A famous wag once claimed that a Shay locomotive sounded like "hesitation followed by debate."

Great shots too!

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

Nice photos guys, I use the D200 at work.

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The locomotive pictured in front of the Cass Shop is a Heisler. The Heisler is more efficient and faster than the Shay but not as good on steep inclines or poorly laid rails.
The fellow I spoke with at the Cass Shop said it was like the Heisler was designed by scientists and the Shay was designed by loggers.

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Bill Wood - Retired Webmaster
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OK, I am now officially jealous.

I am a big trains fan. I run large scale trains in my backyard (hence the LGB part of my screen name).

I agree with you, the Shay is one of the most interesting steam engines to watch and hear. At speed, it almost sounds like a diesel engine.

I own a hand-made, all-brass Shay manufactured by Aster-LGB. It is one of only 500 made. A present from my wife, since I am too cheap to spend that kind of money on myself).

If you ever get the chance, go to Colorado and ride the Durango-Silverton narrow gauge train. It is one of the most amazing pieces of railroad engineering you will ever see.

This is a thread that, for a change, is fun.

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My Gallery

Not in this weather!

o.k. where are the photo's of this train, you have a new camera.....?

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"It's normal for these things to empty your wallet and break your heart in the process."
2012 SLK 350
1987 420 SEL

The Shay I was referring to resides near Fish Camp, off of the CA 41, on the way to Yosemite. They also have some nifty little rail-cars to run about in. I haven't been in a while, keep meaning to go, not getting around to it. Sacramento on the other hand, is great. Great museum, steam run excursions, all set in "old town" sacramento. Easy walking distance from the Amtrak station, nice bar in an old whorehouse (crazy bathrooms though...), right on the river, nice moving bridges on the river... I really enjoy the place. The museum has a program with a name I disremember... But the thing is they have all these old guys who worked on the railroads standing around swapping stories. One of them even found out after a while that his old railroad toolbox was a display in the museum. Good times.

Oh, and for whoever it was that said I was lucky, when I was much younger, my mother pulled some strings (powerfull strings must have been since she wasn't anything more than a stay at home mom...) and got my entire elementary school dismissed from classes to go stand outside and watch the Daylight run by. That was something to see! Steaming by inside of 20 yards...

But I'll admit to being a railfan. Sacramento CA, Altoona, PA, Tehachepi CA, Skunk train, Kinzua Viaduct PA (before the tornado), Sugar Pine RR, D.C.'s Union Station, and even the Orient Express (mom wouldn't let dad and I perform a "mooning" on the Orient express, let alone any murders...). Who knows how many others...

Suppose I am lucky. Should probably call mom and dad tonight and thank them for all my "luck". I'll try to remember to do that...

MV

awesome post! I've been into trains since I was little, got to ride on N&W's Challenger #1218 when I was 8. a ride on both the durango & silverton when I was 12ish and a year or two later on the cumbres & toltec railways were great experiences as a child. My dad was always big in gardening and when my train interest reminded him of his from years before we got into the garden railroad stuff- he currently has a 500ft loop at his place in virginia, with a 10ft trstle and 8 foot tunnel. mostly using aristo rolling stock but some of the bachman and LGB as well. He is one of the officers in the washington area garden railway club. http://wvmgrs.org/

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past: 1969 280SE 4.5 | 1978 240D | 1978 300D | 1981 300SD | 1981 300SD | 1982 300CD | 1983 300CD | 1983 300SD | 1983 380SEC | 1984 300D | 1984 300D | 1984 300TD | 1984 500SEL | 1984 300SD | 1985 300D | 1986 300E | 1986 560SEL | 1986 560SEL/Carat | 1987 560SEC | 1991 300D 2.5 | 2006 R350

I guess I missed that photo of the shop. I guess it comes down to a V configuration or an Inline engine argument. I always enjoyed the Shays just because you can see all of those geared driveshafts, pistons cranking and clanking away.

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I was 40 before I ever rode on a diesel train, everything before that was steam.

Picture of Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village, Dearborn - Steam locomotive in Greenfield Village Museum.

Panoramio - Photo of "The President" steam locomotive, Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn

C & O Allegheny Steam Locomotive 1601 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Corliss Engine

D6 CAT


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Fortunatly for me steam lasted a little longer in Canada. We used to walk up pretty regularily to the train tracks to watch them run a couple of times a week. The railroads were pretty busy then as well as compared to today. it was four individual rail lines where we went. That enabled a train about every fifteen minutes or so.

I am not quite sure what the almost universal attraction was with the steam engine for children but it did exist. I also remember the first diesel engine I saw after a few years. A general motors or electomotive yard switcher. . The interest in trains has never really abated over all these many years either.

Of course I go back so far I even remember the pavement rollers were steam powered. Steam power in normal service did not totally disappear either. There was an old steam powered crane that lifted boats at the boatyard that saw service into the late 1970s.

My wife and I took that ride a couple years ago. I had also just purchased a Panasonic Lumix FZ-100 DMC-FZ100 | PRODUCTS | LUMIX | Digital Camera | Panasonic Global. Took some great pictures on that trip!

If you take that train ride originating from Cumberland, MD, make sure you sit on the right hand side of the train. Otherwise your main views will be of the side of the mountains.

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Past:
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1980 300-D 225,000 miles. Donated to the National Kidney Foundation.
1980 240-D manual, 297,500 miles. Totaled by inattentive driver.

This is a great thread !!

Just goes to show there is life after being a webmaster!!!

Over here every year there is a race between a steam train & a group in a fun run, well more than fun, they take it very serious !!

The train runs on a narrow gauge (2'6") track. If ever you are in Australia its worth the ride.

Puffing Billy Railway - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Stories of the Past - Early 1900 Case Steam Engine - YouTube


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I doubt OSHA would be too happy with that big blade running without any sort of guard.
Very cool vid!