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Post by dazed on Mar 31, 2024 12:45:49 GMT -5
You're not wrong. Atlas has "it".
They make VERY solid products. Never the top echelon of detail, but always a nice amount of detail that holds up well to normal handling, good running qualities, and a large variety of rolling stock and locomotives and track.
So yeah, we definitely WANT Atlas to take over Z, for sure. But Z is not the same market as the other scales that have duplication. True, there are rare locos that can handle it...we already have multiple GP7/9's and multiple SD40-2's. And some rolling stock (my aforementioned unit train cars like the bethgons and unit grain) But I think there are still enough items that haven't been done in Z that it would be fairly easy to avoid duplication....for a while anyway. You would have to depend on all the new products from AZL, Atlas, et al expanding the market for Z, which I think is already happening.
If I were Atlas, my formula would be... -No duplication. OK, I would do Bethgons because I need them (a bad reason) and they are generally good sellers in most scales, especially a scale where you can actually run a long enough train to make it look believable. (a good reason) -Focus on *selectively* replicating the Atlas catalog in Z, for things that haven't already been done AND that sold well in N. Use existing research and drawings and CAD as much as possible. -Be mindful of rolling stock that matches up era/locale-wise with existing locos in Z, especially era where the locos exist but not a lot of freight cars like late 60s'/early 70's. -If I dipped my toe in the loco waters, it would be 4-axle GE's...a spot where AZL has expressed no interest. Then possibly some earlier 6-axle GE's. -Look at 89ft flats and 45/48ft Pines Trailers...both could really open up the 80s/90s eras.
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Post by oldgrog on Mar 31, 2024 14:07:20 GMT -5
I had only associated Atlas with track in Z. As a result of the latest post above, I realise they have been active in N, with quite a variety of products. A glaring omission in Z is a caboose with cupola offset towards one end. Atlas made such a vehicle in N, and here’s hoping they will rescale it for Z. No-one else either makes such a model or seems to have any interest in doing so. More power to Atlas’s elbow - if they make this , they should clean up.
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Post by marmot on Mar 31, 2024 16:23:08 GMT -5
I still think Atlas should re-utilize their awesome N scale shay and come out with a new Nn3 version that runs on Z scale track. I realize that might be easier said than done due to the internal widths of stuff between the wheels. If it would be possible to narrow the gauge, it would seem likely to be a hit for both some N scalers and some Z scalers. I love that they managed to get so many moving parts on the N scale shay. And I think they had about 3 production runs of it.
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Post by Guba on Mar 31, 2024 17:30:51 GMT -5
I still think Atlas should re-utilize their awesome N scale shay and come out with a new Nn3 version that runs on Z scale track. Showcase Miniatures makes a Shay kit that rides on Z track, not sure if your aware...
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Post by marmot on Mar 31, 2024 18:04:56 GMT -5
Showcase Miniatures makes a Shay kit that rides on Z track, not sure if your aware... I'm aware of their older Class B 26-ton Shay. I'm assuming their newer, larger Class C 60-ton Shay has similar features. It doesn't have a rotating crankshaft along the side of the locomotive. In contrast, the fully assembled off-the-shelf Atlas Shay does have a rotating crankshaft and square linkages and gears on the sides of the trucks and looks amazing. Not only are there a lot of obviously moving parts but it also costs less than the kit from Showcase Miniatures that doesn't do as much.
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Post by Edward on Apr 1, 2024 1:39:38 GMT -5
-If I dipped my toe in the loco waters, it would be 4-axle GE's...a spot where AZL has expressed no interest. Then possibly some earlier 6-axle GE's. -Look at 89ft flats and 45/48ft Pines Trailers...both could really open up the 80s/90s eras. 89ft trailer flats that rode at the correct height would be amazing. Man those would be perfect behind some Union Pacific DDA40X in the mid 1980s and even better behind some Super Fleet Santa Fe GP60M early 1990s! 🤩 I don’t know why I didnt think of this original, but Atlas should really look into the GP60 line… they have already done them in different scales. I know personally I would get two sets of Santa Fe A-B-B-A GP60M/GP60B and two GP60 stand cabs. That is 10 locomotives… then SP, D&RGW and Union Pacific. The Dash 8 line would be another great choice! Don’t even get me started on how badly we need these… 😂
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zjoop
New Member
Posts: 39
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Post by zjoop on Apr 1, 2024 4:46:17 GMT -5
I had only associated Atlas with track in Z. As a result of the latest post above, I realise they have been active in N, with quite a variety of products. A glaring omission in Z is a caboose with cupola offset towards one end. Atlas made such a vehicle in N, and here’s hoping they will rescale it for Z. No-one else either makes such a model or seems to have any interest in doing so. More power to Atlas’s elbow - if they make this , they should clean up. You mean like the one Märklin makes? (Sorry can't get a picture in)
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Post by oldgrog on Apr 1, 2024 5:01:52 GMT -5
The Maerklin ones are :- 1) no longer made 2) not very realistic 3) silly money on the secondhand market ( I own 8 of them )
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Post by mrbarlow on Apr 1, 2024 9:19:10 GMT -5
Regarding AZL making a "standard", injection molded caboose. I believe your referring to an ATSF Ce-1 caboose (rear cupola) type. Atlas made a "generic" version in N scale with many roads. AZL already made these in Brass in 2016 in 3 ATSF paint schemes. A new injection molded release, with multiple road names, would fil a void though.
