# Can anyone identify this Shay model?



## Gerd (Jan 7, 2008)

Hi folks,

I couldn't find any matching forum, so I please my question here.
I've an small 13 ton Class A Shay which major parts were made from brass. I got her in a show box in parts several years ago. The frame was missing, so I made a new one and got the loco back together. The loco was scaled for 1:24 I guess. Later I made a new cab from wood to bring more into 1:20.3 scale, but finally, she ended in my show case, with the battery removed and meanwhile she's in very sad condition.

Some details
- 2-cylinder Class A Shay - Properbly a 13 ton class
- E.W.T. style boiler
- Original lettered as #349, Railroad name not known

My actual gguess is, that his could be a Iron Horse Model / Precision Scale Shay in 1:24 scale, but I couldn't find any hints and details. Would be nice to know from which model the parts came. I'm planing to restore the model again, but this time in better model makers quality...

Anyhow, here are photos of the loco after the first restoration. I'm sorry for the bad qualitiy, but these photos are from the past millenium 

This is what I got...









The new frame is made from brass, using as most original parts as possible.









First test run after restoration.









And in service after weathering and lettering.









Finally a photo of the rebuild with the new cab, which was not the best job... Meanwhile the cab is broken on many spots and the stack has gone.









Thanks for any hints,
Gerd


----------



## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Some guy in California made some back in the 80's, also did some McKeen cars , not sure if this is his though. Seems he never filled all his orders and some folks lost money, but not sure, old brains....


----------



## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

McKeen cars, huh? I'd sure be interested in one of those eventually.
Sorry Gerd, I couldn't find anything on your Shay. Looks great though.


----------



## Homo Habilis (Jul 29, 2011)

Could it be an Iron Horse Lima 14 ton Shay?


----------



## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

I see that IHM also had at least an O scale Mckeen, as Jerry said.
.
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/6227895_iron-horse-models-brass-sp-mckeen-car-wtrailer

The thot plickens!


----------



## zubi (May 14, 2009)

Gerd, it is a KTM (Japan) Shay. One of the very few made (about 25). They were imported under the name Sunset/KTM in the eighties. The scale is 1:22.5. There were plans for it in one of the NG&SL Gazettes a long time ago... I cannot remember now which issue it was. Best wishes from Tokyo, Zubi


----------



## Gerd (Jan 7, 2008)

Hello,

many thanks so far.
The Iron Horse 14ton Shay isn't possible, since that Shay has a straight boiler, while my model has a tappered Wagon Top Boiler. I had a closer look to the engine itself and was able to find the prototype, which was c/n3095 - Collins & Garrison #349


















On the ash pan cover, I could spot the word "Japan", so I guess it will be one of the KTM-engines which Zubi mentioned above.









On the one hand - it's sad to have such a rare engine rebuild so much. On the other hand, the previous owner bought this loco and tried to rebuild the Shay for 32mm gauge. Due to several failes, he wordly threwed the whole thing to the cellar wall in fact of real dissappointment. This was the actual status in which I got the loco, as shown in the first photo on top. Therefore, I did my best back in the late 90th to restore the engine. Unfortunallety, I don't have the original cab anymore, but the new won details, I may be able to make a full restoration of this loco to get her back in service on my Louise Valley Lumber Co. one day.

Thanks, Gerd


----------



## Gerd (Jan 7, 2008)

The plans Zubi mentioned also are in NG&SL Sep/Oct 1985. Unfortunallety, exactly this issue is missing in my collection, starting in the early 80th.
Can anyone help me with the plans? They would be a great help in restoring this Shay.

Thanks, Gerd


----------



## zubi (May 14, 2009)

Gerd, I have this issue somewhere here... if I manage to find it I will scan it, hopefully someone else will be faster. It is a pretty little Shay! I have one of these. It would be great if you manage to rebuild it to make it closer to the original plans. Best wishes from Tokyo, Zubi


----------



## JerryB (Jan 2, 2008)

A little off topic, but in response to missing issues of the Gazette, Bob Brown, the Editor & Publisher, has just announced the availability of a DVD-ROM set containing the entire 50 year published collection of the NG&SLG. The DVD also includes 11 years of Finelines and 4 years of Slim Gauge News. It is indexed and searchable by title, author, and keywords. There are directions for downloading and printing plans at the scale of your choice.

