MDC 2 Truck Shay

camelot · 01-17-2003, 11:16 AM

I bought this shay off ebay before Xmas , it was in fair condition but did not run.I have recently renovated and detailed it .

I made a log load for the fuel truck ,but prefered the straight stack as opposed to the Ballon stack with spark arrestor , does this look OK or should i change it?

Ian

jon-monon · 01-17-2003, 11:26 AM

What a beaut! Do I see some bird doo doo?

DanRaitz · 01-17-2003, 12:02 PM

Ian,

If you like the looks of the shotgun stack, go for it. The only thing is that you are going to have watch for those forest fires that beauty will be starting

The reason that most wood burning locomotives had the big balloon stack was to keep most of the sparks from flying all over.

Dan

shamus · 01-17-2003, 02:07 PM

Hi Ian, Real nice MDC shay that is, if you are having problems making it run well, I would get the NWSL conversion gears and shafts for it, makes one hell of a difference.
Although if you can strip it down and re-do the gears yourself (Clean the up) then it will also run well.
Shamus

camelot · 01-17-2003, 07:27 PM

Paul

The shay runs very well , no binds and runs smooth , but it is still a little noisey . althought it is half as noisey as my coffee grinder MDC climax loco.I tend to wake the whole area when i run that

The NSWL gears are very expensive here , does it quieten the loco down or just improve runing?

If it only improves running it might not be worth it as i have no complaintes there.

Thanks

Ian

cidchase · 01-17-2003, 11:33 PM

Ian, that scene is so realistic I can smell the wood burnin' !!
Beautiful job, I hope to be able to produce a Shay like that one day....

sumpter250 · 01-18-2003, 01:32 AM

Ian,
Looks good to me! There were spark arrestors that fit that style of stack, in the form of a "screen basket" that fit on the top of the stack, about the same diameter as the stack.
Pete

shamus · 01-18-2003, 05:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by camelot
Paul

The shay runs very well , no binds and runs smooth , but it is still a little noisey . althought it is half as noisey as my coffee grinder MDC climax loco.I tend to wake the whole area when i run that

The NSWL gears are very expensive here , does it quieten the loco down or just improve runing?

If it only improves running it might not be worth it as i have no complaintes there.

Thanks

Ian

Hi,
It will make it a little quieter than normal, but make a great difference in the running of it.

Shamus

camelot · 01-18-2003, 06:44 AM

Looks good to me! There were spark arrestors that fit that style of stack, in the form of a "screen basket" that fit on the top of the stack, about the same diameter as the stack.

Thanks for that idea , sounds good , i'll have to research for a picture off one , unless of course somebody could post one

Ian

Lighthorseman · 01-18-2003, 11:50 AM

Cam...That one's a keeper! Beautiful looking loco.

Drew Toner · 01-18-2003, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by camelot
I bought this shay off ebay before Xmas , it was in fair condition but did not run.I have recently renovated and detailed it .

I made a log load for the fuel truck ,but prefered the straight stack as opposed to the Ballon stack with spark arrestor , does this look OK or should i change it?

Ian

It's beautiful just the way it is, don't touch a thing!! Other than maybe the spark arrester you'll need to add!!

trainmasta13601 · 04-26-2003, 10:10 PM

its a logging steamer it does not have to be noiseless it is more realistic when it is loud

Russ Bellinis · 08-04-2003, 04:38 PM

Did any of the logging companys use the "bear trap" spark arrester like the Colorado Southern used on their narrow gauge rod engines?

Tyson Rayles · 08-04-2003, 11:13 PM

Camelot spark arrestors were just about always used on the western railroads as there was not a lot of water around. Here in the eastern mountains were every holler has a creek not all railroads used em', so I guess if you modeling out west put one on if not don't. Like others said you don't have to change the stack. There are companys like Detail Assoc. that sell em' ready made if you don't want to make one. BTW That's very nice modeling and a very nice pic as well!

Casey Feedwater · 08-05-2003, 11:57 AM

Ian, for whatever this information might be worth to you....

Wood burning Shays typically used the classic "balloon" stack, also called a Caldron stack, or a "diamond" stack. The diamond stacks were frequently fitted with spark arrestor screens. Wood burners were usually found in and around logging operations because they could use mill waste for fuel.

Coal burning Shays, which were far less common than the wood burners, also used the Caldron or diamond stacks.

Oil burning Shays, which were by far the most common configuration, used the short, straight ("shotgun") stack like the one in your photo.

That much having been said....

On my own 2-truck Shay, I have the tall diamond stack mounted but a fuel oil bunker on the tender.

I "justify" it by claiming that the lokie was converted from a wood burner to an oil burner (which actually was not uncommon), but the stack never got changed. The "next time" the loco goes into the shop for maintenance, the crew will change out the stack.

