The slap-together locomotive that was actually really good - Shay Locomotives

In this video, we take a look at Shay locomotives, a type of engine that started out as a cheap attempt to build a locomotive that ended up being actually very powerful
Please subscribe for more
This video falls under the fair use act of 1976 This video is available to use under the appropriate Creative Commons Licence.
Any images used that fall under any Creative Commons Licence belong to their respective owners.

[@TweetsieRailroader]

I’ve always been a sucker for Geared Steam. They’re a bit of an oddity, but they’re incredibly unique and fascinating. Thanks for giving these amazing locomotives a look!

[@BI-11]

Not to mention the absolute unit of a train for its time

[@kevwebb2637]

Better than Farlies.

[@ryandavis7593]

I really liked them until I had the opportunity to run two at The Georgetown Loop. They are incredibly loud at all speeds and the ride quality is terrible. They always pull well. Firing the twelve spot, a former West Side locomotive, was difficult for most firemen. I never had a problem with her. My only problem was the migraine headache I had to endure during and after a day on a Shay. Greetings from the high plains of Texas and a Looper.

[@steffenrosmus9177]

The Shays (as eell as the Climaxes and Heisslers ) were designed to go over extreme rugged and nartow curved tracks, so they were the Jeeps of the steam aera.

[@jackholmesdiscovereranglos7891]

Australia did have shay engines on the Wolgan Valley railway We’re hoping to get another shay engine for Lithgow state heritage mine museum to represent the Commonwealth Oil Corporation locomotive No. 5

[@Alpha-oo8]

I did not know the shays had such humble origins… Say, speaking of locomotive types which are unusual… do you think you could cover fireless steam engines at some point… they are an enigma to me…

[@the_retag]

Amazing machines And still useful to this day

[@Usinghealer099]

Are they then still steam engine's?

[@the_retag]

@@Usinghealer099 yes, thats the whole point of them. The undercarriage is basically a normal tank engine with i think larger cylinders

[@kleetus92]

@@Usinghealer099 Why wouldn't they be? They are STEAM engines, not fire engines! Theoretically, you could make a nuclear locomotive, boil water with a reactor and drive the wheels that way, but, using the steam to turn a generator that in turn drives electric motors would have better control... and you just created the worlds most dangerous and complicated electric locomotive.

[@Alpha-oo8]

@@Usinghealer099 well, here’s a video of one, I’ll let you decide kzbin.info/www/bejne/oV6be4yHZ52Zos0

[@the_autism_express]

It's amazing that 118 shay locomotives have been preserved Really shows how useful these engines were

[@jackholmesdiscovereranglos7891]

Unfortunately The Australian Shays did not make preservation. Shay No.1 " Constance was scrapped in 1910 to make way for Shay No.4. The Last Regular tourist train in 1932 from Dargan creek (Newnes Junction) made its way to Newnes with 4 coaches. Track fault caused 2 coaches to derail, so it has to be uncoupled and then the train with the other 2 made continued its way to Newnes. the tourist then returned to Newnes Junction via road bus. The oil production (thanks to the great depression) had ceased. and the Mighty Shays of Downunder were left behind to rust in peace. The flood then came and closed the line fully. The shays were stripped piece by piece until carcases of the engines remained. The Line was dismantled in 1940 for Tobruk beach defence of WWII. The restoration of the Line after the war was ignored by the "free riders" which led to the shays being scrapped and the the whole railway restoration was fully ignored and cancelled, due to the "free will riders" of the 1950's and then, Vietnam war. So Now the disused Railway route is now a Rail trail. And also the tunnels of Wolgan Valley has a habitant location for the glow worms.

[@spadesofpaintstudios1719]

@@jackholmesdiscovereranglos7891 that’s a pretty detailed story if I’m honest

[@EngelDerVerdammnis]

@@jackholmesdiscovereranglos7891 Taiwan gave No.14 to Puffing Billy Railway so there's at least 1 Shay in decent condition in Australia.

[@aydothetrainbuff]

@@EngelDerVerdammnis theres also one near Ravensbourne in Queensland. I've seen it in person, was built by Lima in 1903

[@asteroidrules]

Long-lived and well-traveled for sure. There's a narrow gauge railroad in Taiwan that still has four fully operational Shays and several more on display, all of them ordered between 1906 and 1910.