Great way to fill in your missing issues. My paper collection going back to the mid-1970s will probably be seeking a new home.

Happy RRing,

Jerry


----------



## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

Gerd, another option is...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Narrow-Gaug...11-Number-4-/141777719293?hash=item21029c4ffd


----------



## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Gerd, you've got a PM...

Jerry, I'm looking for the March 1976 issue to complete my collection. 

Later,

K


----------



## GWiz (Mar 5, 2021)

zubi said:


> Gerd, it is a KTM (Japan) Shay. One of the very few made (about 25). They were imported under the name Sunset/KTM in the eighties. The scale is 1:22.5. There were plans for it in one of the NG&SL Gazettes a long time ago... I cannot remember now which issue it was. Best wishes from Tokyo, Zubi


Hi 


zubi said:


> Gerd, it is a KTM (Japan) Shay. One of the very few made (about 25). They were imported under the name Sunset/KTM in the eighties. The scale is 1:22.5. There were plans for it in one of the NG&SL Gazettes a long time ago... I cannot remember now which issue it was. Best wishes from Tokyo, Zubi


Zubi,
I just inherited one of these that was displayed only, do you have an idea what it's worth? I'm into standard G scale.
Thanks, George


----------



## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

George, the problem with replying to a 6-year-old thread is that a lot of people have left this site since then.
However, if you click on a user name, the page will tell you when they were last 'seen', which I assume means online. Zubi seems to have been around only 5 months ago so he may notice. Send him a PM - called a 'conversation' on this site, which should generate an email.

On a more practical note, I am assuming the model is electric powered, not live steam. I'd do some searching on the internet, and on eBay (use the advanced search and click include sold listings.) There's also a website called 'brasstrains', I think? Best of luck - sounds like you got a nice model.

P.S. I have the NG&SLG DVD on my computer if you want the plans. How about posting a photo for us?


----------



## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Pete Thornton said:


> posting a photo for us?


Well, that's interesting. I googled it from curiosity, and got a google image of a shay from this thread! All the early pics are gone, so when I followed the google links nothing came up. So I opened the image by telling google I wanted to 'view image' and copied the image address and here it is:










Which means the user file storage is still online? Did VS just move it so the links in the threads don't work, but google scraped the new location some time later?

Here's another one:


----------



## GWiz (Mar 5, 2021)

Pete Thornton said:


> Well, that's interesting. I googled it from curiosity, and got a google image of a shay from this thread! All the early pics are gone, so when I followed the google links nothing came up. So I opened the image by telling google I wanted to 'view image' and copied the image address and here it is:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


How I got here by Google!


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I don't see any pictures


----------



## GWiz (Mar 5, 2021)

Pete Thornton said:


> George, the problem with replying to a 6-year-old thread is that a lot of people have left this site since then.
> However, if you click on a user name, the page will tell you when they were last 'seen', which I assume means online. Zubi seems to have been around only 5 months ago so he may notice. Send him a PM - called a 'conversation' on this site, which should generate an email.
> 
> On a more practical note, I am assuming the model is electric powered, not live steam. I'd do some searching on the internet, and on eBay (use the advanced search and click include sold listings.) There's also a website called 'brasstrains', I think? Best of luck - sounds like you got a nice model.
> ...













Greg Elmassian said:


> I don't see any pictures


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

they are back! great.. thanks gwiz!


----------



## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg Elmassian said:


> I don't see any pictures


I think the pics I found were cached by Google. They did show originally but now seem to be gone. GWiz's photos are new. I just googled 'KTM (Japan) shay' from Zubi's old post and switched to 'images'. But they don't show now- weird.


----------



## zubi (May 14, 2009)

GWiz said:


> Hi
> 
> 
> Zubi,
> ...


George,
I just logged in after a very long absence and I have been notified of this three months old question you asked. These Shays sell for around 800 USD, or at least they used to some 10 years ago. But of course, you may get more if you are lucky, the price of brass knows no limits;-)...
If the loco and the box are in very good condition I may actually consider it myself, although I would need to find a good reason for having two of them;-)...
These are very cute engines even if very simple indeed. Since they are exactly 1:22.5 they do not appeal to the 1:20 crowd, nor to 1:24 people (if any of these still exist...).
Best wishes from Indoors,
Zubi


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I was going to ask a question, but I see I need to wait 6 years....


----------

