Hello , My name is Phil and I live in southwest Ohio. I am interested in steam engines and since moving back to Ohio, and seeing several paddle tow boats on the river and a close up view of several docked at Ripley--interested in a model steam powered paddler.

My experience with steam engines was helping with a Shay locomotive ;also worked as a service tech with a boiler company for a period of time.

I am in the process of putting a workshop in my basement.

Hi PD's & welcome Phil.........

There are some very talented model boat builders here on PD's & quite a few steam enthusiasts too

Keep us posted with your workshop setup......naturally any questions on model vessel construction  ....just ask

There is also an impressive listing of threads & builds in the library.........happy viewing

Derek 

Hi PCCHAP
Welcome to the forum.
"helping with a Shay locomotive"; I take it you mean a full size Shay, not a model?

Oldsmokey,
        Yes, it was a full size 50-ton Shay. For helping with the boiler work , I got to put my greasy palm on the throttle: also the experience of firing the boiler.

Phil

Perhaps it was this one, Roaring Camp and Big Trees Railroad, California?  There is a second one in working order there.
There are also bigger Shays on a preserved line in the east.
We had some in Australia, on at least three gauges.  One is preserved, but not in working order.
Puffing Billy Railway also has one from Taiwan, but as a static museum exhibit.

The Shay was one of several designs for logging railways, with geared drives.  They could haul heavy loads on steep grades, but very slowly.  They also had the flexibility to cope with sharp curves and rough track.

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

Roderick Smith,
     The Shay that I helped with was a two truck Shay. I lived in New York state at the time. The Shay belonged to the Northern New York Railroad Historical Society in Croghan,NY.