule 1: This is my railroad.
Rule 2: I make the rules.
Rule 3: Illuminating discussion of prototype history, equipment and operating practices is always welcome, but in the event of visitor-perceived anacronisms, detail descrepancies or operating errors, consult RULE 1!
I've look at every Shay I can find on the web and it isn't there. The superheater pipe is seen only on 3 truck PC Shays. There is a very similar 2 truck but no superheater pipe and the trucks are wrong, more like a PC Shay's trucks
I have never known PFM to have made a fictional loco model but cannot find a photo of the prototype for a B2 Shay. None shows a superheater pipe on a 2 truck Shay, just on the 3 trucks. There is a 2 truck Shay just like PFM's but it doesn't have a superheater pipe.
Remember that not all logging prototypes have pics as many were modified on site like a lot of logging steam.
I've looked at every Shay photo I can find on the web. I can find a very few similar 2 truck Shays with a superheater pipe, maybe 2. But they don't have the correct trucks for the PFM Shay. PFM catalogs never mentioned the prototype.