Geared Steam

Monday, November 11, 2024

The San Juan Central

J. Neils Shay Rebuild SN-1643 A New Beginning 2020

Hello all, great news.

I was fortunate to receive a email from Wayen Kroeger, as he describes himself "one of the new volunteers" to pick up where we left off several years ago. That is, Mr. Kroeger has volunteered to send me build updates as Mr Dave Eiteen started back in February of 2012.

So, after an 8 year pause, I'm happy to begin again posting updates of Shay 1643.

If your interested in starting from the beginning, click here.

This is picture intensive so keep in mind this is a record of the rebuild of this locomotive. Obviously I'm not a professional writer and I don't try to be, keep this in mind when viewing these pages. We are all volunteers in this journey.

The following pictures and verbiage is from Mr Kroeger, hope you enjoy.

Greetings Dean, I am Wayen Kroeger, one of the new set of volunteers that have taken over the rebuild of Shay 1643. Work has been progressing steadily but slowly on the Shay. It turns out the lower half of the fire box had to be rebuilt. We are currently in the process of reassembling the firebox. The boiler has been removed from the frame which will need extensive repairs. The trucks have been completely disassembled and the wheels are being prepped for being turned at a local machine shop. And of course there are always parts to clean and refurbish.

The building has been completely enclosed with concrete floors.

Inside the engine house with the boiler in the back of the picture and the parts of both trucks on the rails.

Luke Johnson of Toutle Valley Locomotive Works working on one of the patches on the engineers side of the boiler. Also note the long patch on the front of the boiler.

Inside the firebox. The lower portion had to be removed because of excessive corrosion behind the fire brick.

Looking opposite of Photo 1 showing the parts of the trucks and also our 10 T chain hoist.

The frame sitting outside, the front is closest to the camera.

Shooting down the frame.

The rear truck frame.

Check in for more updates!

Thursday, October 5, 2023

ON30 GEAR REPAIR INSTRUCTIONS COURTESY OF BIG LARS AT THE RAILROAD LINE FORUMS.

Updated: Biglars aka Larry's Bachmann gear fix links.

Climax/ https://railroad-line.com/node/28697

Davenport/ https://railroad-line.com/node/28753

Rail bus/ https://railroad-line.com/node/28412

Rail truck/ https://railroad-line.com/node/28687

Shay/ https://railroad-line.com/node/28869

Sunday, August 27, 2023

~~For Sale~~

SOLD

Ready to run beauty, this Pacific Fast Mail is equipped with a Loksound v4 Decoder with keep alive capacitor, front and rear working lights and also comes with firebox flicker on this oil burning locomotive. Completely refurbished with a new Canon motor, cleaned and lubed gears, this baby is quiet and slow running. Besides the keep alive capacitor I also upgraded the power pickups on the trucks so ALL wheels pickup their respective + and - power.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/175877336357

Sunday, August 20, 2023

Milwaukee Road in Great Falls updated

I got these from a Facebook Group "Milwaukee Road in Montana" from contributors John Poush and Scott Janz.

I've looked for 20 years of photos like this of the N Montana line, thank you both for the sharing them with the world.

With that said I'm posting for historical reasons, I want this blog to live forever and provide information for fans like me. I will try to come back and fill in the picture locations when I can.