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Post by dazed on Feb 12, 2018 15:44:54 GMT -5
Man, that sounds great! Not a bad looker either.
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Post by dazed on Feb 11, 2018 11:39:25 GMT -5
And not a significant delay either. We do not have an estimated release date yet. Late 2018 / early 2019 was simply a guess on my part. We announced the Maxi-I cars when we commissioned the product. Normal product development time is 12 to 36 months depending on the complexity of the product. Fair enough. I was just going by an early guess of "Maxi Stack I´s probably before next Summer" by Hans back in August of last year. I think some of us were bracing for these to hit at any time over the next few months. Sounds like we easily have another 6-9 months past "pre-summer 2018".
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Post by dazed on Feb 10, 2018 23:37:16 GMT -5
Oh, so significant delay....that helps I guess. Any more info....roadnames, etc.?
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Post by dazed on Feb 10, 2018 13:51:21 GMT -5
And I'll ask again, (in the right topic this time) any update on the release date and pricing for the Maxi-I's?
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Post by dazed on Feb 10, 2018 13:50:09 GMT -5
I too, am excited for the Maxi-I’s and have been anticipating them since they were announced. Could you tell us the length of one from coupler to coupler? I’m thinking about how they might fit onto a siding I have in mind, since they are so long. From Brian Solomon's "Intermodal Railroading" book, page 120: "Based on Greenbriar's [Gunderson] published specifications, the Maxi-I cars in five-unit articulated sets measure 265ft 3-1/2in long over coupler faces." This translates to 368.3 mm or a little less than 14-1/2 inches in Z-scale. Given the unprototypical length of most model train couplers, that figure is probably a good one to use to be on the safe side.
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Post by dazed on Feb 9, 2018 22:01:43 GMT -5
They wish. It’s the difference between me buying 1 or 2 and me buying 5 or 6.
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Post by dazed on Feb 8, 2018 21:04:12 GMT -5
You can ask this question of 1,000 modelers and get 1,000 answers, but here's my two cents...
I personally like to take a lot of time on this step, painting ties and rails different colors and involving a lot of masking to keep the paint from getting *too* thick. It's not as critical for track versus, say, rolling stock, but it is something to be mindful of since you don't have an airbrush. Color depends on the prototype I'm modeling.
You can get decent results with a single color, and it is MUCH MUCH easier. If you want me to pick one, I'd use the brown from the Krylon Camo series...I'm a fan, and it seems to be popular among the forums lately.
I would paint a smallish section, stop, immediately rub the tops of the rail with the soft edge of some masonite so the paint doesn't hurt conductivity, and then continue. Make sure you get the inside edge and try to leave the outside edge alone as the wheels (hopefully) will never see that edge. You can also selectively wipe off random ties to signify replaced ties. (this works better with the black ties that Atlas used to use, but it still is a good effect on the C55.)
Then I would go back and drybrush (or use chalk) a reddish/rust color onto the sides of the rails and the "tie plates". Use an index card or scrap styrene to mask the ties as you go. Again, the color would be dependent on your proto....use a color that looks right for what you want to model.
Ballast...well I would just follow the bajillion "how-to" videos online. One tip I like to do though is cut out a ballast profile using a card or styrene that you use to make a good smooth ballast profile along the roadbed. (and for roadbed I would just use Midwest N cork. Get some cheap caulk to edge the back side of the cork to get the same profile as the precut bevel. Again, use a notecard cut to that profile to smooth it out.)
Doug
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Post by dazed on Feb 8, 2018 17:55:59 GMT -5
CZ update. Looks like sets will be delivered before Summer. And no surprise, we have made CZ matching F3s for all railroads. While we're revisiting the NTS thread, any word on the arrival date of the Maxi-I's? Hopefully they got cheaper.
