|
Post by tjdreams on Apr 24, 2024 15:49:16 GMT -5
EMD BL2 Western Maryland Chesapeake & Ohio Bangor and Aroostook 8 Boston and Maine Railroad 4 Chesapeake and Ohio Railway¹ 14 (Ordered by Pere Marquette Railroad prior to merger) Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad 2 Chicago, Indianapolis and Louisville Railway ("Monon") 9 Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad 5 Electro Motive Division 1 Florida East Coast Railway 6 Missouri Pacific Railroad 8 Western Maryland Railway 2
|
|
|
Post by tjdreams on Apr 22, 2024 18:30:09 GMT -5
Dave Is that a GP 38 or GP 35 repaint of WM. Looks great! MTL GP35
|
|
|
Post by tjdreams on Apr 19, 2024 16:12:48 GMT -5
The Grooved notches for the flanges to sit in are set for N scale. Z trucks sit crooked unless you offset loco/cars closer to the back or front. However the Rokuhan Roadbed Track is a perfect fit between the raised area. Note I removed the backdrop and front Lexan dust cover so you can see how it looks with out aa blinding glare from the camera flash
|
|
|
Post by tjdreams on Apr 17, 2024 18:19:02 GMT -5
New ownership ok but it looks like its going to be run by the same people who took over about the time they started going down hill. I hope they learned from their mistakes. Only time will tell.
|
|
|
Post by tjdreams on Apr 14, 2024 15:43:25 GMT -5
Judging from that picture I would be a bit concerned about how well this one runs. If you look closely at the side rods it appears that they are not in a straight line which leads me to believe someone has had this one apart and didn't Quarter the wheels properly when they reassembled it. While it could be nothing it sure looks like that rear driver (the one under the cab) is one tooth out of sink with the others.
|
|
|
Post by tjdreams on Apr 14, 2024 15:13:44 GMT -5
There were 3 Z scale versions released at the end of the year in 1998 for $499.99 each The Brass Body's were made by OCS Micro Castings In Korea, and mounted on a Marklin made 2-6-0 chassis, Additionally They came in a well padded cardboard box's with a yellow lid Similar to the ones AZL was using for their Brass releases around that time. MTL #16000: Southern Pacific Lines 1798 was supposed to of had a slightly longer Vanderbilt style tender MTL #16001: Southern Pacific Lines 1785 was supposed to have a slightly shorter Vanderbilt style tender MTL #16002 Southern Pacific Lines 1681 had a box type Tender They pop up on eBay from time to time usually in the $500 - $800 range. If your looking to buy one make sure it runs first. As Bryan said I have repaired several of these and can tell you first hand, Repair parts can be expensive and very harder to find. David The Sept/Oct 1998 issue of Z-Track Magazine has some info on them www.ztrack.com/back-issues/back-issues-digital/1998-back-issues-digital/4-5-Digital
|
|
|
Post by tjdreams on Apr 13, 2024 9:46:45 GMT -5
I can't understand the... casual? lackadaisical? attitude many modellers take toward tractive effort, triplex So You want to design your layout based on the Tractive Effort Standard of Z scale locomotives? Well I guess you are going to be Disappointed Because there is No such Standard in Z scale. Which pretty much explains "the... casual? lackadaisical? attitude many modellers take toward tractive effort" Why should we care about a standard that dose not exist and probably never will in Z scale. Just like the real thing the tractive effort of each make and model of locomotive is going to vary according to its size, it's weight the number of drive axles, the motor and gearing. But more than just those things your track work is going to play a huge roll in what a given loco can pull. The percentage and length of grades, the radius of curves, the number of turnouts and crossings, and the respective location of each of these things in relationship to the others. Top that with how much the rolling resistance of each car changes as more cars are added to it, as it roles around a curved track, through a turnout, over a crossing or up a incline. The only way your going to calculate all these variables is to buy the loco's and cars you want, build a test layout and take the required measurements yourself. Me well i would rather spend my time building my layout and running the trains than doing all that research and testing but if knowing the exact tractive effort for each of your loco and doing the research & calculations is what your into then by all means go for it and enjoy yourself. David
|
|
|
Post by tjdreams on Apr 10, 2024 21:53:07 GMT -5
