n2z83
New Member
Posts: 11
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Post by n2z83 on Mar 16, 2024 22:49:55 GMT -5
Before I start, I want to say AZL is doing an amazing job with their new locomotives and rolling stock! My favorite is by far the Tunnel Motors š. However, I canāt be the only model railroader out there on a budget? In the larger scales specifically N and HO you can buy a budget line of locomotives. I love the idea of the GP38-2 and was sad to hear that it will be going away. I really hope AZL can design a new ābudget lineā locomotive or maybe reduce the price of some of the 10+ year old locomotives? Some add on parts would be nice for the GP38-2ās like another horn, beacon, hatches and fuel tank sizes that could just snap or glue in to customize your locomotive. There are so many locomotives and railroads I would love to collect but I canāt spend $200 to $300 per locomotive, itās just not feasible. Am I the only one out there that is thinking this?
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Post by tikigrotto on Mar 16, 2024 23:53:05 GMT -5
Most of the locomotives are under $200 to $300. AZL is run by a very small group of people who produce products with an incredible level of quality and detail compared to most other scales. You canāt ask for much more. I canāt see them prioritizing people who canāt afford their products, their prices are very competitive when considering other scales.
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Post by Hans Riddervold (AZL) on Mar 17, 2024 6:45:10 GMT -5
No way to field a new budget locomotive. The costs are too high.
We thought the GP38-2 locomotive molds were history, but not so.
It will remain our budget loco. So already at work on a fresh run.
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Post by oldgrog on Mar 17, 2024 6:53:20 GMT -5
Good news - featuring new roads, or a rerun of sold out old favourites ?
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n2z83
New Member
Posts: 11
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Post by n2z83 on Mar 17, 2024 10:59:57 GMT -5
I am very familiar with AZL I have been buying their products for 15 years and have 100 pieces. My question was just thoughts on a budget line. I love Z scale, but itās getting harder for me to afford it. That said, I will probably be returning to N scale.
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Post by dazed on Mar 19, 2024 10:01:08 GMT -5
I am very familiar with AZL I have been buying their products for 15 years and have 100 pieces. My question was just thoughts on a budget line. I love Z scale, but itās getting harder for me to afford it. That said, I will probably be returning to N scale. One tip: pay attention to the Black Friday sales. That is a good way to get some of the newer locos at a discount. ZTrackResale.com also has some prices that are a bit of a discount off the retailers price. Assuming you're not super particular about roadnames I think you'll find deals with a little patience and a little leg work. If you have a particular road/era (like me) then it gets a little tougher but it can be done...I still seem to manage to find a way to justify one Black Friday deal for my roster every year. Just be ready for the BF sales and have an idea of what you really want...if something remotely interesting hits you have act quickly. In larger scales, you can get by with cheaper motors, cheaper pickups, lighter weight, etc because of the physics of it all. As things get smaller, there is less tolerence with all of these components. The GP38-2 is a unicorn. A product of super-amortized tooling, a lengthy run where cost-of-living and inflation has gradually (and recently not-so-gradually) ticked the prices up over the years, and likely AZL doing it as a loss-leader to let people get in the game. |
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Post by Curn on Mar 19, 2024 14:11:37 GMT -5
The other budget locomotive is an MTL F7. I have a nostalgic soft spot for this locomotive, and they can be tinkered with to improve performance. Don Fedjur sells wheel wipers to improve contact and there is a way to remoter them with a coreless motor. Then you glue in the window glazing, and you have a nice running and decent looking locomotive. But when you really start to add things up, parts, tools, glue, time, the cost to make a $100 locomotive perform more like an AZL factory locomotive really isn't worth it unless you love tinkering with things. The AZL F units are a little under $150. The extra $50 for something that runs well out of the box is worth it to someone starting out.
AZL has the FP59 and GP38-2 at the $100 price point. The GP7 GP9, F7, and GP30 are at the $150 price point, are all great runners, and all would be good option for someone getting into Z scale.
Currently AZL pricing is not keeping up with inflation. When these locomotives first came out, they were about the same cost as a trip to the grocery store. Now they are about 2/3s the cost of a trip to the grocery store.
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Post by crewdawg15 on Mar 22, 2024 14:00:40 GMT -5
I was wondering the same thing. I'm in the process of building my DT&I fleet. Thanks to Black Friday, I was able to snag some GP7's and 9's. I recently acquired a couple of GP38's, but now looking for some GP40's. While I can get a shell from Shapeways, I feel that the print fidelity is just not there at this time. The only thing I can think of is transplanting a SD40 shell on a GP38 chassis. I know some surgery would be involved swapping/scratch building new walkways and porches, but I feel it would be worth the effort to get a few GP40's as well as possibly a few SD38's (the only 6 axel locos that DT&I owned) with some GP38 swapped shells on the SD chassis. Just a thought running through my mind at the moment.
Now, I hope some non DB versions of these locos get released for some of us that don't model the big railroads.
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Post by Hans Riddervold (AZL) on Mar 22, 2024 14:14:37 GMT -5
Thanks for all the emails on this topic. It is correct that we have offered the F59PHI and GP7/GP9 at very favourable prices. These all came from tooling that is long lost.
Luckily we made a huge amount so many are still available. But they will eventually run out and only new tooling can replace these locomotives. About availability, maybe Rob Kluz can give us all an update.
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Post by ztrack on Mar 23, 2024 8:45:45 GMT -5
We still have plenty of GP38s available in the following roads:
L&N
MP
KCS
Frisco
MKT
We also have plans to bring back the Grand Trunk, CP and SP (speed lettering).
For the GP7/9s, we sold ALOT of these during our Friday specials. We still have available in very limited quantities:
PRR
Nickle Plate
C&O
Sante Fe
WP
NYC
Burlington
If you are interested in any of the GP7/9s, I would jump on them. We are down to 1 or 2 of these.
Rob
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Post by bnsantaray on Mar 23, 2024 15:01:53 GMT -5
It would be nice to have a GP38 in the old color...Please
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