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Post by Edward on Apr 5, 2024 3:21:03 GMT -5
I'm the Atlas employee responsible for this project. At Atlas I'm known as "MR Z" lol. I'm also looking into adding another turnout to our track line. I heard that Hans requested a #8 at the NTS show. I'm pretty sure that will be the next turnout (although a lot of folks have requested a wye). Steve W I would love to see a #8 turnout made and also some “curved” turnouts as well. 👍🏻
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Post by domi on Apr 15, 2024 14:50:41 GMT -5
If I were Atlas, my formula would be... ...... -If I dipped my toe in the loco waters, it would be 4-axle GE's...a spot where AZL has expressed no interest. Then possibly some earlier 6-axle GE's. (Loud applause) Dom
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Post by ednadolski on Apr 17, 2024 13:37:38 GMT -5
Does the Atlas Z scale flextrack use the same rail and rail joiners as the Atlas N scale Code 55 track?
So if I hand-build a Z-scale turnout with Atlas C55 rail, it should join up just fine with the Atlas Z scale flextrack? (assuming I build it correctly, lol)
TIA, Ed
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Post by stevew on Apr 17, 2024 14:57:38 GMT -5
Does the Atlas Z scale flextrack use the same rail and rail joiners as the Atlas N scale Code 55 track?
So if I hand-build a Z-scale turnout with Atlas C55 rail, it should join up just fine with the Atlas Z scale flextrack? (assuming I build it correctly, lol)
TIA, Ed Hi Ed, The rail is the same as the N C55, so are the joiners except that they are shorter by a few mm. It's work picking them up, cutting down rail joiners has never worked for me! Depending on the size of the ties you may or may not have to do some shimming in order to get things lined up. I'd like to see the results of your handlaid turnout! At some point in time I was going to handlay C40 track and turnouts, then I got old and tired. Steve W
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Post by marmot on Apr 17, 2024 15:15:10 GMT -5
Yes, the Atlas code 55 rail is identical between Z and N scale track. Supposedly this was a significant reason why Atlas got into making Z scale track since they were already well established with the same rail in N scale track.
I just compared some Atlas Z scale flextrack to an Atlas Z scale turnout and also to an Atlas N scale code 55 road/rail crossing rerailer track. The rails are all the same and they all connect together great.
(I'm trying to do what Rob A. wrote about in a ZTrack magazine article a while ago about slicing an N scale road crossing rerailer track longitudinally in half and regluing it at the correct gauge to have a good rerailer in Z. I wish Atlas would consider that as a product in Z, but they aren't even considering it in their future interest polls).
The only difference between Atlas' Z and N code 55 rail joiners is the N scale version is longer. So for people who want less obvious rail joiners in permanent track sections of a layout, the Z joiners make sense. But I've learned to have a strong preference for the longer N scale joiners where Z-Bend modules join up with the adjustable Marklin track sections between modules. The longer rail joiners provide better electrical contact in a temporary connection, plus they still connect the track if they start to pull apart with use during a train show. You might need to cut the rail "spikes" on the closest tie for the N scale joiners to fit, but that probably has to happen anyway between Z-Bend modules with the Marklin section in there. I've had no issue with wheel flanges hitting rail joiners.
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Post by Edward on Apr 18, 2024 3:18:44 GMT -5
I'm trying to do what Rob A. wrote about in a ZTrack magazine article a while ago about slicing an N scale road crossing rerailer track longitudinally in half and regluing it at the correct gauge to have a good rerailer in Z. Thanks for that information, I just picked up one to cut up and try out! 👍🏻
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