Regarding the Steamlines Shay with the famed "Osmotor". I bought one of the early Shay kits in 1991. I found that to get "ok" slow speed running the "break in" period was long. For the best running I did a lot of tweaking to the springs that provide pressure on the buttons that hold the cylinders to the port faces. Polishing the buttons as well as the surface that they rub on is also important. The addition of a super heater and flue baffle proved effective as well.
I always thought that the dual spring buttons were the main problem with this particular design. Unlike the center spring of the Mamod (and others) the extra springs and buttons, as well as the fact that they had to scrub in an arc, caused additional friction and hence poor slow speed running. Although I sold the Shay I still have one of Tom Cooper's 0-6-0 Austerity's with an Osmotor. It still runs very well and will pull like crazy with it's "sticky" cast iron drivers. GaryB -----