[@ashleymarie7452]

My grandfather, Robert Andrew Hivick, was in charge of the rolling stock on the West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company railway out of Cass, West Virginia. This was back around 1900. He selected the Shay engines for the reasons described in this video. This type of engine is still running on that railroad today.

[@chollocks]

Then there was " The Beast of Bilston"

[@bobzillarbt8062]

Cass also has a climax and a heisler

[@alanjanos652]

I agree that "sidewinder" was used as a quite-appropriate nickname for the Shay and Willamette locomotives, but I think that "stemwinder" was a term used more for the Climax and Heisler locomotives which had a centrally-located driveshaft under the locomotive.

[@YeOldeGeezer]

Yea this channel gets its info from Wikipedia

[@Tadfafty]

The mispronunciation of Willamette in this video is painful.

[@ducky_y_]

I agree

[@afoxwithahat7846]

After watching some gameplays of Railroads Online I'm so happy whenever someone mentions Climax and Heisler

[@HNAnorway]

@@afoxwithahat7846 RRO fans unite in their love for Heisler and Climax.

[@Double_D__]

It is always *fascinating* finding out moments in history where some inventor slapped together a vehicle or invention that by complete happenstance becomes successful. Also, I appreciate the use of Spirit Tracks music, good on you for that.

[@class28studios78]

You know, I remember going to Cass, West Virginia and riding in one of the excursion trains pulled by Shay No. 11. It was the first (and as of now the only) steam locomotive I ever rode on. (those were good times)

[@aidenray6286]

Yeah cass is pretty beautiful it’s my favorite thing about West Virginia

[@andwly]

I went there for my birthday one year. Fantastic excursion.

[@starfilmsanimation]

Beat me to it, that’s the first thing I thought of when they mentioned Shay.

[@Pepperknight341]

No. 6 here.

[@nzo_6543]

@@Pepperknight341 idk these days Shay Big 6 is gone for couple years or idk.

[@Desmaad]

Don't forget the other geared steam locos like the Climax and Heisler types!

[@lowrangemaniac5326]

The Heisler is my favourite!

[@nzo_6543]

@@lowrangemaniac5326 yeah, like the uh center crankshaft movement and side rods on their driving wheels or so.

[@Dave_Sisson]

There is a Climax operating on a tourist railway on the outskirts of Melbourne. It is a very strange looking beast.

[@jackholmesdiscovereranglos7891]

My favourite geared steam though is the Shay engine and the British Made Garratts

[@Desmaad]

@@jackholmesdiscovereranglos7891 Garratts were articulated, but not gear-driven.

[@Ryder-a-Blaze]

Imagine accidentally creating one of the most successful engine designs ever

[@badrobie86]

22 years after the release of the Railroad tycoon 2, I finally got the all the answers to why the Truck Shay loco in the game is so slow, but cheap and effective on the grade.

[@1981deloreanfan]

He’s a lumberjack, he’s ok He sleeps all night and he works all day

[@lukechristmas3951]

He's a lumberjack, that's a fact. Built his own loco, to run the track.

[@WarHeroA21]

He cuts down trees, he builds new trains, he goes to the lavatory

[@cobbss1405]

I got to ride a shay locomotive last summer, all the moving parts was so memorizing, those locos are works of art behind those massive boilers.

[@Lucat_Here]

This has given me a new appreciation for the shay, thanks Train of thought!

[@55_tage_lang]

Why are u evey where?

[@Lucat_Here]

@@55_tage_lang cuz I have time to comment before I go to school and I’ve been subscribed for most of the channels life

[@aidenray6286]

Fun fact: the oldest operational shay locomotive ( number 5) is working at the Cass Scenic Railroad State Park in West Virginia.

[@Waldbahner]

Fun fact 2: and never did somewhere else. cn 1503 was home at Cass all her live.

[@nzo_6543]

One more fun fact: WM Shay #6 "Big Six" is the youngest on Cass and last largest shays ever built, She's now currently at Cass Shop doing a boiler inspection

[@UntouchedWagons]

The Shays have always been one of my favourite locomotives. I think in Railroad Tycoon 3 they were classified as Mountain Kings alongside the Big Boys.

