[:(] I have a brand new (out of the box) Sectrum 80 ton three Truck Shay (I won it on ebay). My problem (at least I hope it can be fixed) is that this engine runs super slow with all the power that I can give it.I have run it around my track for about 1/2 hour with little or no change. It runs at about 25% of the speed at any of the rest of my engines run. Did I buy a lemon, or is it supposd to run at that speed or can it be made (or repaired) to make it run at a normal speed? Other than that problem it runs great !
Thanks for any help you can give.
ennout
There’s nothing wrong with your engine – even the real Shay only ran at a top speed of 7 or 8 MPH, and the Spectrum is geared realistically. If it ran fast, the drive rods would fly apart. Run it slow and enjoy the sight of the mechanism.
Ditto. They are cool.
If your side psitons are turning sort of like a sewing machine’s needle mechanism, that’s all she wrote. The Shay was designed for heavy towing up steep grades, even up to 10% and beyond. They were used mostly in temporary sites near logging operations (almost always in hills), and at mines (almost always in hills). They were meant to operate on rough track, too. Their top, bust-a-lung speed was about 18 mph.
If your loco can travel a foot in about 4-5 seconds, it is doing marvelously.
[:)][:D][:p] Thanks guys, That a few things I did not know about it. I do plan on using for my 15 car logging rails. It neat to think it could go up to a 10% grade. Cool.
ennout
Yup!![^][:D]I have two MDC shays,just re-motored them with flywheels and all,thay are not a speedster,Slow is the name of the game with shays,I love to watch them,Crandell is right .[tup][2c]
JIM
Sounds like your Shay is just fine! Those lil buggars are slower than molasses in January! And so cool, too!
Check this thread for more Shay thoughts! http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=-1&TOPIC_ID=43363&REPLY_ID=459881#459881
Rotor
On second thought, it sounds broken as all get out. Sounds like you got all the workings on the outside instead of where it belongs on the inside. It’s probably not worth a nickle, but I’ll give you $20 for just for parts.
SpaceMouse, I’ll see your $20 and raise it to $20.01! [:-^] [:D]
To gauge the speed of these little Swiss watches, look at the drive shaft. If it’s spinnin like hell, it’s goin all she’s got. All the gear driven locos are very slow. Put a load on it, buddy. You’ll be impressed. Mine’ll go up an 8% grade with 3 loaded log cars, pushing or pulling. They are awesome. YOu aint seen nuthin yet. Wait til you convert it to DCC. It’ll run even smoother…if you can imagine that.
While on this topic, I just got mine the other day. It sure is a neat looking locomotive. I am not sure if I’m having trouble with mine, since it seems to make a lot of noise (at least to me). It sounds like gear noise from the drive mechanism. Is this normal, or should I be looking to fix something on it? Thanks to all in advance for the help!
The annual rail show in Sacramento had two similiar Shays show up a few years back. One from the east coast, the other from the west coast. Need anymore reason to go racing? Drag race was held over a measured 1/4 mile of rail. East won with the blistering speed of 17MPH, lots of ‘Shay Drag Racing Team’ T-shirts sold, good time had by all present.
Uh, oh. I can feel the Force telling me that there is a bidding war coming…[:0] And I’ll be raising that to $25.01!!![:)][:D][:-,][:)]
I wish I had a Shay…preferably, a 3-Truck Shay.[:)]
I’d be more than willing to sell ya one Darth! I have one in the showcase at the hobby shop that I’d like to sell before I have to take it home with me! [;)]
I’m now drooling over the 2-8-8-2 with sound sitting there as well.
I didn’t know owning a hobby shop was gonna cost me this much money! [:0] But I sure got some neat stuff to run on my layout!
Rotor
I guess it has all been said. The Shays were first built to run on temporary track layed into the forest and up steep grades so speed was not the requirement, only power so it seems your model is only doing what the big boys did. I also own a Bachmann three truck shay and am very satisfied with it so much so that my model Royston Lumber Company is about to but another.
Is that Royston on Vancouver Island?
I would love to buy it, if I could afford one. But I can’t afford one at the moment.[:(]
I can’t afford it either…I spent all my money on train stuff! [;)]
I hear it calling me from the showcase…“Rotor, Rotor…”
Rotor
Well I just bought a Bachman 80 Ton 3 Truck Shay from Micromark. They had them on sale for $114.00. Now I have to build a layout around it. I never had a desire to own one until I read this thread and did some research. It is a cool looking Loco. Maybe I can do a logging scene somewhere off the main layout???
Terry
Absolutely, Terry. A fairly substantial mountain, but probably only the front 1/3 of it (rest ‘behind’ the wall), up against a far wall, and a logging op somewhere up there. You could even use switchbacks, if that idea appeals to you (N.B.- this will take up a chunk of room near the back of the shelf or table)