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Post by ztrack on Nov 17, 2021 19:36:44 GMT -5
AMERICAN Z LINE November 2021 New Releases Part 2 EMD SW1500s – Conrail!  And next up... Conrail!. AZL is offering two road numbers: 62710-1 Conrail EMD SW1500 9541 62710-2 Conrail EMD SW1500 9544 The SW1500s feature numerous prototype specific details, traction tires, blacken metal-wheels, innovative drive train and truck design, directional-controlled LEDs and AZL’s AutoLatchTM couplers. As a bonus, AZL’s Innovation Lab is including two adapters that allow the SW1500 to be retrofitted with Micro-TriainsTM 905 couplers. Note: We are advising customers not to attempt to remove the shells of the SW1500s. Doing so may result in damage to the locomotive’s shells. EMD E7s – Great Northern  The GN E7s are being released as A units only. Two road numbers are available. 64614-1 GN EMD E7A 505 64614-2 GN EMD E7A 512 The EMD E7s feature AZL’s 7mm motor, dual flywheels, metal steps, directional controlled LED lighting, optional front truck with mounted coupler, blackened metal wheels, AutoLatch couplers and they come DCC ready. 1917 8,000 Gallon Tank Cars – GATX – Gibson Wine  915004-1 Gibson Wine 8000 Gallon Tank Car GATX 66719 Single 915034-1 Gibson Wine 8000 Gallon Tank Car GATX 66707, GATX 66722 Two-pack 905004-1 Gibson Wine 8000 Gallon Tank Car GATX 66719, GATX 66720, GATX 66721, GATX 66723 Set See the American Z Line site for more information on these and other AZL products. www.americanzline.comRob Kluz Ztrack Distribution |
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Post by pcrail on Nov 18, 2021 1:23:34 GMT -5
Nice job on the CR SW. The only thing I noticed are the Flexicoil trucks. None of the 1500's CR inherited from the Penn Central had them, just the units from the Reading were equipped. I would guess that if one wanted to, they could switch out the Flexicoils with the regular switcher trucks ?
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Post by Hans Riddervold (AZL) on Nov 18, 2021 3:37:38 GMT -5
Yes I also noticed (too late). If wanted, contact Rob Kluz for AAR trucks. And a note on the much discussed GN E7 green color. We have changed the color and it should be a close match
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Post by burkssd402 on Nov 18, 2021 8:42:12 GMT -5
I noticed the truck issue myself right away. Im an abundantly open person and I mean this as no disrespect towards AZL, but when I seen that it really killed it for me. Big disappointment. It looks extremely weird and alien to me. Will this truck issue be fixed or addressed and if so will there be a way to know about it if it does? Id def be in the market then to buy one then if that problem is resolved. Thanks, Matt
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Post by DAZed on Nov 18, 2021 8:48:55 GMT -5
I noticed the truck issue myself right away. Im an abundantly open person and I mean this as no disrespect towards AZL, but when I seen that it really killed it for me. Big disappointment. It looks extremely weird and alien to me. Will this truck issue be fixed or addressed and if so will there be a way to know about it if it does? Id def be in the market then to buy one then if that problem is resolved. Thanks, Matt No need to be disappointed. Just contact Rob K., per Hans' instructions right above your post. He will likely have a solution for you. How to contact Rob Kluz: azlforum.com/thread/631/azl-customer-support . |
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Post by cwrr on Nov 18, 2021 12:24:36 GMT -5
"And a note on the much discussed GN E7 green color. We have changed the color and it should be a close match." Yes, finally can haul my International trains! Thank you AZL!  |
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Post by Commodore on Nov 18, 2021 13:29:27 GMT -5
"And a note on the much discussed GN E7 green color. We have changed the color and it should be a close match." Yes, finally can haul my International trains! Thank you AZL! I’m buying into that too… |
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Post by ztrack on Nov 18, 2021 14:30:36 GMT -5
Yes some of the Conrails did run on the Flexicoils. See attached.   Just drop me an email if you are wanting AAR trucks. Once I have parts form AZL, we will work out the details. sales@ztrack.com Rob |
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Post by burkssd402 on Nov 18, 2021 23:08:55 GMT -5
Yes some of the Conrails did run on the Flexicoils. See attached. View AttachmentJust drop me an email if you are wanting AAR trucks. Once I have parts form AZL, we will work out the details. sales@ztrack.com Rob Yes some did, but not the particular road numbers that are offered. And to me that is an issue. By all means not trying to sound sideways about it but its just a personal preference. Some may not care or wouldn't notice, however I would. If I was to buy one I would much rather it already have the AAR style trucks installed rather than to get the unit and the parts to make right and risk breaking something. Just my thought on it anyway. |
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Post by gerd on Nov 19, 2021 1:37:26 GMT -5
What puzzles me a 5 min internet search and review by AZL would have avoided that issue, can’t blame the Chinese supplier, they don’t have any idea in the first place, it’s all about the sign-off by the customer
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Post by markm on Nov 19, 2021 5:56:53 GMT -5
Hans,
I see only one logical solution, pull the release of these SW1500s, send them back to China for rework. With a little luck you can offer them again for Christmas 2022 or Spring 2023 at the latest.