[@JohnGeorgeBauerBuis]

I’ll have to check my chart, but I believe you are correct!

[@katerinakittycat3849]

Yes they were simply meaning it could climb just about any grade

[@rucarnuts13]

Very slow, very controversial-looking, but very powerful and very capable beasts indeed. It was said that, for their size and weight, they were the most powerful and capable steam locomotive design of them all - and with Shay’s being able to tackle over 12% gradients with a train in-tow… I wouldn’t doubt that claim. Excellent video as always! Could you do the other two major types of geared steam locomotives at some point in the future too? There’s a lot of interesting factoids about them, such as the superb mechanical engineering of the Heisler, or the Class A Climax which was a steam locomotive with a 2-speed transmission, or how the Class B and C Climaxes were so poorly-made and designed that they vibrated badly-enough to literally shake themselves apart.

[@ryandavis7593]

They in fact vibrate badly but not to the point of going to pieces. The are very well built locomotives and can endure a tremendous amount of abuse. Having operated two I can speak with authority on this subject. They are rough riding machines and can be difficult to fire but are exceedingly reliable. There were a few “unfortunate” units built like the West Side “Rolling Six Spot”. This particular locomotive was a notorious crew killer but kept getting put back together. Finally she killed one to many crews and was scrapped on the spot. There has been speculation that she had something wrong that caused this issue but I seriously doubt it. Some locomotives just are just unlucky. Some others live a charmed existence. One Charmed locomotive that I worked on was the Ex D&RGW 3004. She never had a major accident even when she went to the CVRR in Kansas. She is a diesel. She got hit by a truck that picked her up and set her down on the adjacent track with only minor damage. The truck driver was able to walk away with minor injuries. Greetings from the high plains of Texas.

[@rucarnuts13]

@@ryandavis7593 How interesting. For every lemon Climax I know of, I’ve heard that others don’t have nearly as many issues. Granted, my only experiences with Climaxes have been with Moore Keppel #9 and Hillcrest Lumber #10 - both of which are walschaerts-geared Class C Climaxes, so maybe they’re more problematic than stephenson-geared Class B’s. But Moore Keppel & Co #9 has had a myriad of issues since being restored in 2019, from what I understand with my discussions with the people who’ve worked on #9. It’s why, since being restored in 2019, #9 has only been run on a handful of occasions. And Hillcrest Lumber #10, which I’ve had direct experience with before some years back, is well-known to be a lemon. You name it, #10 has broken it and it’s all because of #10’s strong vibration at operating speed. I don’t know why exactly some have more issues than others. As I said above, I suspect it may be differences in design. Maybe Class C’s with their extra truck to drive causes more driveline strain, or maybe issues arise in balancing their engine units when they switch valve gear design. But seeing as no walschaerts Class B’s are currently running to my knowledge, there’s probably no way to confirm or deny that theory. Anyway, thank you for replying! :D

[@eryhv]

I remember seeing a Shay at the NC Transportation Museum! It was quite an odd sight, but this has given me a newfound appreciation for them, I had no Idea they could be so versatile!

[@ericemmons3040]

They were able to run over light and uneven track, which described many, if not most, logging railroads in the U. S., and up steep grades which would have been extremely difficult, if not impossible, for standard rod engines to climb. Top speed of a Shay was around 15 mph. . .

[@elijahbeebout5059]

1:56 I have actually been a conductor on this train. It was a lot of fun!

[@BHuang92]

You should cover the Kitson-Still steam locomotive! A very fascinating hybrid!

[@JohnGeorgeBauerBuis]

I wish someone would build a replica of that. Wilt would probably need an auxiliary tender for water (and perhaps a condenser, too) these days, since water stops tend to be farther apart these days and can only supply water more slowly.

[@Toonrick12]

​@@JohnGeorgeBauerBuisThe closest thing is a mod for Transport Fever 2.

[@rossbryan6102]

THERE WAS A SHAY USED BY A REGULAR RAILROAD! KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN USED THE SHAY AS A LOCAL SWITCHER IN THE NORTHERN INDUSTRIAL AREAS OF KANSAS CITY MISSOURI. THIS AREA WAS HILLY AND MANY SHARP CURVES AS WELL! MANY SMALL FACTORIES AND NUMEROUS WAREHOUSES COVERED THE AREA SERVED! IN SHORT, THE PERFECT APPLICATION OF A SHAY!!

