In 1877, Ephraim Shay came up with a radical design for a logging locomotive that featured a side-mounted set of cylinders. These drove drive shafts, which powered the wheels of both the locomotive and tender. This "geared locomotive" offered a distinct advantage, in that the entire weight of the engine developed traction. The Lima Locomotive Works of Lima, Ohio, produced the first Shay in 1880. Less than a decade later, the company was producing five different types of Shays, and shipping them throughout the world. The last Shay was built in 1945. Lima produced its last steam engine in 1949,...
In 1877, Ephraim Shay came up with a radical design for a logging locomotive that featured a side-mounted set of cylinders. These drove drive shafts, ...