Give me a Shay any day. Shays are much more user friendly in terms of operation and general maintenance. generally a shay usually are very good steamers as well with larger firebox versus cylinder ratio.
Hieslers although powerful packages usually have large cylinders and smaller fireboxes. They tend to be harder riding and less user friendly. Another issue they have is that they are harder to maintain and service. However A Hiesler is a faster locomotive than a shay and the track very well.
The climax geard locomotives do bounce a lot It has been said that they will move up and down more than the move forward. Every climax that I been around all have bent frames because of this tenidicy.
Some day I would like to work on a Wilamette. I do like the design improvement done to them over a Shay.
Phil