[@qaisismail2662]

This is like of those moments In history Where you just do what are you doing And suddenly accidentally create something useful

[@lukechristmas3951]

I've always had a fascination with the Shay locomotives. And so this has been a real treat to learn the full history of the very first Shay locomotive. Thank you!

[@GLA741]

I had no idea the Shays were a slap together design. Really does go to show how far improvision can do. And they really are magnificent, powerful. And cool looking locos. And IMO they have the best whisle, it a higher pitch sound thats just sounds majestic in the mountains unlike low pitch Class 1 steam loco whistles.

[@kevwebb2637]

They are a Lima built, they are equipped with a Step top 5-Chime (same whistle SRR #3 used.)

[@stevensolway1054]

Shays' whistles can be heard for a 5 mile radius and with the echoing across the hills it can be even further and the reverb continues long after it actually stops.

[@J3scribe]

Watching a shay in motion is one of the great joys of railroading. They are remarkable machines by any standard.

[@irondiamondrailproductions9038]

True story. I had a friend who ran faster than a shay once, even the crew were surprised.

[@ericemmons3040]

Top speed of a Shay is around 15 mph, and they are usually slower than that, so I'm not surprised that your friend could outrun it. I talked to one of the engineers on the Cass Scenic Railroad in West Virginia a few years ago who told me that if he attempted to run any of their shays at 15 mph, it would feel as if the engine was about to shake itself to pieces. . .

[@irondiamondrailproductions9038]

@@ericemmons3040 yeah, I’ve seen one go top speed before and break down right in front of me once.

[@ZackarySchejbalCODBO2RGM2]

@@irondiamondrailproductions9038 Shay: You may be faster, but you aren't stronger.

[@1_railfan]

The fact that the shay Locomotives were originally scratch built on a flatbed surprised me. It's somewhat similar to the lawnmower, the original #5 of the Talyllyn Railway before Midlander.

[@PlutoProtogen]

the shay class is an incredible engine, a beautiful piece of tech

[@steelblue8]

Shays and heislers are quite possibly my fav steam locos because their design is so novel and so different, but extremely effective

[@garryferrington811]

Thanks for the images! I've never seen the first one. Shays ran on tight curves and really extreme grades no standard engine could handle, as well as crude, temporary track. I've seen photos of Shays running on rails made of logs! We have several Shays running here in California as well as a Heisler geared engine on display not far from where I reside.

[@mainemail5506]

Hearing that spirits track theme hit me with a thousand pounds of nostalgia

[@GuretoSefirosu]

I have ridden on one or two of these here in The USA when I was a kid. We have photos of my brother and I near the locomotives. Real pictures, this was pre-cellular...

[@nathancorcoran5347]

I saw many Shay steam locomotives. Like Roaring Camp & Big Trees Narrow Gauge Railroad, Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad, and other railroads. They are the most popular of the three kinds of geared locomotives, the two others the Heisler and Climax are amazing like the Shay too.

[@Lord_Foxy13]

My hometown actually has one of these preserved as a static display, it's beautifully preserved although I'll be honest... I've grown to somewhat dislike the Shay's aesthetics... But as a kid that was the coolest thing to me

[@JohnGeorgeBauerBuis]

Not that it would make much sense except in a very windy place, but a streamlined Shay would look gorgeous!

[@ericemmons3040]

They may look somewhat offset and clumsy, but they are fascinating to watch in action. . .

[@PraxZimmerman]

Function over form is a powerful ascetic that only the strongest of wills can apreciate

[@heisyburger]

Very interesting rail history lesson and an unexpected trip down memory lane with Spirit Tracks 👌🏼

[@zyoninkiro]

When I was a kid, I always loved looking at the J. Neills Lumber Co, Shay that was preserved by the St Regis Paper Company in my hometown of Libby, Montana. It stood just outside the now long demolished office where the St Regis employees (including my dad) got their paychecks. Fortunately after the mill was finally shut down and sold for parts, the locomotive was donated to a local museum. If any rail buffs are passing through Libby, the Shay can be found at the Heritage Museum on US-2 south of town.

[@uncinarynin]

One of those exotic designs that I as an European have never heard of until I came across them on the internet.

