The Return of the Atlas Shay!

JMaurer1 Oct 1, 2014

  1. randgust

    randgust TrainBoard Member

    3,493
    502
    56
    One thing that modelers never seem to get is how SLOW they are. Top speed for a Shay was about 15mph, faster than that and you have to be assisted by gravity, runaway, or a cliff. A Climax was a little faster, but a whole lot rougher, so low speed was generally enforced by excessive vibration. The Heisler was the 'speed demon', in the 15-20mph range, and desired by operations that actually had some distance to the mill. But they could still ride like an off-balance washing machine while the Climax felt like it was jumping up and down. I've cabridden all three.

    The Atlas one does OK, but when I see YouTube videos of the model screaming along at about 30 mph I do have to chuckle, and the last thing you want to do with these is run them as fast as they are capable of going. They will shed parts.

    I'll second Cass as the best show of geared steam anywhere. The grade from Cass to the midpoint at Whittaker is as steep as 9%, and above that there's a short stretch of 11% going up to Bald Knob. Logs or tourists, you gain an appreciation of what the machinery was designed to do.

    The gearhead motors I put in my Climax A's peak out at around 9mph, and that's accurate.

    Also, the Atlas model is a BIG shay - 60 ton - about as big as they got on two trucks, and also a late-model west coast, all-weather cab oil-burner. We're lucky to have it, but it's not necessarily the 'average' 40-50 ton logging locomotive, either.

    I 'think' this is on the 9% below Whittaker, and some nice close-ups: http://youtu.be/OFNGvTjohFk

    My prototype - Wheeler & Dusenbury, had Shays, rod engines, and a Heisler, and the Heisler was the favorite - but it was an all-day trip from the woods to the mill after 1917 when it was built, including switchbacks. The Shays were just too slow.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 6, 2014
  2. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

    67,560
    22,734
    653
    I know some of the HOn30 guys have their eyes on this release. I just hope it is an out of box jewel for running abilities.
     
  3. JMaurer1

    JMaurer1 TrainBoard Member

    2,310
    1,729
    53
    They may have been slow, but the SOUNDED like they were going 100mph...and they had SO MANY moving parts.
     
    acptulsa likes this.
  4. John Moore

    John Moore TrainBoard Supporter

    13,396
    12,182
    183
    I am glad that someone brought up the running speed which was something I preached from the early release. One cannot take one of these and run it at speeds like they do their F-7 or 4-6-2. Atlas did an excellent job of reproducing the Shay drivetrain on their model. It is a delicate work of art that like the 1 to 1 version will start coming apart at unrealistic speeds. The usual thing to fail first is the slip joints on the drive train. If one is lucky one will find it if it does go flying across the layout. Fitting those little U-joints and slip jointed shafts back together again can be a bear. Atlas did such a great job on copying the real version that the only things missing are the smell of hot oil, steam coming out around the pistons, and smoke out of the stack. I handle mine like the fine little jewels they are being very careful around that delicate and intricate drive mechanism.
     
  5. RedRiverRR4433

    RedRiverRR4433 TrainBoard Member

    437
    44
    6
    I run all my Two Truck Shays at 10 MPH. I converted them early on to DCC using Lenz 521W decoders which were the smallest decoder in that time frame. I've seen them run in real life at that speed It's a sight to behold and isn't easily forgotten.:cool:

    Shades
     
  6. NP/GNBill

    NP/GNBill TrainBoard Supporter

    1,087
    232
    30
    Always a favorite locomotive, but i'm partial to the logging stuff. Hoping Atlas at some point will do a three truck unit, my all time favorite!
     
    wpsnts likes this.
  7. randgust

    randgust TrainBoard Member

    3,493
    502
    56
    Just got my shipping notice from Pete today on the new run of these.
     
  8. gcav17

    gcav17 TrainBoard Member

    1,065
    581
    30
    Ya got a link for this info ? Sounds like exciting news.

    Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
     
  9. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

    67,560
    22,734
    653
    Am trying to recall- Is there a specific model after which this Shay was modeled?
     
