| 1906 by Lima Locomotive & Machine Company, Lima, Ohio..Ephraim Shay, a Michigan lumberman, needed to find a way to move timber as cheaply as possible in any type of weather. He set to work developing a locomotive that could operate a heavy train over light rails, steep grades, and sharp curves, while remaining relatively inexpensive to build and maintain. He took his design to the Lima Locomotive Works and launched the beginnings of the remarkable, hard-working Shay locomotives. The Shay had a unique drive train with its pistons and drive shafts set off-center on one side, making maintenance easier. The No. 1 is one of the most common versions of the Shay with several added features: a firebox that could burn wood or coal; a syphon pump that could draw water from streams, and adjustable couplers to accommodate log cars with varying heights. |