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This engine is a product of the Matt H. Shay Triplex that was manufactured for the ERIE Railroad in 1916.
It is an articulated engine with six 34" x 32" cylinders. The middle set of cylinders supply exhaust stem for the
front and rear tender cylinders. The right side cylinder supplied exhaust for the front set and the left-hand side
cylinder provided exhaust for the rear tender cylinders. At the end of the tender is an exhaust smoke stack that came
from the rear set of low pressure cyclinders. At full maximum thrust and speed the coal required to maintain thhe
boiler temperature could not be feed by hand and required the adaptation of a Street mechanical stoker. Looking into
the backhead you will see a "U" shaped tubular housing that acted as a conveyor belt carrying coal type buckets to
the center, right and left hand openings in the backhead and from the tender. The majority of the boiler design
resembled tried and true concepts used in many mallets of that era.
However the faux pas of this design was the tender could not keep up with the steam demands and provide consistent
steam from the front back to the tender engine. The tender remained relatively cool compared to the rest of the engine.
Consequently, this design was not a success and even after much work and changes could not provide the speculated gains
originally envisioned by it's architects.
Specifications: Total weight = 845,050 lbs. Drivers=63". Tractive effort = 160,000lbs.
Weight on driving wheels = 766,300 lbs, weight on front truck = 32,050 lbs, weight on rear truck =
62,000 lbs.
Comments on the BRASS Model:
This model is a marvel in model Brass technology. There are three
CANNON can motors. One motor in the tender and two motors piggybacked under the boiler. The boiler can
run without the tender motor and the reverse is true of the tender sections independence. Brass
superdetailing is excellent for the 1980's timeframe. An ingenious way to provide power from both sides
of the drivers utilized the brass insulated brakes shoes picking up power from the left-side of track via the
brakes shoes back to the (-) side of the motors. Backhhead detail reflects the prototype.
In my opinion this is a collector's item and an example of high class engineering in the HO model Brass
locomotive offerrings from Westside Model Company.
pg 122, 121, 124,125....
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