I just bought my first 2 truck PFM brass Shay loco, and need some assitance getting it to start up. I bought it through Ebay , and the seller said it might have had the motor upgraded. I am not familar witht PFM models so I need to know how to take it apart to find the issue. Thanks Marty
Hi there. Without more information, it’s kinda hard to say what is the solution to the problem. The PFM Shay boiler is easy to remove (two screws in the back, one in the front, on mine anyways). It should run with the boiler and tender removed. If the motor tries to move, without success, then the problem will be with the drivetrain, that is somewhat complex…
Simon
Simon has some good direction there. Another place to check without needing to take anything apart is the gear that is the motor drive where it comes through the frame to engage the drives to the front and rear underneath. This gear needs to be lubed but also tends to pick up all kinds of stuff, fuss, scenic stuff, etc and gets messy. Be sure and clean it up.
Keep in mind that (if memory serves) the Pacific Fast Mail 2 truck Shay was their first ever imported brass locomotive – circa 1955 or so – and they kept it in their catalog and kept upgrading it for decades thereafter. So this or that version might be very different from one that is familiar to other commentators
Getting access to the motor is important but be very reluctant to start serious disassembly if you are not skilled in putting a Shay back together!
Dave Nelson
The United Class B 2 Truck Shay I had was like any PFM/United steam engine. The motor was a Pittman DC70. The DC70 was used widely by the locomotive manufacturers.