Photos and videos show my K-Line die-cast model of Lackawanna Coal & Lumber Company #2 (K3438-0002CC), a Class B 60-ton two-truck Shay steam locomotive that appeared on the market around 2006. Shays were geared machines used mostly in low-speed logging operations where they had to negotiate uneven track and tight turns. They were propelled by three vertical steam cylinders whose connecting rods turned a crankshaft connected to the drive wheels by two external driveshafts, sliding joints, universal joints, and bevel gears. These components, on the engineer’s side of the engine, are seen in motion as the model runs. The fireman’s side has no external drive-train components.
I hadn’t run my Shay in almost fifteen years. At first it ran with hesitation with cruise control on, so I turned off the cruise and the engine ran perfectly after that. The sounds came on at about 10 volts and the locomotive was running at about 11 volts (23 miles-per-hour) in the videos. In my opinion, this is the most interesting locomotive that I own to watch in operation.
MELGAR
