Shay operation question -- can someone tell me what this thinger is?

[Rastafarr]

Check out this video (the first two minutes is all that's really necessary for this discussion):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xntk1el_53M

What is that brown-gold box with the reciprocating lever-and-rod in front of the engineer? Something to do with an automatic oiler, maybe? 

Help!

Stu

[tomikawaTT]

My guess would be that it's the cylinder oiler.  Note the sight ports, and that the rod motion is synchronized with the engine speed.

I found a photo of a similar installation on West Side #8 in Allen Krieg's book, Last Of the 3-foot Loggers.

Chuck

[Deggesty]

Chuck, you may well be right. I noticed that the question was asked by somebody else--and I did not see any answer. Also, there were some other questions, asked by people who evidently were not familiar with Shays, which also were unanswered.

[Firelock76]

I believe an automatic lubricator is exactly what it is.

[Rastafarr]

Great. I'm currently scratchbuilding one of the specified thingers to add to the cab of my Fn3 Shay. Nice to know what it is that I'm stuffing in there.

Thanks gents!

Stu 

[Norman]

Yep, a valve and cylinder lubricator.  They usually operate off the valve linkage.  In a Shay, that means it's almost in your lap.  I used to operate 15" gauge Crown locos and one of ours had been modified to have a mechanical lubricator very much like that one, just smaller.   It was mounted on top of the left slide valve.  The other two locos had manual lubricators.  They were famous for dripping hot oil on your ankles.

Norman Morgan

[cefinkjr]

Rastafarr

...the first two minutes is all that's really necessary for this discussion ...

Stu

Riiiiight.  Like I could shut off that fascinating video after only two minutes!  Anybody know when and where that video was taken?