Any chance Lionel or MTH could make this shay?

It looks like an "old time" shay, and I don't recall seeing a lot of three-rail equipment based on a logging/mining theme. Certainly not like in the smaller (HO, On30) scales. Further, it seems that 3-rail shays aren't particularly common at all. Maybe it is the amount of engineering involved in the gear trains.

It would make for a neat model though. If you want one in O narrow gauge, I recommend one of the Bachmann On30 engines.

I actually have three of the Bachmann T boiler shays  (one with a factory sound card, the other 2 with aftermarket sound cards) in On30, but they are 2 truck Shays, not three.  Also, those Bachmann T boiler shays seem small even though they are supposed to be O scale.  The Shay in the picture is F Scale and is motorized.  The amount of complexity in the three truck gear train shown in the picture would be a great thing to see in O Scale.   I have also read that model Shays cannot go around tight curves like the real ones do. 

I have a couple of Shays, a 2-Truck and a 3-Truck, both Lionel.  There actually have been a number of O-scale Shays built by Lionel, MTH, K-Line, Sunset 3rd Rail, etc.

I have 3 Shays  ( luv them) and the logging cars etc. In building this model you show, the challenge to put the technology under that small boiler would be my guess the sound system goes in the tender because the boiler size will dictate limited room for a motor,  command boards and smoke unit. The bottom line is market attraction and cost of tooling-technology, do they equal profit. And yes I'd buy one!

I always want a Heisler small!!, two truck, first and foremost, but l would grab a small Shay like that, in a two truck version, as worked small logging operations.

With it being an F scale model, that indicates the prototype is a narrow gauge shay which means a pretty firm no for O gauge 3 (or 2) rail. The proportions would be all wrong for it to be a scale model. A 1:48 scale model would need to be On3 or On30. It is a T boiler shay which were common for small narrow gauge shays. I seriously doubt any standard gauge T boiler shays existed.

Bachmann could potentionally do one since it looks very similar to their 2 truck model. You might be able to kitbash one using 2 Bachmann shays by using an extra truck, extending the frame, and building a larger tender cistern/fuel bunker.

It does seem to be Narrow gauge proportions with the oversize cab dominating the boiler.   It is certainly an interesting model.    What scale would it be if made to run on O scale track, assuming the prototype was 3 ft gauge?

MTH has had no plans to produce new tooling. The company is simply using what old tooling it retained to produce small runs of products, primarily custom runs for hobby shops and online dealers.

@Jim R. posted:

MTH has had no plans to produce new tooling. The company is simply using what old tooling it retained to produce small runs of products, primarily custom runs for hobby shops and online dealers.

Yep, I'll be totally amazed if any new tooling comes out of MTH, what you see is what you get.