M-MMM,
I don't remember selling that Burns fellow a Shay. It was probably stolen
like my eye glasses, camera, toilet roll, programs and girl friends. Now I
know who sneaked everything back into my pockets or back on the bed in my
room (except the girl friend and the Shay!!)
When a chap's very beautiful wife is so attracted to an old duffer like me
one can understand why Mr Bloomin' Burns takes pot shots at me!
In truth, that Shay is a fascinating loco to run, one of the most
impressive features is the very fine three cyl engine. I did not assemble
it from a kit but I believe it was assembled by the retail store whence I
purchased it. (1979) .
I understand that Aster provided the kit with the engine portion already
assembled--good thinking!! The drive gears and the gears on the wheels
were not meshing properly and I found it necessary to install a thrust
ball and spring on the axle ends opposite the gears in order to keep them
properly engaged without binding. No doubt there are other means of
solving that problem.
Gotta go, I had a complete knee replacement 3 weeks ago and that cotton
picking surgeon has stolen my old knee!
Geoff.
Geoff.
., I own two of these nice Shays. One I really bot out of sympathy for
>an older man who was complaining about people stealing all his stuff!
>Things like programs, eye glasses and cameras. Turned out that Geoff
>Spenceley had merely misplaced these things! To the matter of burn time,
>it is my impression that it is normal and not shorter than other typical
>engines. Alcohol fuel, I believe, is not as subject to problems of cool
>weather as is gas firing! You can use the proper type water heated
>indoors on wife's stove, to get to pressure quicker. The speed is slow
>due to gears, but prototypical geared engines all ran slow. It looks
>good with several log cars behind it. The gears give it good power, as
>they did in real scale. I like mine. Jim Burns
>
>"Z.R. Struzik" wrote:
>
>> Fellow live steamers,
>>
>> Does anyone of you have any experience with the Aster
>> Alisan Shay?
>>
>> I wonder how difficult it is to steam and to control?
>> >From the Netherlands point of view it is also important
>> to know how sensitive it is to cold weather.
>>
>> The boiler is the pot type, and from what I understand
>> this is not being used on recent Aster (or anyone else's)
>> releases.
>> Also its capacity is quite small, 140cc. This probably
>> means a rather short running time...
>>
>> I have no experience at all with methyl fueling but I
>> would be willing to try it.
>> There is a Shay for sale which has reportedly never been
>> steamed yet (in 23 years!!) A good opportunity for
>> collectors but I need a well working machine...
>>
>> Also acquiring it would mean postponing the Aster C&S Mogul
>> kit for substantial length of time, so I have to think hard.
>>
>> Please share your own or recounted opinions!
>> Thank you,
>> Zbigniew
>>
>> PS I believe Alishan is a more appropriate spelling of the
>> name, see http://www.atmos.ucla.edu/~cwhung/alishan.html
>>
>
