But, look at it from the Right side, and you will see what makes it go,
These gears and pistons allow the shay to pull greater loads, up steeper grades, more efficiently than most other classes of locomotives. The overall length of the Shay, is 52 Feet. Also a credit to it’s design is that compared to other locomotives it is light. Only 137,000 Lbs. It’s Gauge is the standard 4’ 8-1/2”. The piston system transfers the pulling force, to the wheels, via, the connecting rods and gears (shown here):
The Shay was designed by Ephraim Shay, in the 19th Century. He had to design a locomotive that was light, and that had all the qualities mentioned above, and be able to move among trees for logging use. This pictured Shay was produced by the Lima Locomotive & Machine Co. in 1906.
The First Shay, was purchased by Milton J, Bond in Michigan. Bond was a lumberman, who saw the value of the Shay. As the production of the Shay’s increased, so did their size. The larger size ended up with 3 cylinders. In 1946 the Largest Shay was built for the Western Maryland Railroad. The Heaviest was produced for the Greenbriar, Cheat and Elk Railroad. It was built by Lima, and then modified by the Cass Shops of the GC&E RR. It ended up weighing an estimated 200 Tons.
The most popular Shays were the 42 Ton Two Truck, and the 65 to 70 Ton, Three Truck. The Shay pictured here (From The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania) has been used by, numerous Railroads, including:
Enterprise Lumber Co., Sims Louisiana, Cherry River Boom and Lumber Co, Richwood, WV, F.C.Cook & Co.,Alexander, WV.,Beech Mt. RR Alexander, WV., Cook-Natwick, Alexander, WV,. Ely Thomas Lumber Co., Fenwick, WV.