Shays Or Other Geared Locos?

[NorthernWarrior]

Do we know if there are currently any available for RW-TS, from any source?

Reason for asking, I'm currently building something based very loosely on the Tamalpais and Muir Woods Railway ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Tama ... ds_Railway ) in Trainz, but not very happy at how it looks having taken a quick test drive this morning. Really want to have a crack in TS2014 but the prototype had up to 7% grades and curvature < 50m radius and was worked by a combination of Shay locos and gravity propulsion. From what I can see it is going to be very difficult to find anything for TS2014 that can cope with those conditions. One solution might be to do as the prototype intended and electrify the route, but would have to be compromised to use main line style locos (perhaps the AEM7 from the NEC) or EMU's as apart from the one freeware PCC style streetcar at UKTS there isn't much in the way of trolley/tram stuff either.

[mrennie]

Do we know if there are currently any available for RW-TS, from any source?

Reason for asking, I'm currently building something based very loosely on the Tamalpais and Muir Woods Railway ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Tama ... ds_Railway ) in Trainz, but not very happy at how it looks having taken a quick test drive this morning. Really want to have a crack in TS2014 but the prototype had up to 7% grades and curvature < 50m radius and was worked by a combination of Shay locos and gravity propulsion. From what I can see it is going to be very difficult to find anything for TS2014 that can cope with those conditions. One solution might be to do as the prototype intended and electrify the route, but would have to be compromised to use main line style locos (perhaps the AEM7 from the NEC) or EMU's as apart from the one freeware PCC style streetcar at UKTS there isn't much in the way of trolley/tram stuff either.

Hi Vern,

Yes, Britkits (Dick Cowen) has some Shays.

[fraserm]

Hi Vern,

Yes, Britkits (Dick Cowen) has some Shays.

Vern - this link will take you directly to Dick's steam page:
http://www.dickyjim.com/page26.html
Check out his other stuff too. you'll like it all! (IMHO...)
Best,
Marc

[gwgardner]

I just posted in this forum several screenshots of the Britkit Shay B on the 6% grades of my Railworks route, Cimarron & Pacific. Take a look in the screenshots sub-forum, the 'any era' thread.

The ShayB will push up to four empty ore cars up that grade. Probably would handle more logging flats.

[NorthernWarrior]

That looks very promising.

I think Mr Cowen may be getting a visit from my wallet in next months train simming allowance!

[Toripony]

There are also repaints of Dick's shays in the library here:
http://railworksamerica.com/index.php/d ... e-repaints
We run them on the very curvy COA BLC logging track at up to 9% grade. Be careful to smooth out the grade changes on your track.

[gwgardner]

There are also repaints of Dick's shays in the library here:
http://railworksamerica.com/index.php/d ... e-repaints
We run them on the very curvy COA BLC logging track at up to 9% grade. Be careful to smooth out the grade changes on your track.

How long a consist can the ShayB handle on the 9% grade?

[Toripony]

Sorry, I can't really answer that. I've only ran it with the Skeleton Log car from GN and only brought 3 loaded cars down the hill (w/car hand brakes on); never tried taking loads up the hill since that wouldn't make sense. On this particular hill on the BLC section, the limitation is space... only about 4 car lengths fit in the switchback.

[NorthernWarrior]

Having done a quick terrain extract for the Tamalpais, I suspect it might be just a little extreme for RW-TS. Some of the curves are down to around 25m which would be tight, even for narrow gauge so goodness knows how they got even SG Shays and cars up there. The only track rule which offers a radius that tight is Ryo's tram one and for a route intended to go on Workshop it needs to be taken from an available built in or DLC route, not third party or your own mashup.

Will do a bit more research - there's a couple of coal branches in West Virginia (Keeney's Creek for one) that were operated by Shays which could offer a slightly less extreme option.

[PamBrooker]

NorthernWarrior, are you a Marinite??? My old stomping grounds.. Lived there from 73 - 85.. I still consider it one of my all time favorite places..