three truck shay

[jeff langmack]

To the forum, I have just received my new Bachmann three truck shay and am amazed at how large it is. It appears to be almost as big as my K27 also by Bachmann. Are these locomotives really the same 1.20 scale or are there certain liberties taken. I leave this for discussion. Thanks Jeff Langmack

[Chuck N]

Yup!
Chuck

I have not heard anyone concerned about the scale.  The spectrum series is very accurate as far as I know.

[Joe Zullo]

A little research on the web (Google is your friend) reveals that a  prototype K-27 (known as a mudhen) is a little over 33 feet long and a 3 truck Shay ( class C, 3 cylinder, 3 truck) is a little over 50 feet long.
The K-27 is not a huge locomotive.  

[Chuck N]

My books on the Rio Grande Narrow Gauge list the length of the K-27 engine plus tender as a little under 59 feet.  One of my books on West Virginia logging railroads shows a 3-truck Shay as about 50' long.  This length agrees with Joe's value for a Class C shay.

Chuck

The Bachmann on line catalog says that their Meadow River 3-truck Shay is based on No. 7 of the Meadow River Lumber Co.  I have found a picture of it in a book West Virginia Logging Railroads, by William E. Warden, p. 67.  What confuses me is that Meadow River Lumber Co. ran standard gauge logging trains and the caption for the picture says that "--No, 7 escaped the scrapper and is now working for the Cass Scenic Railroad".  The Cass Scenic Railroad is a standard gauge line.

[punkin]

Are these Shay engines good for smaller radius tracks? I looked this train up online and it has some very interesting moving parts. Very exciting to see it in operation. I've never seen anything like it. I wonder if it would work with 5' radius turns.

Thank you,

[Joe Zullo]

Both the 2 truck and the 3 truck Shay will even be happy on 4 foot diameter curves!

[punkin]

I don't know what I was thinking. I have LGB 15000 circular track. I believe this makes it 5' diameter.

[RkyGriz]

What is the smallest diameter that the Bachmann C-19 will operate on?
Thanks!

[Kevin Strong]

I've heard anecdotally that it will take a 2.5' radius (5' diameter). Given that most 1:20.3 rolling stock has a minimum radius of 4', you're on your own for rolling stock that it could pull around those curves. Personally, I would not run it on anything smaller than 4' radius.

Later,

K

[RkyGriz]

Good. I have 4', 5', and 8' diameter tracks. I'm thinking about buying the Denver & Rio Grande Western version of the Bachmann C-19 and I'd prefer to be able to run it on the 5' diameter track. Nice to know.
Thanks!
Later!

[tac]

Don't overlook that ANY Shay will work better travelling around the track clockwise - that way the drive shafts are not tempted to pull out.

tac
Ottawa Valley GRS