SN-2617 is often called a Class C Shay. However, it is also a class 60-3 or 60 ton - 3 truck Shay. Lima did not assign class codes to early Shay locomotives. We show both the letter system and the ton/trucks under class and have applied the appropriate letter code to the earlier Shays.
The Whyte's system of classification is used to describe the wheel arrangement of conventional steam locomotives and was not intended to cover geared locomotives, so Shays do not fall under it.
A class system, developed by Lima Locomotive Works for the Shay locomotives, came years after the first Shays were built. As almost all Shays were built to order, you may find some that don't exactly match any line on the chart. The class listings in 1911 by Lima were:
| Shay Locomotive Standard Class Models | |||||||||||||
| Class Code | Weight in Tons | Trucks | Cylinders | Wheel Base | Drivers | Boiler Pressure | Water in Gallons | Tractive Power | Hauling Capacity in Tons | ||||
| No. | Diam " | Stroke " | Rigid | Total '-" | No. | Diam " | |||||||
| Class A Shays 2 cylinders & 2 trucks | |||||||||||||
| Ab | 10 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 36 | 15'4" | 8 | 20 | 150psi | 300 | 3460 | 422 |
| Abe | 13 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 48 | 18'10" | 8 | 22 | 160psi | 400 | 6050 | 643 |
| Able | 18 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 50 | 21'0" | 8 | 26 | 160psi | 730 | 8330 | 1023 |
| Abler | 20 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 12 | 50 | 23'2" | 8 | 26 | 160psi | 830 | 10270 | 1265 |
| Class B Shays 3 cylinders & 2 trucks | |||||||||||||
| Bay | 24 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 50 | 21'11" | 8 | 27.5 | 160psi | 830 | 10280 | 1261 |
| Bale | 28 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 50 | 24'4" | 8 | 27.5 | 160psi | 850 | 12860 | 1580 |
| Baler | 32 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 50 | 25'5" | 8 | 29 | 160psi | 1000 | 14150 | 1736 |
| Ballad | 36 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 50 | 26'5" | 8 | 29 | 180psi | 1200 | 14320 | 1756 |
| Balloon | 42 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 12 | 50 | 28'6" | 8 | 29.5 | 180psi | 1560 | 16900 | 2070 |
| Baluster | 50 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 12 | 52 | 28'10" | 8 | 32 | 180psi | 1750 | 22580 | 2775 |
| Balustrad | 60 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 12 | 56 | 32'8" | 8 | 36 | 200psi | 2000 | 23890 | 2928 |
| Class C Shays 3 cylinders & 3 trucks | |||||||||||||
| Cap | 70 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 15 | 52 | 40'2" | 12 | 36 | 200psi | 3000 | 30350 | 3723 |
| Care | 80 | 3 | 3 | 13.5 | 15 | 56 | 44'6" | 12 | 36 | 200psi | 3000 | 35100 | 4305 |
| Carat | 90 | 3 | 3 | 14.5 | 15 | 56 | 43'3.5" | 12 | 36 | 200psi | 3500 | 40400 | 4960 |
| Carbon | 100 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 17 | 58 | 45'6" | 12 | 40 | 200psi | 4000 | 44100 | 5411 |
| Capture | 125 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 18 | 64 | 46'10" | 12 | 46 | 200psi | 4000 | 53000 | 6500 |
| Class D Shay 3 cylinders & 4 trucks | |||||||||||||
| Dan | 150 | 4 | 3 | 17 | 18 | 64 | 58'4" | 16 | 46 | 200psi | 8000 | 53000 | 6475 |
Last Updated on 04/26/2000
By Rick Henderson