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Post by dazed on Feb 7, 2018 19:38:34 GMT -5
Are these available sans flat cars? 6 wheel For the smaller vehicles, there are probably gonna be more than two per flat. For the larger vehicles, they would do "bad things" to a typical 89ft flat car. Either way, having the vehicles available separately would be nice. Yes please make them available separately, also the 6 wheel flat sould be also in the plans ? Ray According to another post, they have considered the HD flat but it hasn't made the cut. I'm working with Stony Smith to have one available on Shapeways. It's actually available now I think but I'm working on some possible changes and trying to figure out how to attach trucks to it. (and how to get some remotely close to correct trucks)
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Post by dazed on Feb 7, 2018 19:36:42 GMT -5
Are these available sans flat cars? For the smaller vehicles, there are probably gonna be more than two per flat. For the larger vehicles, they would do "bad things" to a typical 89ft flat car. Either way, having the vehicles available separately would be nice. I'll answer my own question....they DO appear to be offered as separate loads, or at least some of them. I've noticed them on Z-Scale Monster's page. Obviously pricey so I could never use them to make the train that I want to model....would cost several thousand dollars just for the loads. I'll have to settle for a possibly less detailed version from Shapeways or some other option. But still, nice to know they're available.
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Post by dazed on Feb 7, 2018 19:27:49 GMT -5
cwrr, I want to (seriously) congratulate you on actually waiting the time period the manufacturer gave before asking about status. In all my years of being on forums, I've never seen that! He said work would start early 2017, with one year lead time to early 2018, and here we are! And here you are! That's discipline right there. I'm pretty patient, and even *I* don't have that level of stoic ability. Normally, there's at least a monthly "are we there yet, are we there yet" from someone. I guess I should congratulate all the forum participants. . (I am being a little silly, but seriously it is impressive)
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Post by dazed on Feb 5, 2018 16:58:08 GMT -5
If the M1´s are in bad shape, this might be an indicator that the tanks are not complete: No ammunition, removed engine or no complete cannon inside. Yes, that is the only way they would put two (or even one) on an 89ft flat....they're basically either brand new with no equipment, or stripped for rebuild or scrap.
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Post by dazed on Feb 4, 2018 15:06:43 GMT -5
Nice tanks, but you can’t put 2x M1 on this type of flatcar....you can acutually: ones 2x M1 will usually do on a six axles flat car according to pictures ? Ray Six-axle, 68ft heavy duty DODX flat car. Two M1A1's would do bad things to a standard 89ft flat car. It would be nice to get the right flat car for that price, but this is clearly a collector grab with no real consideration for prototype. To do a prototypical military train with the price of AZL's loads would cost a spectacular amount of money. Stony Smith has graciously put one of the HD DODX flats on his Shapeways site at my prodding, and it looks good. Still working out some details with it, especially how to mount trucks to it. Trucks themselves are another issue...planning to use MTL passenger trucks and eventually laminate some of the Buckeye truck sideframes that someone has on Shapeways too. Not sure how that will work but that's the goal. I've been collecting the MTL M1A1's....they're kits but about 1/4th the price of the AZL's. (presuming AZL will offer them as singles and at prices similar to their other military vehicles.) And they're an easy paint job.
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Post by dazed on Feb 4, 2018 10:49:09 GMT -5
Ha! Yeah, I kinda chuckle a bit when people look at videos from the Z-Bend group and completely miss unreleased items. The funny thing is it's not like they are in the background - they are right smack in the middle of the screen! Didn't miss it just thought it was one of Aaron's repainted loco's. Exactly. You guys are acting like a GP38-2 never existed before. Nobody is *missing* anything. Put a trio of SW1500's switching a yard, see if we miss that. Then you'll have a credible story about how dense your customers are.
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Post by dazed on Feb 3, 2018 1:29:40 GMT -5
Not sure how we would know those were some big unveiling at the time. I would look at that and think someone just painted them, but that's just me. (and by the way, I'm not disputing that those are indeed the new GP38-2's, just saying, I wouldn't know they were a new release just from the video)
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