The original YSL was planning to use some pretty radical curves and grades, the original equipment was only 18' long! In keeping with the spirit of the original, no Bachmann rolling stock is used as is, its 25' length and general size is too big. The vast majority of the equipment is bashed, scratched or built up from kits. The sizes range from about 14-20' for most of the rolling stock and we use 20" wheels for most of our rolling stock.
Some issues that we have had, the Shay seems a bit jerky on grades, the Climax seems to be better. The Shay does VERY poorly with vertical transitions, it is just a bit too low to the track and this causes shorts!!! The Porter and Davenport usually are very sweet. Athearn's and Bachmann's cheap diesel chassis (bash fodder!) surge rather badly. The Forney is impossible for our curves. I haven't run my 2-6-0 for a long time, it runs slow, but I've never run it up or down a grade. Some of Scott Maze's run fairly well on the flat area, but none will run on the branch line.
Some of our assorted rolling stock
Another YSL team up, Ken Lunder's YSL ore car kit as built by Scott Maze.
Available from Stevens Creek Models.
Locomotives by Scott Maze
This loco is a vertical boiler chain-drive critter from England. Despite the ungainly appearance, they were a very popular adaptation of Sentinel's road steam wagon(!). Sentinel made these locos in various narrow gauges from 1923 to 1951. I love real prototypes that make kit-bashed critters look ordinary! This loco is from a Wrightlines kit--all I added were the bell and footboards. I managed to squeeze Soundtrax DSD-090LC sound into the cylinder box on the front, with a speaker in the vertical boiler (under the cab). It is powered by a Black Beetle. The loco will be operating on my Sierra Magnesite quarry line, which is part of the Yosemite Short Line.
If anyone wants one of these beasties, check out www.keykits.net-- they have all kinds of weird and wonderful English critters.
Photo by Scott Maze
Scans by Scott Maze
Scott's 4-6-0 bashed from a 2-6-0 photo by Scott Maze
Scott's British Critter, don't ask me what it is! photo by Scott Maze
Scott's wandering train as also seen on the California Central Coast Railroad
Loco detailed by Dave Connery
More of Dave's models
Scott's Boxcar photo by Scott Maze
Issac's flatcar photo by Scott Maze
Jim Eckman
Its scratchbuilt, while based on the West Side the trucks and truck spacing are YSL sized. West Side used monster trucks and were high riders, this is a low rider
Older photos
The YSLs latest acquisition, a little Davenport. We are so modern!
A Hunslet switching on the quarry line. I wonder if it misses endless rain?
Lovely old Porter in full array
