Shay Locomotive - Canada Museum of Science and Technology

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• published: 05 Sep 2013
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The Shay Geared Steam Locomotive, one of one hundred and sixteen known to remain worldwide (another five questionable and another six Willamette style Shays), was originally conceived by the American lumber merchant Ephraim Shay. The patent was sold to Lima Machine Works (eventually Locomotive Works Inc.) of Lima, Ohio who refined the concept and produced 2,768 Shays over a period of 67 years (1878-1945). The museum's Shay is composed of parts from two locomotives, one constructed in 1923, and the other in 1925. Both were constructed for the Merrill & Ring Lumber Co., Ltd and used in forestry operations at Theodosia Arm, British Columbia. The Shay was branded as the "strong man of the woods" because of its distinctive and unique mechanical workings, making it highly efficient in the logging industry. Immediately noticeable is the Shay's offset boiler to the left, positioned there in order to make room for the three cylinder engine mounted vertically on the right. The engine's pistons turn the crank shaft which is connected on both ends by universal and slip joints to the line shafts on the front and rear trucks. These transmit power to both axles on each truck by way of bevel gearing. Thus, all wheels are driven and produce tractive or pulling force of 22,580 pounds (10, 242 Kg), allowing the Shay to move along the steep grades of British Columbia's mountainous terrain while hauling substantial loads. With its flexible (pivoting and rotating) trucks, extra wide tires on each wheel and all axles powered design, the Shay Geared Steam Locomotive was able to negotiate the unrefined forestry railways that would easily stop or derail a conventional rod locomotive.