# The Shay's first run



## Matt Z (Dec 2, 2009)

Took out the new Shay for her first official run today! Of course, the locomotive did wonderful and there were zero issues. Here are a few shots from today. 

*Photo 1*

*Photo 2*

*Photo 3*

*Photo 4*

It;s really too bad I forgot to put the cab roof back on in the last shot...that would have made a really nice photo. 

Matt

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## R Snyder (May 12, 2009)

Matt, 
You have a very nice railroad. Mine is still mostly buried in snow. I took my new open cab Shay to KC for it's first run yesterday, also. Mine also performed beautifully. Thank you Royce, for still having one in stock.


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## Matt Z (Dec 2, 2009)

Hey R, I wish that was my railroad. It is over at Terry's St John's Railroad. 

I have one over at my folks that hasn't been run on in a few years. Got a few wood bridges that need to be rebuilt with steel over there that the Arizona sun has completely destroyed. 

I'm glad yours ran well also. By the way, for your blowdown line from the boiler, did you end up with the correct bolt in the boiler or did you have to get another one? 

Matt


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## Matt Z (Dec 2, 2009)

Hey guys I need some help, I am trying to get ahold of one of Bill Fords WLD systems. It's too bad he went out of business and I would really like to find one somewhere. Especially if I can get ahold of a detector/goodall valve combo. Please let me know if anyone has any connections to one of these. Thanks


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Richard, 
I like that open cab shay the best of Accucrafts , nice choice.


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## Matt Z (Dec 2, 2009)

Hello Jerry do you have a shay as well?


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## weaverc (Jan 2, 2008)

You made an excellent choice. I have several live steam locomotives and the Shay is one of my best runners. I often get it out when I'm in a hurry for a demo because it's not only reliable, it steams up quickly. It also runs when it's cold out because the tank is in the cab where it's warm. Lots of positives. I converted mine to a wood burner with a wood fence in place of the oil tank and diamond stack over the smoke box I also put a wooden cab on it. The tube on the right rear fender is a Regner whistle.


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## Matt Z (Dec 2, 2009)

Hey Carl, great looking shay you've got there! I really like the way your cab turned out. I would like to build up some windows for mine as it is. Did you alter the stack at all? I would love to hear that whistle, do they work pretty well on the small stuff? 

Matt


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

Great shots


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## weaverc (Jan 2, 2008)

Matt,
I changed the straight stack to an Accucraft Diamond stack like the one on the 13 ton Open Cab. It was a direct replacement. As for the whistle, it is a Regner, single chime, peeper typical of small Euro locomotives. I mounted the valve in the hole where the blow down tube goes and did away with the blow down since you don't need it anyway. As for hearing the whistle, it works great at 40 psi and is the same whistle that is on my Billy in this video: 

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=trainav8r#p/u/25/SOZdCstrDAE


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## Matt Z (Dec 2, 2009)

I am thinking about changing my stack out as well. I would like to get a larger straight stack on it. I wonder if a c-16 stack would fit on to the smokebox or if it would be too big? Has anyone tried this or does anyone have both where they could try the swap? 

Matt


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Matt, I have a shay I made about 12-13 years ago. More pix on my website, I think.


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## Matt Z (Dec 2, 2009)

Hey Jerry found the pics. That's a neat little creation you've got yourself! Have you scratch built any other locos?


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## R Snyder (May 12, 2009)

Jerry, 
We need to have a steamup when the weather improves.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Ya I think Jerry has got enough folks around that he could do a steam up. Ya never know I might even show up. Later RJD


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## steamtom1 (Jan 2, 2008)

Here is a picture of my old Shay, at Diamondhead earlier this month. It is a nearly 20 year old Geoffbuilt Shay, re-engined with a Graham Shay engine.










And here is a video of Sonny Wizelman's annual ShayUp at Diamondhead. Sorry for the poor lighting. That is all we had to work with, as anyone who has ever been there knows.


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## turbohvn (Jan 7, 2008)

Matt,

I have a banjo bolt, for your blow down, on its way to you. Please let me know when it arrives. Thanks.

Royce


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## Cougar Rock Rail (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Matt,

I agree with Carl in that you made a good choice--they are nice smooth running efficient little locomotives. Similar to Carl, I added a wood bunker and stack to mine--both are direct replacement accucraft parts from the open cab version. I also made a resonator whistle from the SitG plans and added a top up clack valve (think it was from Ralph Reppingen) so I can add water through the hatch in the bunker.

Keith


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## Matt Z (Dec 2, 2009)

Hey Royce, thanks again! I really appreciate it! 

Keith, that loco came out looking very nice! I really like that plow! How did you rig that up?

Matt


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## Cougar Rock Rail (Jan 2, 2008)

How did you rig that up?

Matt, I tried to make it as universal as possible, with a single point attachment for use with either the Shay, my RH Billy, or LGB Heidi. So on the Shay and Billy it just drops in with a pin through the coupler pocket and it's fit tight enough to the back of the pocket to keep it square. It has just the weight of it on the tracks, and uses a windshield wiper as a bolt on 'cutting edge'.
In this picture you can see it is actually bolted to the LGB front coupler, with the hole behind it for use with the other engines.


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