Early Shays Questions

[SpaceMouse]

I have been looking on the net trying to determine which model Shay would have been in use in the 1890s. But I have been unsucessful. Any help would be appreciated. I'm assuming it would be a two-truck, but are there variations I should be aware of?

Which manufacturer makes this model?

[Anonymous]

Check out http://www.shaylocomotives.com. Lots of Shay info. Check out the early serial numbers for info. Looks like most were 2 truck, 2 cyln. models.

[vsmith]

All early Shays were produced by the Lima Company, who had excusive rights to the patent. Later models were built by Baldwin and others either thru licensing or outright copying. You are correct in that 1890 2 truck Shays would be common but trucks Shays were not far behind. 2 or 3 cylinder engines would depend on the weight of the engine. Smaller engines under 20tons would usually only have 2 cylinders, the bigger engines 3.

Check out this site... www.gearedsteam.com

Some great examples of early Shays could be found on books of the Gilpin Tramway in Colorado. It was a 2foot mining line but had some terific little Shays built in the 1880's.

[SpaceMouse]

I should have said, which MMR manufacturer makes an early Shay.

[howmus]

SpaceMouse,

Bachmann makes a "turn of the century" 2 cylinder Shay in several road names as part of their Spectrum line. It is a 14 ton engine. Here is a link to a photo at Walthers: http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/160-25663

I will have to get me a couple for the SLO&W. [:)]

[howmus]

Oops, my bad! [B)] That is an On30. Won't fit on either of our roads.

[tstage]

Chip,

Bachmann and Rivarossi make 2-truck Shays. I would steer away from the Rivarossis though. Beautiful looking locos but Rivarossi locos have been problematic in the past. Too bad. The detailing is quite nice.

I'd love to hear from someone who has one of the Bachmann's. You could get away with a steeper grade "coal run" with one of those puppies.

Tom

[Jetrock]

SpaceMouse:

What is an MMR?

[SpaceMouse]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Jetrock

SpaceMouse:

What is an MMR?

It is a typographical error. Sorry for any befuddlement it caused.

[Anonymous]

Early shays were Class A or Class B. Class A was 2 cylinder 2 truck. Class B was 3 cylinder 2 truck. Class C is 3 cylinder three truck ( a close coupled tender), and Class D were the largest being 3 cylinder 4 truck. Cass has a Class D. Then there is the Pacific Coast variation. These were super heated. Williamette Iron Works was a seller and servicer of Shays so knew shays inside out. They produced their own with the super heating plus some other inovations. There was enough of a market that Lima began to produce a Pacific Coast version as well.

[ereimer]

the bachmann 2 truck is an On30 model , it is a beautiful model that , if i didn't already own a bunch of HO stuff , would have converted me to On30 in about the amount of time it would take to get my credit card out of my wallet when i 1st saw one at my LHS .

so i bought the bachmann HO 3 truck shay instead
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/index.html