  10. randgust

    randgust TrainBoard Member

    3,493
    502
    56
    Yeah, there is - its one of the later, new ones in the 60-ton class. www.shaylocomotives.com has it, I'd have to dig deeper to find it, but there is a real prototype here (oil burner, all-weather, west coast). Unlike rod locomotives specific to certain railroads, logging locomotives were closer to stock builds so very similar locomotives showed up. SN # 3291 sure looks like it to me.

    Here's the BLW notice effective January 2016 (hoping this doesn't turn into another zombie thread where you're not even sure what year it is!)
    http://www.blwnscale.com/atlas-shay.htm
     
    BoxcabE50 likes this.
  11. RedRiverRR4433

    RedRiverRR4433 TrainBoard Member

    437
    44
    6
    Pete is shipping out to me one of the new Atlas Two truck Shays. In this run the motor is isolated from the frame which is a big improvement.

    Have fun with it....:cool::cool:

    Shades
     
  12. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

    67,560
    22,734
    653
    It does look very close. I had always wondered, as in an earlier ruin they did Aloha Lumber #1. During those years it was on their property, my (maternal) grandfather had worked for them.
     
  13. Jeepy84

    Jeepy84 TrainBoard Member

    1,051
    129
    25
    I got my notice too. Sweet! Forgot it is coming with TCS decoder installed, even better!

    Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
     
    Last edited: Jan 28, 2016
  14. Jeepy84

    Jeepy84 TrainBoard Member

    1,051
    129
    25
    Arlette at Top Hobby informed me that my version, the unlettered, didn't ship. Sending Crown instead, a little more fancy with the red trim and all but will still do nicely.

    Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
     
  15. JMaurer1

    JMaurer1 TrainBoard Member

    2,310
    1,729
    53
    I don't know if they used a specific engine for the prototype. The Atlas Shay is a B-60-2 oil burner. Class B is three cylinder two trucks and was the most popular class of Shays built with 1,480 constructed. 60 mean 60 tons (although they were almost identical to the 50 ton shay). The Atlas Shay has the 'California cab' meaning that the cab is enclosed. According to the Shay locomotive database, the first Shay that they have listed with the Cal cab is s/n 3032 which was one of two built for the Edison Portland Cement Co. on 5/2/1919 (but they don't have any info on the Shays between s/n 3027 and 3031) but these ran on coal. The Atlas Shay is oil fired and the database doesn't show any oil fired Cal. cab Shays built until s/n 3241 was built for the Frost-Johnson Lumber Co. It was built on 10/17/1923 which is around the "1920's" built date that Atlas advertises (of course, there are numerous s/n's that they don't have online data for). So from a quick search, the first Shay that has all of the spotting features of the Atlas Shay is the Frost-Johnson Lumber Co. Shay.
     
  16. porkypine52

    porkypine52 TrainBoard Member

    1,131
    301
    35
    AWWWWW GEEZ Fellers!!!!!! Now that D%@* Christmas $ is starting to burn a couple of holes in my pockets. INDIANA RAILWAY sure could use a couple NEW Shays. I wonder if Pete could wrap 'em up to look like a couple of MTL boxcars??? Might have to make a summer time trip over to CASS to get another fix. Love to hear those whistles echo in the mountains. Go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbsbcZKCWDY
    If you want to see a BIG Shay, look at Western Maryland's #6 at CASS. One BIG Shay!
     
  17. randgust

    randgust TrainBoard Member

    3,493
    502
    56
    You can 'easternize' the Atlas Shay with a couple basics - convert the fuel bunker to coal and get rid of the all-weather cab by carving it out with an abrasive disk and a cutting tool. Fussy work but worth it.

    [​IMG]
     
    Jeepy84 and BoxcabE50 like this.
  18. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

    67,560
    22,734
    653
    This looks great!
     
  19. Jeepy84

    Jeepy84 TrainBoard Member

    1,051
    129
    25
    All ready planned, sorry fancy red door, but say hello to the saw... Eventually, when I get up the nerve to cut on my $250 pre-birthday gift.

    Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
     
  20. 73emgee

    73emgee New Member

    6
    3
    4
    Excellent Job!!! I'm planning on converting mine as well. Already made a diamond stack like those used at Cass, WV
    IMG_3911.JPG
     

Share This Page