01-17-2003, 11:26 AM	#2
jon-monon Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Cobblers Knob, IN Posts: 5,086 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	What a beaut! Do I see some bird doo doo? __________________ jon NARA #63 Jello Chef Loggin? You bet! Loggers Never Lie! 1/4 danskmand Bing-boing-boong-bong (juice harp) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. knudsen(a)2guyzandsumtrains.com

01-17-2003, 11:33 PM	#6
cidchase Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: somewhere between Clarksville and Zhanjiang Posts: 1,671 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	Ian, that scene is so realistic I can smell the wood burnin' !! Beautiful job, I hope to be able to produce a Shay like that one day.... __________________ The Home of the Brave, and the Land of the Free Electron! Cid

01-18-2003, 01:32 AM	#7
sumpter250 multiscale modelbuilder Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Vernon Hills, Illinois Posts: 4,429 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Ian, Looks good to me! There were spark arrestors that fit that style of stack, in the form of a "screen basket" that fit on the top of the stack, about the same diameter as the stack. Pete __________________ Lead me not into temptation...............I can find it myself.

01-18-2003, 11:50 AM	#10
Lighthorseman Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Out in the sticks Posts: 1,392 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Love Those Sidewinders! Cam...That one's a keeper! Beautiful looking loco. __________________ -Steve Hudson- -Edmonton, Alberta, Canada- -NARA Member # 74- To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Megill River System "The Seven Bridges Road" To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

08-04-2003, 11:13 PM	#14
Tyson Rayles Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Poverty Acres, North Carolina Posts: 4,506 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Camelot spark arrestors were just about always used on the western railroads as there was not a lot of water around. Here in the eastern mountains were every holler has a creek not all railroads used em', so I guess if you modeling out west put one on if not don't. Like others said you don't have to change the stack. There are companys like Detail Assoc. that sell em' ready made if you don't want to make one. BTW That's very nice modeling and a very nice pic as well! __________________ Nantahala Midland "Route of the Noonday Sun" NARA Member #54

01-17-2003, 12:02 PM	#3
DanRaitz Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Grand Rapids, MN, USA Posts: 319 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Ian, If you like the looks of the shotgun stack, go for it. The only thing is that you are going to have watch for those forest fires that beauty will be starting The reason that most wood burning locomotives had the big balloon stack was to keep most of the sparks from flying all over. Dan

01-17-2003, 02:07 PM	#4
shamus Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: UK Posts: 3,804 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Hi Ian, Real nice MDC shay that is, if you are having problems making it run well, I would get the NWSL conversion gears and shafts for it, makes one hell of a difference. Although if you can strip it down and re-do the gears yourself (Clean the up) then it will also run well. Shamus

01-17-2003, 07:27 PM	#5
camelot Inactive Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Perth Western Australia Posts: 189 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Paul The shay runs very well , no binds and runs smooth , but it is still a little noisey . althought it is half as noisey as my coffee grinder MDC climax loco.I tend to wake the whole area when i run that The NSWL gears are very expensive here , does it quieten the loco down or just improve runing? If it only improves running it might not be worth it as i have no complaintes there. Thanks Ian

01-18-2003, 06:44 AM	#9
camelot Inactive Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Perth Western Australia Posts: 189 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Looks good to me! There were spark arrestors that fit that style of stack, in the form of a "screen basket" that fit on the top of the stack, about the same diameter as the stack. Thanks for that idea , sounds good , i'll have to research for a picture off one , unless of course somebody could post one Ian

04-26-2003, 10:10 PM	#12
trainmasta13601 Inactive Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 149 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	its a logging steamer it does not have to be noiseless it is more realistic when it is loud

08-04-2003, 04:38 PM	#13
Russ Bellinis Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Lakewood, Ca. Posts: 4,755 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Did any of the logging companys use the "bear trap" spark arrester like the Colorado Southern used on their narrow gauge rod engines?

08-05-2003, 11:57 AM	#15
Casey Feedwater Inactive Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Lake of the Ozarks, MO. Posts: 829 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Ian, for whatever this information might be worth to you.... Wood burning Shays typically used the classic "balloon" stack, also called a Caldron stack, or a "diamond" stack. The diamond stacks were frequently fitted with spark arrestor screens. Wood burners were usually found in and around logging operations because they could use mill waste for fuel. Coal burning Shays, which were far less common than the wood burners, also used the Caldron or diamond stacks. Oil burning Shays, which were by far the most common configuration, used the short, straight ("shotgun") stack like the one in your photo. That much having been said.... On my own 2-truck Shay, I have the tall diamond stack mounted but a fuel oil bunker on the tender. I "justify" it by claiming that the lokie was converted from a wood burner to an oil burner (which actually was not uncommon), but the stack never got changed. The "next time" the loco goes into the shop for maintenance, the crew will change out the stack.

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