http://www.atlasrr.com/catalog.htm The catalog section makes it look like non fiction. The arrivals section spells fiction... Oh well...
Considering that this loco has been run previously there should not be any developmental issues, just new paint jobs and roadnames. So I would expect it should be right on time if not early unless there are factory issues.
The Original run Shays are an awesome piece of engineering. I would think this would be a priority for Atlas over the non stop diesel locos they push out. I also do not understand why they do not produce a C&O version, since they ran so many Shays in coal mining operations. Their current expected run schemes fall on deaf ears.
Most likely because the Shays ran by them were three and four truck versions which is all I can find listed on their locomotive roster. If Atlas ever decides to do a three truck version that is when you will most likely see the C&O.
I should read more before I post. They are expected in 2016. Sheesh, if they are that fa out, they could spend the developmental time to include DCC. As to the non stop diesels (I did start this thread, so I agree), I am looking forward to GP7s
Marty, These are future Shays. 2016. The long awaited next Shays are due by end of summer (fingers crossed) Check this..... http://www.atlasrr.com/NLoco/nshay2.htm
I've got from 'my' reliable source that there will also be some mechanism changes, no other details. The only thing I could read into that was that the first and second run parts will not necessarily be fully interchangeable with the third. That doesn't necessarily surprise me, as there were a couple of $##!! problems, like the universal dropping off the rear of the crankshaft - and that was a very ticklish repair, so some tweaking may be in order. Nothing to indicate that the overall look will be any different at all. I have another on reserve.
Well still time to put aside the extra $$ for at least two more. As far as the crankshaft goes the few times I had that issue with my current ones was when the rear truck ended up pivoted fully toward the blind side. Usually when lifting it sideways like out of its storage box. And that may be one of the design changes in somehow limiting the swivel of the rear truck. Back about 2 years ago when I was thinking about a more compact type layout in my planning I decided to test a number of my smaller locos to see just what the minimum radius that they would operate on without issues. The Shay was one of those that I could get to navigate under a 9 inch radius effectively. It is probably because of the swing of those trucks that they could do that so it will be interesting to see if my newer ones I get will be able to take an 8 inch radius curve. Not a lot of space under that shell for a decoder but possible to install a smaller one. And one can always raise the oil bunk or coal load just enough to create the space. Milling out the frame for a speaker would be detrimental for the older ones taking away weight for any tractive effort on grade unless one is able to compensate by shoehorning in some Tungsten putty somewhere. There are some sound programs out there for the larger scales of these that do a good job of duplicating the rapid exhaust beat of a three cylinder Shay. But just as sure as I set here and type this when the next run comes out someone will attempt to run these at higher speeds than a scale 18 to 20 MPH and have the mechanism come apart and immediately be bad mouthing the loco. The mechanisms on the 1 to 1s did not fare well at anything approaching 30 MPH and the mechanism of the model will not hold up well either. These are meant for slow speed running and that they do well.
I do hope that they will rework the mechanism so that you do not need to reassemble it in such an A-R way. I had one from which I removed the body to letter. When I put it back, it would not run properly. More than one person told me that I had to have every little piece in the exact same position that it was before I took it apart. I have another one that consistently stalls, even on straight and level. Only one of mine operates properly. I use it as the weekend station switcher at my junction station so that the Atlas Baldwin can "go to the shop for maintenance". The Short Creek Junction switcher is the busiest locomotive on the pike, and that particular Atlas Shay performs well at it. Still, while one out of three may be a good batting average in baseball, it ain't none too good in model railroading. I do hope that Atlas addresses the problem of inconsistent contact, as well. You can not run at slow speeds with inconsistent contact. The prototypes of these things often ran at walking speed. The usual operating speed was somewhere between ten and fifteen miles per hour. Twenty five MPH was about tops.
I have one of the first runs that I purchased back in 2005 when I was in Calif. and when I got back home I installed a decoder in it, not an easy task but the out come was excellent and you are correct regarding the operating speed of these units. Up to this time I have had no issues with any of the gear train, however I do run it slow, it is a great little loco!!!
I have so far had two for two with the Atlas Shays. Both great runners with no issues in electrical pick-up. The only thing I can comment on is the lack of pulling power to pull more than about 4 log cars up grade. My own scratch built Class As out pull them by far both with the previous SW mechanisms and the now current 70 tonner mechanisms. On the flat and level they are fine. My Atlas 4-4-0s actually perform better upgrade than do the Shays and with those I am also running two for two with good operating characteristics. So far with all the Atlas locomotive models I have electrical pick-up has not been an issue. A little reading the other night on an article about Cass, West VA. stated that the norm for most of the locos back when it was a purely logging line was about 6 cars. That is what I expect I should get for my models and when I built the Class A's they were weighted for that type of performance on up to a 4%. Since the layout that is in planning will have somewhere over or at 2 to 3 percent grade climbing at least 1 foot of elevation in about 28 to 30 foot of mainline run and adding in some sharp curvature and I plan on train lengths of 8 to 10 cars max. I plan on double heading almost everything and even adding a rear pusher if needed. Should for any reason the new versions of these Shays end up lighter they will end up as the port switcher and the sawmill or log camp switcher and be banned from road service. Lets hope that the new versions will be at least the weight of the previous versions.