What happens when someone starts making engines that DON'T live up to that standard? Triplex As for "What happens when someone starts making engines that DON'T live up to that standard?" Well that is a secret. But for a 100 Billion dollar non refundable Cash payment, Paid in advance, I would be happy to look into my crystal ball and tell you what it shows me about the future. Ok all i can tell you is that all of the AZL loco's that i own (except some of the Brass modes) have traction tires, and that i am happy with there pulling power. Here is a link to a video showing how many cars I've had one pulling or perhaps you would like this one with a 2 loco consist I could have easily pulled more hoppers in both Videos but that was all the hoppers that i had at that point in time. Will all Z scale Loco's pull as well as the ones in my video's? I really doubt it, but in all honestly I have no idea. I do not own a sample of every model nor have i tried to pull that many cars with all the other ones that i do own. The only way your going to know if a particular loco is going to meet your standards on your layout is to build the layout, buy the loco put it on your track and try it for yourself. One loco may run perfect on one layout and run like crap or not at all on another, Every detail of your trackwork, The quality of how well your track is laid, the radius of your curves, inclines, declines, turnouts & crossings, and their respective location of one to another will have a effect on the number of cars a particular loco can pull. Tractive effort is just the tip of the iceberg. Sure it's a Gamble, but Like Zdave said "There are few guarantees in life and Z scale isn’t any different" If your willing to put the time money and effort into Z scale the possibility's are endless, If no one makes a loco that meets your standard, Why not be that "someone starts making engines" yourself. That way you can design it so the tractive effort meets your standards. and if your "engines DON'T live up to that standard" I'm sure you will learn the answer to your "What happens when" question rather quickly. David
|
|
|
Post by tjdreams on Apr 8, 2024 22:28:19 GMT -5
new cabeese in the year 2024, what a concept! So if I ran mainline freight drags on my hobby layout with modern locomotives; I'd be running outlaw to hitch a crummy to the end. So what kind of outlaw caboose would I want? You should buy more loco's and more Rolling stock from all era's so you can pull the correct cars behind the correct era loco's with out breaking the law.
|
|
|
Post by tjdreams on Apr 7, 2024 18:21:46 GMT -5
Steve Check to make sure you didn't accidently put it into switcher mode I don't have my manuals with me right now but i think its F6 that switches it into Switcher mode which reduces max speed by like 50 % I think its CV 54 that can change the mode settings but i don't remember what it's supposed to be set at.
David
|
|
|
Post by tjdreams on Apr 7, 2024 13:57:17 GMT -5
Alex if your taking orders pleas put me down for one.
David
|
|
|
Post by tjdreams on Apr 3, 2024 12:22:37 GMT -5
I voted NO for a couple reasons. 1 I already have a small stockpile of spare Digitraxx and TCS drop in style decoders on hand. 2 While I agree having a keep alive on board would be nice option to have, I don't feel it would be worth the extra $$ a small manufacture like Zmodell would have to charge. 3 I don't think it would be a good business decision for Alex. A Their are already 2 established competitors who are selling a similar product at a lower price point than he could. B AZL's New locos are using a newer screw in style decoder, only the older loco's and re-runs will continue to use the drop in style decoder. Which tells me the demand for that style decoder is on the way down. combined with the existing competition, Its doubt full he could sell enough decoders to cover his cost in research and development much less make a profit. C Like Doug I would rather see him spend his time making new decoders for the newer models that currently don't have one
David
|
|
|
Post by tjdreams on Apr 2, 2024 18:01:59 GMT -5
I run DCC and have a large fleet of multiple Roads, so I try to pick 1 or 2 loco's of each road to keep the plow on, put sound in, add working ditch lights, head lights, cab lights, and such. Then always run those loco in the lead for that road. For loco's that will be run 2nd 3rd 4th in a consist i just wire up the motor and maybe the head light and a Red/white tail light for what ever unit might be in the rear. If I tried putting DCC with sound and a complete contingent of working lights in them all, I wouldn't have any time to run them. For units i plan to use as switchers in the yard I don't bother with the plow. However i do have a few that I've screwed up on and don't run anymore for those I put plows on both ends and let them sit on sidings as a static model.
|
|
|
Post by tjdreams on Apr 1, 2024 10:34:29 GMT -5
Gather Around Children its Story Time
|
|
|
Post by tjdreams on Apr 1, 2024 6:26:06 GMT -5
Yes it is possible. I have installed decoders in several of The Z-Maker Brass shells that use the Rokuhan power Chassis The TCS Z2 fits in the Z-Maker 44 toner nicely. I've also used the D&H PD05A in a few as well as Rokuhan's A053 locomotive Decoder.
|
|