THE HUDSON CENTRAL VALLEY RAILROAD SHAY PAGE

We will be moving all of the Shay info to this page as soon as time permits. The engine is progressing nicely and I will be adding a lot of photos as soon as I figure out this new computer. Stay tuned!

THE PARTIALLY FINISHED 3 CYL ENGINE

THE PARTIALLY FINISHED 3 CYL ENGINE CRANKSHAFT INSTALLED

THE FINISHED 3 CYL ENGINE

The finished engine runs perfectly on air. It runs excellent in forward and reverse. It took 1 year 2 months and 5 days to complete. I will try to be faster finishing the loco. I hope to mount the engine to the chassis in the next two weeks. The engine has been, by far, the most difficult piece of the loco to build. Check back often, and I will try to have more pics and text added.

CARVING OUT CONNECTING RODS

FINISHED CONNECTING RODS

CRANKSHAFT PARTS AND VALVE ECCENTRICS AND STRAPS

THE CHASSIS WITH BOILER MOUNTING STARTED

FRONT TRUCK

TRUCKS MOUNTED TO CHASSIS

ENGINE MOUNTED & CAB GOING UP. I WILL PUT UP A BETTER PICTURE SOON.

The beginnings of the plumbing. A couple of Locoparts large scale water glasses

Here are six new pictures of the Shay. I am trying to finish it in the next couple of months. These photos were taken October 9, 2005.

Purple heart endbeams. This stuff is hard as a rock.

THE NEXT THREE PICTURES WERE TAKEN FEB. 12, 2006. A LOT MORE PROGRESS. END BEAMS DONE. POLING POCKETS, STEPS, AND COUPLERS INSTALLED.

THE NUMBER PLATE ON THE SMOKEBOX DOOR IS MY FIRST ATTEMPT, AT MAKING SOMETHING I CAN USE, ON MY NEW CNC MILL.

THE CYLINDERS ARE EQUIPPED WITH PRIME AUTOMATIC DRAIN COCKS. THESE ARE REAL NICE ITEMS FROM SUPERSCALE. THEY ARE CONTROLLED BY A 3 WAY EXHAUSTING VALVE ALSO FROM SUPERSCALE.

FIVE NEW PICTURES TAKEN MARCH 5, 2006

HERE IS THE REAR LADDER, AND THE REAR SANDERS. THE SANDERS ARE MADE TO WORK IF I EVER DECIDE TO MAKE THEM OPERATIONAL.

DID ANYONE EVER EXPLAIN TO YOU WHAT SHAY LOCOMOTIVES, AND HARLEY DAVIDSONS HAVE IN COMMON? NOBODY EVER WANTS TO TAKE A PICTURE OF THE LEFT SIDE OF EITHER! HERE'S ONE OF THE LEFT SIDE.

THANKS TO ERIC LARSEN AT HORN AND WHISTLE MAGAZINE FOR PUTTING ME IN TOUCH WITH LARRY BANGHAM. AND WITH LARRY'S HELP (HE'S A WHISTLE BUILDER), I WAS ABLE TO BUILD THE ABOVE WHISTLE. IT WAS AN ALL DAY PROJECT, AND STILL NEEDS FINISHING, BUT THIS THING SOUNDS PERFECT. PARDON THE BEER CAN, IT WAS THE ONLY THING IN THE FRIDGE I COULD FIND TO MAKE A SIZE COMPARISON.

THE SHAY IS FINALLY DOWN OFF THE BUILD STAND AND ONTO THE RAILS. I CHARGED THE BOILER WITH AIR AND MADE A COUPLE OF SHORT PASSES. THIS THING HAS UNBELIEVABLE POWER. IT WILL SLIP THE WHEELS WITH JUST A LITTLE TO MUCH THROTTLE. NOW I KNOW WHY THEY WERE THE WORKHORSES OF THE WORLD IN THEIR TIME!

THE AIR TANK IN THE PHOTO BELOW IS FOR THE AIR BRAKE SYSTEM. I USE A SMALL STEAM POWERED AIR PUMP(MOUNTED ON THE LEFT SIDE)TO CHARGE THE SYSTEM. AIR CYLINDERS ON THE TRUCKS APPLY THE BRAKES, WHICH WILL STOP THE LOCO ON A DIME.

THIS IS PROBABLY AN UNLIKELY DOUBLE HEADER, BUT IT LOOKS GOOD JUST THE SAME.

THE WHISTLE IN THE NEXT PICTURE SOUNDS BEAUTIFUL. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ONE, CONTACT ME FOR A PRICE. A NEW WHISTLE WILL INCLUDE A MODIFIED VALVE THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO "PLAY" THE WHISTLE FOR A GREAT SOUND.

I FIRED THE SHAY LAST SUNDAY OCTOBER 22, 2006. AS USUAL, I HAD A FEW BUGS, BUT THEY ARE WORKED OUT. I HOPE TO FIRE AGAIN TOMORROW SUNDAY THE 29TH.

THE PICTURES BELOW WERE TAKEN AT OUR 4TH OF JULY 2007 CELEBRATION

THE NEXT THREE PICTURES ARE FROM SEPTEMBER 8, 2007. WE HAD DAVE GILES AND HIS WIFE LYNNE HERE FROM NEW ZEALAND. DAVE IS THE OWNER OF IKON ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT LTD.