Accucraft Shay #1 gauge, tips?

[v8dave]

Any tips on operating my first live steam locomotive, an Accucraft two cylinder shay in #1 guage. Anything the manual left out that I ought to look for? It may be a while before I get a chance to fire it up. I've no permanent outside track yet and it's rainy season here in Northern Calif. We're just below the snow line, so, I don't have that problem (well, as least not yet anyway).

From viewing Steaming operations at the 2003 Sacramento Garden RR convention, it looks like what ever track I set up to run this on will become permanent "steaming track." Live steam marks it territory like some old cars do.

We're new to this house and I'm currently working on a constructing a shop. I've got to rescue my machine shop from the storage unit it's been in for a year. Future plans call for a garden RR set up first and then a riding scale sometime in the future.

Dave

[trains]

Dave, I have been operating my shay for about 6 months. The manual is pretty good, but a few notes. The fuel valve is very sensative and takes a little practice. Be stingy with the fuel, or you will really heat up the entire front end. You might want to make certain all of the drive train screws are tight also. I had one back out and almost lost it. Make certain you wear gloves to handle it while it is fired up. It gets hot! I am very satisfied with my shay, and I wish you many hours of operating pleasure. <font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by v8dave:
Any tips on operating my first live steam locomotive, an Accucraft two cylinder shay in #1 guage. Anything the manual left out that I ought to look for? It may be a while before I get a chance to fire it up. I've no permanent outside track yet and it's rainy season here in Northern Calif. We're just below the snow line, so, I don't have that problem (well, as least not yet anyway).

From viewing Steaming operations at the 2003 Sacramento Garden RR convention, it looks like what ever track I set up to run this on will become permanent "steaming track." Live steam marks it territory like some old cars do.

We're new to this house and I'm currently working on a constructing a shop. I've got to rescue my machine shop from the storage unit it's been in for a year. Future plans call for a garden RR set up first and then a riding scale sometime in the future.

Dave</font>

[v8dave]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by trains:
Dave, I have been operating my shay for about 6 months. The manual is pretty good, but a few notes. The fuel valve is very sensative and takes a little practice. Be stingy with the fuel, or you will really heat up the entire front end. You might want to make certain all of the drive train screws are tight also. I had one back out and almost lost it. Make certain you wear gloves to handle it while it is fired up. It gets hot! I am very satisfied with my shay, and I wish you many hours of operating pleasure. </font>

Thanks for the note. I'll watch the fuel valve setting. Sounds like it needs a recheck after steam is up.

Dave