The slap-together locomotive that was actually really good - Shay Locomotives

In this video, we take a look at Shay locomotives, a type of engine that started out as a cheap attempt to build a locomotive that ended up being actually very powerful

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[TweetsieRailroader]

I’ve always been a sucker for Geared Steam. They’re a bit of an oddity, but they’re incredibly unique and fascinating. Thanks for giving these amazing locomotives a look!

[Alpha-oo]

I did not know the shays had such humble origins…

Say, speaking of locomotive types which are unusual… do you think you could cover fireless steam engines at some point… they are an enigma to me…

[the_autism_express]

It's amazing that 118 shay locomotives have been preserved

Really shows how useful these engines were

[ashleymarie]

My grandfather, Robert Andrew Hivick, was in charge of the rolling stock on the West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company railway out of Cass, West Virginia. This was back around 1900. He selected the Shay engines for the reasons described in this video. This type of engine is still running on that railroad today.

[Double_D__]

It is always *fascinating* finding out moments in history where some inventor slapped together a vehicle or invention that by complete happenstance becomes successful. Also, I appreciate the use of Spirit Tracks music, good on you for that.

[alanjanos]

I agree that "sidewinder" was used as a quite-appropriate nickname for the Shay and Willamette locomotives, but I think that "stemwinder" was a term used more for the Climax and Heisler locomotives which had a centrally-located driveshaft under the locomotive.

[Narrowgaugefilms]

These were pretty utilitarian machines, and were put through all sorts of modifications by the companies that owned them, including things like gauge changes. It's not hard to imagine bits and pieces of them ending up powering sawmills and such.
The most unusual shay mod was those few times they cleared off everything above frame level and refit them for diesel power. They looked like diesels up top, but down below they were still driveshafts, bevel gears and four wheel trucks.

[cobbss]

I got to ride a shay locomotive last summer, all the moving parts was so memorizing, those locos are works of art behind those massive boilers.

[classstudios]

You know, I remember going to Cass, West Virginia and riding in one of the excursion trains pulled by Shay No. 11. It was the first (and as of now the only) steam locomotive I ever rode on. (those were good times)

[blackstorm]

Ngl shays are still my favorite type of locomotive. It could be a bias of me growing up near one with a running line, but man something about them really are beautiful to me.

[badrobie]

22 years after the release of the Railroad tycoon 2, I finally got the all the answers to why the Truck Shay loco in the game is so slow, but cheap and effective on the grade.

[Desmaad]

Don't forget the other geared steam locos like the Climax and Heisler types!

[zyoninkiro]

When I was a kid, I always loved looking at the J. Neills Lumber Co, Shay that was preserved by the St Regis Paper Company in my hometown of Libby, Montana. It stood just outside the now long demolished office where the St Regis employees (including my dad) got their paychecks. Fortunately after the mill was finally shut down and sold for parts, the locomotive was donated to a local museum. If any rail buffs are passing through Libby, the Shay can be found at the Heritage Museum on US-2 south of town.

[Lucat_Here]

This has given me a new appreciation for the shay, thanks Train of thought!

[rucarnuts]

Very slow, very controversial-looking, but very powerful and very capable beasts indeed. It was said that, for their size and weight, they were the most powerful and capable steam locomotive design of them all - and with Shay’s being able to tackle over 12% gradients with a train in-tow… I wouldn’t doubt that claim.

Excellent video as always! Could you do the other two major types of geared steam locomotives at some point in the future too?

There’s a lot of interesting factoids about them, such as the superb mechanical engineering of the Heisler, or the Class A Climax which was a steam locomotive with a 2-speed transmission, or how the Class B and C Climaxes were so poorly-made and designed that they vibrated badly-enough to literally shake themselves apart.

[ArtyI]

0:23 sometimes we all want to say “sod this I’m going to be a lumberjack”

[eryhv]

I remember seeing a Shay at the NC Transportation Museum! It was quite an odd sight, but this has given me a newfound appreciation for them, I had no Idea they could be so versatile!

[rossbryan]

THERE WAS A SHAY USED BY A REGULAR RAILROAD!
KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN USED THE SHAY AS A LOCAL SWITCHER IN THE NORTHERN INDUSTRIAL AREAS OF KANSAS CITY MISSOURI. THIS AREA WAS HILLY AND MANY SHARP CURVES AS WELL!
MANY SMALL FACTORIES AND NUMEROUS WAREHOUSES
COVERED THE AREA SERVED!
IN SHORT, THE PERFECT APPLICATION OF A SHAY!!

[Ryder-a-Blaze]

Imagine accidentally creating one of the most successful engine designs ever

[UntouchedWagons]

The Shays have always been one of my favourite locomotives. I think in Railroad Tycoon 3 they were classified as Mountain Kings alongside the Big Boys.