Atlas Shay, Still made?


SALRy

SALRy

Member
What's the story on Atlas Shay's? Are they still being made or? I've been away from the hobby and this Forum for a while. Thanks in advance

SALRy
 
I may have missed something, but I can't remember Atlas coming out with a Shay. Roundhouse has a shay kit that came out years ago, which I built, and this kit is still available. Built this one about and installed constant & directional lighting. I was a job putting it together and tweaking to to run smoothly, but is is a good running locomotive, but a bit noisey. It's about 15 years old and still running strong.

IMAG0492.jpg
 
montanan & ALL
FYI directional lighting on the real RR is NOT S.O.P. Headlights are left on only in the direction of travel only. But when switching both headlights can be lit on high in direction of travel & dim in other direction. Directional lighting was started as a selling gimmick by the MR manufacturers back in '70s. Model RRers now think that's the way real RRs do it but they don't. And what good is a rear headlight on if you have cars behind the loco.
 
montanan,

Atlas did (or still does??) make N scale 2-truck Shay's. The Roundhouse ones are "HO" scale, right?!?
 
Atlas did make an N scale shay, although I haven't seen it advertised in a couple of years. I just went out to Atlas's site and the only steamer in N scale currently offered is a 4-4-0.
 
cajon said:
montanan & ALL
FYI directional lighting on the real RR is NOT S.O.P. Headlights are left on only in the direction of travel only. But when switching both headlights can be lit on high in direction of travel & dim in other direction. Directional lighting was started as a selling gimmick by the MR manufacturers back in '70s. Model RRers now think that's the way real RRs do it but they don't. And what good is a rear headlight on if you have cars behind the loco.
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I built all of my own diode bridges from scratch and the operate like the prototype. I didn't have the money back then to spend on any fancy gizmos.
 
A while back Brooklyn Locomotive Works had the Atlas N Shay in stock on their website. Maybe a year ago or less. You see them on ebay every so often. I watch Atlas N scale items for sale pretty closely.....and I don't currently see the Shay for sale anywhere.
 
I've checked the Atlas site and sent them an email asking about the Shay's. Atlas had a forum at one time but is closed down now for any new messages. Old messages are still available for research and I found a thread dated 2012 asking about the same as I am. I also checked the Brooklyn Loco Works and no Shays, thanks anyway railfan.

SALRy
 
The Atlas N-Scale Shay has been offered 3 or 4 times, and will probably be run again in the coming months or years.

As others have noted, they turn up frequently for sale on eBay and elsewhere. So if you want one now, previously-owned is the way to go. If you can wait for a while, Atlas will probably offer them again. They run well.

With the much wider variety of models in the market today as opposed to 10-15 years ago, nearly everything in N-Scale is a limited run. When sold out, there is a usually a wait before they are run again. But for those of us who started modeling in N in the 1990s or earlier, today's situation is much better. The presence of eBay and other re-sale outlets means that most models are never truly unavailable (though sometimes they are expensive). And there are very few models that won't be offered again eventually.
 
About 45 minutes ago I was browsing ebay and happened to see an auction with two minutes left. It was for a new atlas N scale two truck Shay....and it sold for $260 plus about $8 shipping. About twice what retail outlets were getting.
 
railfan,

I've been keeping an eye on the Atlas Shay's on eBay {or as I call it: greedBay} too. Unbelievable what people are paying for them! Recently on the ..'Bay I put in a bid on an older brass N scale Joe Works three truck Shay. And got it for only
about two thirds of what the Atlas Shay went for. Granted the Atlas Shay most likely runs better and has more detail,
but plastic worth more then brass?!?!...........

SALRy
 
SALRy said:
railfan,

I've been keeping an eye on the Atlas Shay's on eBay {or as I call it: greedBay} too. Unbelievable what people are paying for them! Recently on the ..'Bay I put in a bid on an older brass N scale Joe Works three truck Shay. And got it for only
about two thirds of what the Atlas Shay went for. Granted the Atlas Shay most likely runs better and has more detail,
but plastic worth more then brass?!?!...........

SALRy
Click to expand...
I'm glad to hear you got the Joe Works brass Shay! I saw one on ebay very recently and looked it over. I really liked it but had other priorities.
 
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