[@mattevans4377]

Shop keeper: I'm sorry sir, we don't sell steam locomotives. Mr Shay: Fine, I'll do it myself.....

[@ArtyI]

0:23 sometimes we all want to say “sod this I’m going to be a lumberjack”

[@wheels-n-tires1846]

I grew up with the 2.4 car garage completely full of a HO model railroad layout. Dad had modeled a mainline, and had all the famous engines and stock...Cab Forwards, BigBoys, Beautiful Pacifics with passenger trains, and seemungly zillions of dollars worth of other beautifully weathered brass engines, etc... But after discovering them, all i wanted to do was add a mine and logging branch and run my Shays...!!! The monsters of steam are cool, but still have a soft spot for those amazing gear driven locos!!!

[@HeavyTanker-vx4oq]

All I'm going to say. Hearing the Spirit Tracks soundtrack is always wonderful.

[@rangerstl07]

Dude, there was no accident involved here. This guy was insanely clever and this also happened in the first few decades of steam locomotive use. He knew what he needed and was able to describe it well enough to the Lima machine works that they manufactured excellent geared drive trains for his early prototypes. You Brits. "Accident", indeed.

[@murph2090]

That's more inline with what my reading has indicated, as well, but I enjoyed this humorous spin on it.

[@pancakebob553]

I've actually ridden on Shay #9 before! Midwest Old Threshers Reunion has it in operation

[@oj8086]

an episode on the climax type of locomotive would be pretty cool as it is also a pretty weird looking locomotive like the shay locomotive.

[@danielgrey7109]

I know of a little steam attraction in my area that has a Shay locomotive. They restored and revealed it a few years ago during an anniversary, for which I was present. I think it had been caught in a fire, which was why it needed to be restored. I think it was No. 7, and the attraction is called the Hesston Steam Show.

[@cadetkohr5508]

If you have the chance, would you mind doing videos on the Climax and Heisler locomotives? I can't get enough of geared steam engines.

[@theextremeanimator4721]

Jesus... I love this man... ...like, he improvised the whole thing by HIMSELF!?

[@firstnamlastnam2141]

I got to go into the cab of one once at the Hesston Steam Museum in Hesston, Indiana (go figure) when I was little. It was really cool. That one in particular had been in a nasty shed fire a while back and had to go through a lot of overhauls, but you couldn't tell now.

[@SimJackson]

"Sod this office Job, I'm going to become a lumberjack" 🤣🤣

[@MackeyBigBoy4014]

I’ve rode behind a couple Shays at this time. While I’ll admit that they are the world’s slowest steam locomotives, they are very unique and have a lot of history.

[@ZackarySchejbalCODBO2RGM2]

What they lack in speed they excel in raw power and flexibility.

[@mortified776]

Always thought the Shays were really interesting but I didn't know their origin story was too!

[@machanicalgu]

If “hold my beer” was a steam locomotive

[@stebig987]

I have been watching a few of your videos I have subscribed today because this one really hits close to home and I really appreciate your attention to detail in compiling the facts can't wait for the next one!

[@QuintonMurdock]

Ramshackle logging locomotives are my favorite things and the Shay is my favorite class of locomotive in my favorite family of locomotives

[@springartist3454]

I visited Roaring Camp last week while camping, and got to see their No.1 Dixiana in person. I was absolutely thrilled to see it in motion, let alone go on the ride up and down the mountain, as the only other time I'd seen a shay was up in Shasta at a Caboose Hotel(it's weird but cool) and that one was on static display. Definitely my favorite American steamer

[@Narrowgaugefilms]

These were pretty utilitarian machines, and were put through all sorts of modifications by the companies that owned them, including things like gauge changes. It's not hard to imagine bits and pieces of them ending up powering sawmills and such. The most unusual shay mod was those few times they cleared off everything above frame level and refit them for diesel power. They looked like diesels up top, but down below they were still driveshafts, bevel gears and four wheel trucks.

[@terryforshee5203]

I saw these back in the 70’s at Cass Scenic Mountain RR. Fond memories of riding in the passenger car up and and down the mountain with soot and ash chugging overhead.

