The Shay offered here is based on a 40 ton, two truck locomotive.  The trucks are the old style, built up type used before the cast frames were introduced. When I started out no one had castings available  so I made my own patterns and had many of the castings made. These were all based on actual construction drawings obtained from Lima Locomotive as they were closing down.

 Later on Charles Coffey and Ken Schroeder of Carson City began selling castings and I bought several pieces from them. Ken has built and sold several Shays and has built many other engines. Does a fabulous job! He runs an ad in live Steam periodically offering castings. His casting are superb quality.

The photographs enclosed show the present condition. The white paper wrapper on the boiler is the pattern for the boiler wrapper. The cab and tank are cardboard mockups made to check fits, clearances  and to review the general configuration.

CONSTRUCTION DETAILS

Boiler:

The boiler is slightly oversize. It's built from a piece of 5/16" wall, schedule 80, seamless pipe with 18 5/8" copper-nickel steel flues. The flues are rolled into the front and rear flue sheets. It was welded by a welder certified for high pressure boilers.  The boiler has been hydro tested to 250psi. The fire box is intended to burn Propane and is 5/16" thick steel. I built the burner from pipe in an "H' configuration. The pressure regulator has been hooked up and the burner has been tested. It is not yet installed in the boiler but will just bolt on to the bottom of the fire box.

The stack is from a Coffey / Schroeder casting. Exhaust nozzles are removable and I have made several different size size orifices to check for the best action.

The steam dome is installed. A throttle has been built to go inside the dome but is not installed. Internal fittings for the steam line are in place. The steam dome cover is almost finished and has been fitted to the boiler but not installed. A pattern is in place on the boiler for the boiler wrapper.

Trucks:

4" dia. cast iron spoked wheels based upon the Lima drawings. Journal boxes and wheels cast from my patterns following the prototype Shay drawings. All axles have ball bearings in the journal boxes. Vertical motion possible for track alignment. Bolsters are from designs by  Coffey and  Schroeder. Prototype construction has been followed. Working brakes are installed on all wheels. A steam brake (built and installed) will be used to activate the system.

The rear truck has an axle pump for supplying water to the boiler.

The jackshaft gears are from Boston gear and the hubs were modified to match the prototype. The jackshaft runs in oilite bearings in all of the journals.
 

Frame:

The frame consists of two steel channels welded together to make an "I" beam for each of the longitudinal members. Truss rod brackets follow prototype design as does the actual truss rods. The end cross members are welded to the longitudinals but I have reproduced the rivet/bolt pattern of the prototype. The pilot steps are elm (to attempt a scale look of the timbers used). Supports are installed for the walkways on the sides. Working couplers are installed with prototype lift levers, as are handrails.

Engine:

Standard three cylinder engine. The cylinders are from Stuart #9 vertical engines kits. Machined by me. Prototype bolt spacing on heads. Pistons again from Stuart. Rings manufactured to fit by me. Standard , scale valve arrangement.

The crosshead guides are brass,  cast from wax masters by the lost wax method and  machined to fit. Similarly,  the bottom bracket (Crankcase) is brass, cast from a wax master and machined. Scale bolts have been used throughout.

The shaft was built up, rather than turned from one piece. The throws are pinned in place with Loctite backup. The shaft runs in the bottom bracket through oilite bearings. Oil holes have been provided to periodically renew the oilite bushings.

Standard Stephenson valve gear is used. The eccentrics are secured to the shaft by double set screws to enable the timing to be changed, if necessary. The eccentric straps are to scale and have oil holes provided for lubrication. The radius links are cast iron and were fitted painstakingly. What a job!

The engine has been run on air, forward and in reverse and runs very smoothly. Extensive break-
in running was done before the air test using a drill motor setup to run the engine. I don't have an exact minimum pressure but it was quite low.
Running it at 100psi without makes it really take off. Almost scary! I didn't stay there too long.

The intake and exhaust piping are in place on the engine and inside the smokebox. The blower line is in place.

Universal Joints:

These again were built by me using a jig for precision. They are steel and will need lubrication when running. A couple of shots of oil will do fine. The sliding shafts are just steel tubing and steel bar with the proper universal fitting silver soldered in place.

Water tank:

A brass wrapper has been bent to shape for a one piece tank. It needs silver soldering to make it whole. Material is available for the rest of the tank.

Work to be completed:

Water tank, the cab (a steel roof has been made), all of the plumbing, the walkways, installation of the throttle, boiler wrapper, steam and sand domes, installation of burner.

e-mail:  johler@home.com