Based on recommendations from my fellow bloggers, my wife and I visited the Roaring Camp and Big Trees Railroad. Since this was a weekday, there was only one trip, on the narrow-gauge line up to Bear Mountain.
There really doesn't appear to be much difference between a narrow gauge and a standard gauge Shay. The basic mechanism all seems to be familiar, apart from the width of the trucks.
And here's the sandbox on the back of the tender, because the rear truck needs sand just like everybody else.
As we're heading up through the trees, it's impossible to get a good idea of just how tall and straight they are. Pictures don't do it justice. And in several places the cab appears to miss one of these trees by two or three inches. There's no doubt who would win if there were a collision.
The line originally had a loop with a tall trestle, which was burned down by vandals back in the 60's. The remains are still there.
Including the twisted rails:
At the top of the hill is a reverse loop, where the train pauses for several minutes of wandering about and picture taking.
I wonder if they ever made Shays for left-handed engineers.
Of course all the tourists want their picture taken in front of the engine.
But I must say the videos hardly give you the feel of how loud it was while the engine was working. The exhaust was blowing leaves off the trees, and you couldn't hear the conductor talking through the PA system. Before starting down the hill, a trainman came along and set the retainers on all the cars. I can remember that Herb's Burlington coaches had retainers, which we were warned not to touch because there was of course no need for them on our railroad. Not so here!
The material yard is full of Shay parts, as one might expect.