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Post by zman on Nov 19, 2021 7:35:00 GMT -5
I am totally myth by some of the critical responses about a great looking CR SW1500. I am just an average z scale hobbyist that enjoys running my z scale trains on my switching layout. Heck, when I am running the trains I don't even notice the trucks under the frame; their black. I guess if you are a collector and spend hours looking for detail errors on a z scale locomotive or train car you must not have much else to do! Sorry about being critical but I think AZL did a great job with detailing the SW1500 that we as a scale modeler have been waiting for for a long time. Keep up the great work Hans and Rob! Don't send them back to China!! There are enough of us operators who are trilled with the CR SW1500 as is and will overlook the minor discrepant.
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Post by DAZed on Nov 19, 2021 7:40:44 GMT -5
Hans, I see only one logical solution, pull the release of these SW1500s, send them back to China for rework. With a little luck you can offer them again for Christmas 2022 or Spring 2023 at the latest. Given there's what...23 roadnames one can do the math and figure out that even at 2 per month you're looking at October 2022 for roadname #23 to be released. Just find another run with AAR's, slide it to last in the schedule, rob (no puns intended) the trucks from that run, and order new trucks to replace them...you've got almost a year basically to get the replacements. |
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Post by DAZed on Nov 19, 2021 8:14:21 GMT -5
I think the great thing about model railroading is that there are many facets of it, and people enjoy it in much different ways. Some enjoy researching and getting details as close to correct as is reasonable. (or not so reasonable, in some cases.  ) Some just want to build layouts with lots of tracks and just run trains and don't care what the scheme, era, nationality, or roadname is of said trains. In many scenarios, fidelity to the prototype may not be that important. You can say it doesn't matter (as much?) in Z, but the reality is that the products released by AZL and some others are generally thought to strive for that. So, I think it's worthy of *constructive* criticism for sure. AZL has been doing some amazing things with the detail variations they are offering, and they've spoiled their customers to a degree....often doing things that aren't even available in larger scales. For the respective roads, the truck differences are pretty significant. The Flexicoil trucks have much more heft to them IMHO and seem to really make it look like a much different locomotive. Bottom line if you're a Conrail fan this is--at minimal--a bit frustrating that the correct configuration is possible and yet you're not getting it that way. (For the record, I am NOT a Conrail fan but I do appreciate the significance of this issue for those folks.) I'd say you're not taking still photography into consideration either. While a running locomotive would be harder to discern, hirez still photos would show the discrepancy quite well. And many folks enjoy taking good pics of their layouts and models. Anyway, I agree nobody should have meltdown about this, but it is definitely worth the efforts (that are seemingly underway) to try and correct the issue. I will say, the preproduction artwork did show the respective trucks for each road, and the Conrails do appear to have Flexicoils. So if you're complaining about "how could this be missed"....well....you missed it too.  |
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Post by DAZed on Nov 19, 2021 8:27:55 GMT -5
So, I stand corrected... To give credit where credit is due, Curn (Matt) did point out the Conrail issue about 6 months ago. So it wasn't necessarily missed by everyone... |
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) Some just want to build layouts with lots of tracks and just run trains and don't care what the scheme, era, nationality, or roadname is of said trains. In many scenarios, fidelity to the prototype may not be that important. You can say it doesn't matter (as much?) in Z, but the reality is that the products released by AZL and some others are generally thought to strive for that.
