Well, NOT the actual Shay #1925, but my Lionel Birch Valley Lumber Co. three-truck Shay! My model runs very smoothly on an MTH 82" diameter RealTrax oval. The smoke output is excellent, and the RailSounds (chuff, whistle and bell) sound authentic to my ears. The consist is three Lionel Birch Valley skeleton log cars with REAL wood loads. The original loads that came with these cars were plastic, so I switched them out with a Lionel Meadow River set to have real wood loads. Finally, a green MPC Reading bobber caboose brings up the rear.
The actual Shays that operated at Bear Creek Junction (1923, 1925 & 1926) once served passengers from my depot/home on a four-mile trip into the Nantahala River Gorge and back. I have DVD footage of the actual Shay's whistle echoing off the surrounding hills and mountains.
The US Forest Service District Ranger, Lauren, lives in our development and she and her husband were both impressed with my Shay-powered log train, and our mini-museum in the former waiting room of the depot.