[@captainred22449]

These are my favorite type of locomotives. I love seeing them at Cass Scenic Railroad

[@imitt12]

There's a partially-restored Lima-built Shay Class B on display at the World Forestry Museum in Portland, Oregon, USA. #2172, I believe, eventually nicknamed "Peggy." Built 1909, it was in service until 1950 and was originally wood-burning, but converted to oil some time before 1928. I've been coming to the museum my entire life, but didn't realize what it was until I saw this video.

[@Christopherlidis]

I love the background music, it's fitting for the video and so nostalgic for me!!

[@blackbirdgaming8147]

Thank you for covering Shays! They’re truly fascinating machines. I can imagine that if they weren’t somewhat complex, there would probably be more operating examples in the world than there already are.

[@blackstorm118]

Ngl shays are still my favorite type of locomotive. It could be a bias of me growing up near one with a running line, but man something about them really are beautiful to me.

[@tracynation2820]

Super video. I have always wanted to kitbash a fantasy four truck Shay, Climax, Willamette, or Heisler for my model railroad with 'D' trucks, not 'B' trucks. (Yes, eight 'B' trucks, with three Shay two truck tenders would be impressive, but not the same as four 'D' eight wheeled geared trucks under a standard lengthened four truck Shay.) Can you imagine a 32 wheeled Shay steam locomotive? I bet that it would pull the wallpaper right off of the wall. I have always liked geared locomotives, but a book about the two foot gauge Gilpin Tramway Shays in Colorado really got things going, and then a friend remodeled his two truck Shay into a six truck Shay (B+B-B+B-B+B) by adding two two truck Shay tenders and buying a rear geared 'B' power truck for the locomotive with an output shaft to connect the drive shaft to the two tenders. The Shay model that he built is awesome, even approaching 50 years old, and will easily pull 75 cars. I dimly remember one "Shay" type of locomotive pictured in a book from a foreign country that had six wheel geared trucks, but I have only seen 'B' trucks on all of the geared locomotives in America. 💙 T.E.N.

[@WasatchWind]

I love the use of the Spirit Tracks music!

[@blakeosaurus2477]

This video made me fall in love with Shay locomotives

[@IndustrialParrot2816]

there are loads of the things over here in the pacific northwest which was once home to the largest logging companies in north america all the way from northern california to alaska

[@ryguygaming06]

I've got an interesting idea for a video, the portage flyer, one of the world's shortest commercially operated railways. The history behind it is quite intriguing and would fit the short video format well. It was a railway between two lakes in muskoka, ontario, canada.

[@mrnemo204]

0:18 Spirit Tracks Music!

[@phroogo...]

The heislers and shays have always been by favorite smaller locos ever since I found out about them.

[@Noblereach36]

I rode on a shay in Cass, West Virginia. It was a 2 hour trip up a mountain. It still burns coal too. I shot some super 8 video of it. I just sent my film in so it will be a few weeks but when I receive it again I’ll upload the video to my channel.

[@jaysonlima7196]

Got to love the old Lima locomotives

[@swordkirbyfilms7747]

I only figured this out because a trip I took recently to West Virginia and Pennsylvania. The shay in the thumbnail is the one at the Pennsylvania Railroad Museum in Strasburg.

[@michaeltaylor1603]

It is TRULY one of my favorite locomotive designs. I've vacationed riding them in the US. Even been invited for a cab ride! Though it was a rod engine. Georgetown Loop (rode in cab) they have Shay's as well. Yosemite Sugar Pine (cab ride) Roaring Camp (cab ride) Cass (peek into cab) before return trip. Run by of loco @ Rail Fair 1999 & in Jamestown, CA. With throttle open, sounds like they are going 60 MPH! They are indeed going about 12-15 MPH. LOL! Heisler's look pretty cool too.

[@WesternOhioInterurbanHistory]

I actually did a project in 5th Grade about the Shay. I had to dress up as the creator, Epriham Shay.

[@Pepperknight341]

There actually was a shay that was shipped to the UK once. It was called the Bliston Shay.

[@technoheretic]

I was looking through the comments to see if someone mentioned this Shay. I can't find any photos of it unfortunately

[@murph2090]

Thanks for this fun video. I've been reading up a lot on my 3x Great Grandfather, Ephraim Shay, and this is the only time I've heard the story put in quite this way. It gave me a good chuckle even if it makes the invention sound a bit more slapjack than most accounts indicate.

