Where do the springs go on shay trucks???

[ARTHILL]

I did it. I took my brass United Shay apart to paint it and put a decoder in. I kept notes on everything, I thought.

BUT. Where do the springs go on the front two trucks, between the truck and the engine or between the truck and the screw. I agree, It would have been better if I would have remembered, But I didn't. SO, help needed form you guys with the United Shays.

[gandydancer19]

I don't have your Shay, but I have a brass 2-4-4-2 and the tender has brass trucks and springs.  On mine, the springs are between the trucks and the screw.  The springs seem to be there to help maintain the truck pressure to the frame for good electrical contact.  If the springs were between the loco frame and the truck, it would not be steady on the track but rock side to side.

[Alantrains]

Art, gandydancer is right,

I have a United 2 truck shay and the springs go between the screwhead and the trucks.

What decoder did you use? My shay has all original mechanics and it draws over an amp on stall.

I bought it in about 1971 for AU $136 when I was earning about $40 a week.

 

Cheers 

[ARTHILL]

You have the 2 truck version of what my wife bought me all those years ago for about a monthes salery. Seeing there was no replacement motor availible, I did not have a sound option. I settled for the Digitrax Z123. I hope it works. It is good for 2 amps I am told. Thanks for the response.