Shay construction

[Waldbahner]

Good Morning !!!

The vacation was a real pleassure and I returned relaxed and full of power

Meanwhile I've spend approx. 20 more hours on the steam engine. The cross heads and connection rods are installed now. Next I've to finish the valve gear.
While the steam engine was disassembled for some work, I decided to paint them. I also run the crank shaft with a drilling maschine to get her run smoothly.
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[modelsof1900]

Gerd, a very, very good work again!

I love your mechanical skills and professional competence and your endurance. Again, a very great job! My respect and compliment!
I wait with big jumpiness seeing the finished model!
I can see all the fine improvements of last time, the cock valves at cylinders, prepared oilers at crankshaft - wonderful. Really, a not to outgo fine work.

How long did you work at whole construction and drawings befor starting with first work step?

[Waldbahner]

Hi Bernhard,

well, I didn't construct the whole locomotive before I started.
I made some drawings (simple CAD) of the wheelsets, trucks and frame. That takes me a couple of weeks and I used the drawings to create the list of material to place the order at the metal shop.

The only parts with some more detailed drawings are the steam engine and the steam boiler. But this were made during construction of the frame and I did'nt note the time that I spend on this. In the end, I made several designs of the steam engine and reworked it on a daily basis. Actually, there are some more improvments in the final steam engine, that are not shown on the drawing.

Most other construction is done in my mind only with some sketches on paper to note dimensions. It's easy for to take a block of raw material and to lay out all processing steps in mind to get the final part.

The only time count that I have is the total building time that I've spend - Actually 435 hours, in over 40 month. And I guess that there will come 200+ more hours, until the Shay is finished.

Cheers, Gerd

[modelsof1900]

Gerd, thanks for these overview of your Shay. An absolutely fine work!

I'm not sure if you know that I worked as an steam loco repair man (here in Germny I learned this as a profession with certification) and so I know all these parts of a steam loco and I know the construction of steam engines with their valve gears - here a typical Allan gear with two excentrics für each cylinder. This all are many movable parts and these need many work and high precision while manufacturing - all in all a fine job with my highest compliments!
Wish you success and a good end!

[Sumpter250]

Your drawings of the shay trucks, answered a few questions that were bothering me.
Thank You!
Now, once I get "out of scenery mode", I can make a few needed repairs, and get my HO shay running again, and, looking better!!!

[e-paw]

Excellent work on the shay, Please keep the post coming.

[Waldbahner]

Good morning,

I've no new photos in the moment, while my homepage makes some trouble during the updates. I hope to get this fixed within the next days.
But I was able to upload a new movie at YouTube.

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I've to rework some parts and add others that are still missing, but I was so happy and proud to see the engine running on air after more than 460 hours spend on this project. I hope to finish up the steam engine within the next 2 or 3 weeks to start the boiler installation.

Cheers, Gerd

[e-paw]

That was great...under steam is going to be even better. I allways wondered how the valves chainged direction on a shay. I never got the chance to see one run up close. That little vid answered a bunch of questions that I had. Can't wait for steam!

[ngauger]

I agree. It's great to see it running Can't wait for the steam!!
Beautiful work!!!!!

[Waldbahner]

Hi guys,

give me 6-8 more weeks, than the Shay should be ready for first steam test.
Today I'll start with some fine tuning on the steam engine and with the next parts to link up the lubricator and the jhonson bar.
Here are some photos of the progress from the last days, since I got my homepage fixed yesterday.

Installed slide valve with rod and cross head


milling the links by use of a rotary table


finished reverse gear


making the eccentric straps and rods


reverse and valve gear fully installed and set up for first air test.


Cheers, Gerd

[Steamtrains]

Gorgeous work...!!!

Wish I had the time, patience, equipment & skill to do something like that...

Looking forward to seeing her under steam....

[Waldbahner]

Hello,

I also didn't had those experiences when I started with this project in late 2008. I learned most stuff while working on the locomotive.
Here's an actuall overall photo of the Shay so far. The headlight is missing in this shot and a bunch of detail parts.

All is comming together step by step.



Cheers, Gerd

[modelsof1900]

Gerd, great!
And than a gift box used as a tool box for this shay! A wonderful idea - or a temporarely joke?!

[Waldbahner]

No, that's not a joke. I use those boxes as tool boxes on my big railroad. There're also a couple of buckets from the hobby store, matching perfect in scale.
I always keep an eye open for stuff that will fit in 2"-scale :-)

Cheers, Gerd

[Waldbahner]

Good morning,

the last 2 weeks, I did some more progress around the steam engine.
First I installed the drain cock mechanism and added the steam and exhaust pipes. The pipes are insulated with cotton yarn. The lubricator is also connected to the drive shaft and steam pipe.









Next I finished up the water plumbing below the floor by turning the loco upside down. This was possible as long as the boiler isn't installed. I removed the truck and parts of the brake rigging to install the pipes. The axle water pump was tested later and works fine. The newest part is the Johnson bar, made from steel. The next days I'll make the missing arms and install this parts on the locomotive to finish the steam engine chapter.





That's all for now. I guess I'll finish the work around the steam engine within the next days and will finally start with the boiler installation this weekend.

Cheers, Gerd