[@Danger_mouse]

Shays were used in Queensland Australia for hauling sugar cane from farms to the mills. There's one as an attraction in a park not far from where I live.

[@caydenworley5002]

I think geared locos are such an interesting and genius thing that I’m surprised wasn’t more popular overseas. The soundtrack they make is so interesting cause they sound like they’re doing a million and yet most geared locomotives you can outrun for the most part. I’ve seen that locomotive in your thumbnail in person and in the museum there’s a Hesiler and Climax behind it. It’s basically taking the concept of all wheel drive car but applying it to a steam engine.

[@RailPreserver2K]

I've had the pleasure of visiting cast of three times love the locomotives there as well as visiting Durbin twice.

[@spadesofpaintstudios1719]

By far one of the most interesting steam designs their probably is and one of my favorites as well 😂. Great to see how it started off has just a boiler and pistons on a flatbed car adds more to the engine

[@K-o-R]

"Have you ever tried to make a DMU by slapping a bus onto a flatbed and accidentally created one of the most successful trains ever? No, but they did make a Pacer."

[@Titan604]

Pacers were a bit of a one trick pony. Very successful at being cheap, but not much else.

[@f4rlgaming951]

I just noticed you were using Spirit track song I forgot which one though

[@freddieellis8449]

I do love a Shay.

[@gormauslander]

Very interesting, was not expecting the field theme from spirit tracks at the end

[@nauvalghaina8616]

Summary "Let's slap a leftover boiler and parts onto a spare flatbed we have. What could've gone wrong?" *Years later while looking a while back on top of a pile of money* "I was certainly wasn't expecting this"

[@Pirate-Scorcher-1998]

118 preserved, That’s a big number

[@GTRadicle]

I have a book called The locomotives portraits. And this was my favorite ENGINE in it.

[@xrayperforator]

In Railroad Tycoon 2 The Shay was perfect for steep tracks to run heavy trains with logs, coal or iron ore on peripheral lines. It was also very reliable and had low maintenance costs. I loved it!

[@Froggyman145]

The "Eventually, Shay needed some sort of locomotive to run the line." bit got me laughing cause it implies that at some point after the line was finished there was a conversation that went something like "Well Mr. Shay, it was a bitch of a job but we got it done. So, where's the engine you bought to run on this thing?" "The what"

[@doucettealexander98]

I've said it in other corners of the internet and now i'm going to say it here Shay's are kickass

[@jackholmesdiscovereranglos7891]

We had Shay locomotives in Australia. The Wolgan Valley Railway. Australian standard gauge shay locomotives that ran on the Newnes oil and shale works railway line The Line opened in late 1906 and the last regular train ended in the mid 1930s. The Line was dismantled in 1940

[@xymaryai8283]

oh man i absolutely love the videogame music that is being used in youtube videos, Zelda: Spirit Tracks is super underrated

[@haugstule]

small gauge railway is so exotic, i don't think your viewers would be less enthusiastic if you made videos about small gauge stuff.

[@fluffywolfo3663]

3:14 Oh hey, there's BIG SIX. Fun fact - this is actually the largest shay that currently exists.

[@jonahhex6593]

Yo that Spirit Tracks soundtrack is a blast from the past

[@teaandtinglesasmr2413]

I love shay locomotives ! The first steam locomotive I ever got to see in person was Shay No.2147 at the Townsend Tennessee logging museum and ever since I've been in love with them !

[@Spaceman33393]

I love Shays, made in a shed, strong and versatile, and looks really cool when running.

[@artificialunintelligence2074]

This engine was held together with ducttape and dreams

[@alwaysbearded1]

I recognize the Shay next to the water tank. It's part of Roaring Camp and Big Trees RR. A ride on that line will show you what these locos are capable of as they run up and down steep mountains using switchbacks to traverse the hill. While in college I lived literally across the river from the operation. I can still hear the winter work whistles and summer excursion whistles. My childhood buddy's father bought him stock so when he goes there he can just show them his certificates and he and his wife get a free ride.

[@Straswa]

Great work ToT! I really like your content. I like the Shays, I had the chance to see one up-close at the Mid-continent Railway museum in North Freedom, Wisconsin.

[@henny6932]

I love the Spirit Tracks Music!