1906 Harbor Springs Michigan Narrow Gauge Photo-Neg on Ebay

[Glenn Byron]

Hi All,  Was roaming around Ebay and found item # 270527454334 , a nice shot of a Narrow Gauge train at Harbor Springs, Mich. taken in 1906.  Doesn't seem to be any more info about the negative, and I know nothing else about it.  Just a real good look at one I never heard of before.  I sent the auction to Mike Fox and maybe he can post it for all to see.  Glenn  Byron

[Glenn Byron]

Hi,  Little more info,  See also Ebay item # 300369102746  which is a photo made from the neg.  A "Bing" search yielded some info on The Harbor Springs Railway, a 30" gauge called The Hemlock Central.  Was only a few miles long and was in service about 10 years.  Interesting reading though.  Glenn

[Tom Casper]

That my friends is Mr Shay's original RR where the 1st Shay ran.

Tom C.

[Mike Fox]

I can't post the photo, copywright issues, but I can post a link.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270527454334&ssPageName=ADME:B:EF:US:1123

[Bill Fortier]

What does that critter have for a frame? Is there just a single beam down the left side of the boiler?

[Wayne Laepple]

I've seen this photo published elsewhere, and if I recall correctly, this is a photo of Ephriam Shay's first geared locomotive, known as "Baby."

[Keith Taylor]

I've seen this photo published elsewhere, and if I recall correctly, this is a photo of Ephriam Shay's first geared locomotive, known as "Baby."

Hi Wayne, this is Ephraim Shay's "Hemlock Central No. 1" but it is not the first Shay. The first Shay was built by Ephraim Shay using a vertical boiler on a flat car, with steam engine parts built by Carnes, Agerter and Co. the predecessor firm that became the giant Lima Locomotive Works. The definitive book on the Shay locomotive, with a chapter on the Hemlock Central, is Mike Koch's "The Shay Locomotive." It's hard to believe that I bought my copy of that book...thirty nine years ago!
Keith

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

The line had the nickname "Hemlock Central"  and at one point had 3 home-built Shay locomotives.  The railroad was chartered by inventor Ephraim Shay and built to haul wood to the steam powered water works he owned at Harbor Springs.  The line opened in 1902 from Harbor Springs to Mill Race, a distance of 7 miles. There were a few extensions through the years.  It handled some vacation passengers during the Summer at 25 cents a trip.   It operated until 1911 when the lumber ran out.  The rails were removed in 1912.  

Regarding the photo ... The locomotive's cab roof appears to have the same lines as the Hinkley/Portland cab roofs.

[Mike Fox]

What does that critter have for a frame? Is there just a single beam down the left side of the boiler?

Looks like the Frame is incorporated into the boiler. Talk about stress. The Shays wre never used on smooth track. I can imagine all the twisting the boiler was subject to.

[Glenn Byron]

Hi All,  Found this great link for the Ephraim Shay life story.  Hope this works as I've not tried this before.  Glenn   http://www.shaylocomotives.com/shaypages/EphraimShay.htm                         

[Bill Fortier]

Found this great link for the Ephraim Shay life story.  Hope this works as I've not tried this before.                         

That were a good'un. The photo of Hemlock Central #1 shows some detail that the eBay photo had cut off. It does appear that the front frame ends just under the smokebox. The kingpin seems to be between the stub frame members just ahead of the smokebox door, and a link-and-pin coupler socket sits between them. The footboards look to be attached to the truck beams.

Makes No. 9's frame arrangement seem Herculean, eh?