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Question about Shay locomotives

Started by IcyFire 15 posts 6 min read

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IcyFireCharter Member · 402 posts

Question about Shay locomotives – image 1

well, thanks to that thread in the loco design forum, I decided to check out some shay's, Nifty little things, But what was the point of it? what advantages did a shay have over a tradition locomotive?

Shawn "IcyFire" Kenselaar
Some say Im a knuckle head, well I am

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RE: Question about Shay locomotives, sniper297, Aug-04-02, 02:43 AM, (1) RE: Question about Shay locomotives, SHEPLEY1935, Aug-04-02, 06:53 AM, (2) RE: Question about Shay locomotives, nw_fan, Aug-04-02, 06:57 AM, (3) RE: Question about Shay locomotives, dvdhoven, Aug-04-02, 09:15 AM, (5) RE: Question about Shay locomotives, dvdhoven, Aug-04-02, 08:57 AM, (4) RE: Question about Shay locomotives, sniper297, Aug-04-02, 11:29 AM, (6) RE: Question about Shay locomotives, nw_fan, Aug-04-02, 12:03 PM, (7) RE: Question about Shay locomotives, sniper297, Aug-04-02, 12:19 PM, (8) RE: Question about Shay locomotives, hellcat, Aug-04-02, 01:08 PM, (9) RE: Question about Shay locomotives, cjmaclean, Aug-04-02, 03:17 PM, (10) RE: Question about Shay locomotives, parrotheada1a, Aug-04-02, 11:36 PM, (11) RE: Question about Shay locomotives, HAC, Aug-04-02, 11:59 PM, (12) RE: Question about Shay locomotives, hellcat, Aug-13-02, 11:50 AM, (13) RE: Question about Shay locomotives, dvdhoven, Aug-13-02, 12:11 PM, (14)

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sniper297Charter Member · 2984 posts

RE: Question about Shay locomotives

LAST EDITED ON Aug-04-02 AT 02:45 AM (EDT)

Low gearing. It was made to pull log cars up six percent grades, that's why they always sound like they're going like hell at only 15mph. The offset boiler makes room for the vertical cylinders on the side, which have reduction gearboxes connected to driveshafts and wormgears and stuff going to the axles. In short, it's a tractor, made to pull stumps out of the ground rather than running the Daytona 500.
I used to think the shay was a strange looking loco until I saw the Beyer-Garrat.

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nw_fanCharter Member · 481 posts

RE: Question about Shay locomotives

Question about Shay locomotives – image 2

>Whats wrong with a Garratt? What's right with a Garratt? You've got to admit, it is a unique locomotive.

Mike Rector
NORFOLK & WESTERN
Precision Transportation

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dvdhovenCharter Member · 1212 posts

RE: Question about Shay locomotives

Hi,Shays are one of my favourite steamers!Question about Shay locomotives – image 6Question about Shay locomotives – image 7Low gearing was not the only reason. Due to the fact the whole locomotive ran on bogies, they can go trough very tight curves and run on very rough tracks. Most used at logging lines. And logging lines mostly are layed not very neatly.Some links:
http://www.neumedia.com/~cassrr/locom/locom.htmhttp://www.trainweb.org/gearedsteam/http://www.shaylocomotives.com/Dick van den HovenQuestion about Shay locomotives – image 8

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sniper297Charter Member · 2984 posts

RE: Question about Shay locomotives

Hee-hee, nothing wrong with the garratt, Don, other than the fact that it looks to me like it was assembled inside-out!

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nw_fanCharter Member · 481 posts

RE: Question about Shay locomotives

Question about Shay locomotives – image 9

Now I like shays as much as the next guy, maybe more. But, they look more inside out the the Garratt! Looks like someone forgot to replace the valve covers.

Mike Rector
NORFOLK & WESTERN
Precision Transportation

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hellcatMember since Jul-10-02 · 23 posts

RE: Question about Shay locomotives

One problem with the shay, however, rested in the gearing. By placing the gearing on one side of the locomotive, it didn't corner well when going right. Why?It's a pretty technical subject, but in simple terms think of it like this. You have about six, maybe eight gears on the outside all connected by rods and universal joints. There's play there...but not as much as you'd have with a central running drive shaft. Well, when the locomotive turned left, everything worked quite fine.However, turn to the right too sharply, and things would get into a nice bind and not track right. I've heard stories of some that wouldn't turn, rather they'd just head straight off the track.

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cjmacleanCharter Member · 1355 posts

RE: Question about Shay locomotives

Shays are neat little engines for sure, but I'd have to say I find those Garratts even cooler . Gawd, how nice would it be to have one of those in Trainartisan quality... Or maybe we should call upon Jens-Chris or John Fowlis...?Dominik MannProud Member of the MSTS European Railfans

- Interested in Euro railways, virtual or real? Visit the European Add-Ons Discussion forum at http://www.trains-station.com/ -

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parrotheada1aMember since Jul-27-02 · 45 posts

RE: Question about Shay locomotives

Jeez, you are not kidding either! I have an HO scale Roundhouse shay that does exactly as you say. Twas a bitch getting it to run right.

Certified B&M nut!

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HACCharter Member · 874 posts

RE: Question about Shay locomotives

Shays were designed to be used on the very rough and often temporary track, usually with severe curvature and steep grades ,that was common in logging/mining operations. The gearing, which as you mention was low, gave several advantages, most notably, drive to all wheels, and also solved the problems that a fixed set of drivers on uneven and curvy trackage. The high tractive effort at low speed, was spread evenly across the wheelsets, which made Shays (and other geared loggers like Heislers and Climaxes) very efficient haulers..
Other geared locos included Bell, Byers, Dunkirk/Gilbert Willamette, and Davenport, but the most successful were the "Big Three", Shay, Heisler and Climax.Hope that helps...CHeers
Harold (NALW-HAC)

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hellcatMember since Jul-10-02 · 23 posts

RE: Question about Shay locomotives

Uh, If I'm not mistaken, weren't the Climaxes often Chain driven and not geared?I heard that the Heislers fared better than the Shays when it came to tracking. Their central drive shaft playing into that quite well.

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