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Post by zdave on Jul 27, 2014 11:47:02 GMT -5
Folks, ( Thanks for all the kind comments. We are working diligently to get our announced products out the door, as well as continuing development on some really spectacular projects. If you keep buying them, we will keep making them. It's as simple as that. Best, -Rob(A) AZL I'm trying to do my part.  I just recently purchased 3 of the new SD70s (Thanks Rob K.!). They are very well done and are running well, once broken-in. My GP38-2 is a reliable and smooth runner, too. One suggestion, though. It would be a big plus to include some minimal instructions with each loco. Just something to address the basics, such as a recommended break-in routine, how to remove the shell, how to add the optional front plow. I know the new locos aren't supposed to need much if any maintenance with the shell-off, but if someone is going to add a digital board, they're still going to need to remove the shell, which is easy once you figure it out. I just wonder how many AZL "newbies" get a little discouraged when they don't realize some of these things. Keep those fine new products coming! |
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Post by gerd on Jul 28, 2014 7:04:38 GMT -5
Great idea, to take the plunge and do the ES44AC instead! Following the famed F7 and E8! On the waybill for cars: the COIL CAR so far was available only from a great special car builder on a small , speak long-time-a-wait, production. Hope he keeps on living! Don't worry, I have built so many of those cars it's enough for some time. But if there's more demand, AZL has limited themselves, as it looks like, to so called type 5 cars, I had type 4 and the most common type 3 , too. Anyway plastic can't replace real metal ;-) |
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Post by domi on Jul 29, 2014 0:22:55 GMT -5
When I looked at my Twin Cities DVD i saw a lot of Wisconsin Central SD45 so I'm looking forward to that release. A couple of them will fit perfectly into my setup. I also would like a couple of MRL SD45. One of my old issues of Trains, June 2005 is about last chance to see Montana Rail Links SD45, running 12 unit trains, four in the lead with two helper sets. In the same issue they wrote CN never owned a SD45, not likely any SD45 will ever show up in CN colours, still CN has the largest fleet of SD45, ex WC after the merger. Second largest fleet is MRL. I assume they ment at the time when they wrote the article.Yes. Currently MRL is scraping its last units, as well as one of its last two F45s (the other one beeing preserved for I don't remember which museum), all of which having mostly been dormant for years. Remaining "true" SD45 are now very scarce. I know about a shortline in NE, a Genesee &Wyoming subsidiary whom I forgot the name, which operates a handful of them. Otherwise there are a fair number of locomotives externally looking like SD45s, but indeed internally retrofited as SD40-2s, with an EMD 16-645 prime mover. Dom |
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Post by Rob Albritton on Jul 29, 2014 10:16:02 GMT -5
plastic can't replace real metal ;-) Gerd, I agree with that! That's why we still build Brass Locomotives. There are some models that just will not support full injection tooling until Z scale grows to something like 4 times it's user base. But that doesn't mean we don't want to make the models. In those cases, metal is the way to go: low production volumes. Unfortunately, it carries a high price too. You have a good place where your freight cars can be offered as kits to keep the price down. I do not think it would be wise for us to offer Brass steam locomotives in kit form, nor do I think we could find anyone who would do the production work in kit form (we did try)they are hard enough to build on an assembly line with skilled workers. There are only a handful of modelers I know of who could build a Z scale brass steam locomotive from a kit, and most of them can be found on these forums. It just seems wrong for us to sell a bunch of expensive steam locomotive kits to folks knowing that the vast majority of them will get frustrated, never complete the project, and wind up bit a box of parts and bad feelings towards us and Z scale in general. Anyway, Hans and I are glad you keep producing Z scale models. We believe that the more producers there are, the more customers will follow into Z, and we will all do better as a result. Best, -Rob(A) AZL |
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Post by Rob Albritton on Jul 29, 2014 10:31:08 GMT -5
Otherwise there are a fair number of locomotives externally looking like SD45s, but indeed internally retrofited as SD40-2s, with an EMD 16-645 prime mover. Dom, Uh... I'm into details as much as the next guy, but I think it might be a little over-the-top for us to retrofit the prime mover in our SD45 project a functional scale model of an EMD 16-645. I mean, think of all the EPA paperwork we would have to fill out to have a Z scale locomotive running on actual diesel fuel. Not to mention the microscopic tools (made to 1:220 scale of course) required to service it. And I'm not sure how to print all the various regulations and labor agreements on 1:220 paper, much less finding a 0.054 point Font that is easy to read. Do you think it would be OK if we just made the model look the right way externally, and maybe have a little explainer / apology note inside the box?  Best, -Rob(A) PS: The above was intended as a joke. Humor. Pun. Not at all serious. I beg your forgiveness. |
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Post by domi on Jul 29, 2014 11:42:23 GMT -5
Of course, Rob, you should. My explanation was just for railroad fanatics' information. Dom |
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Post by jamestraction on Aug 1, 2014 0:02:00 GMT -5
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Post by davestubbs on Aug 1, 2014 0:33:09 GMT -5
Thanks for the link James. nice to put a face to the name
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Post by mgatdog on Aug 1, 2014 11:14:49 GMT -5
AZL National Train Show New Product Announcement, Part 2Well, that is exactly why we pulled the plug on the AC4400, we are doing the ES44AC instead. With all the Heritage paint schemes, we just had to do it. Both Hi-Ad and Self-Steering trucks will be available as will other unique features such as different cab roof antennas. View AttachmentSincerely, Hans (AZL) Hans So with self-steering trucks . What's the tightest curve the ES44AC going to handle ? Bob |
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Post by mgatdog on Aug 1, 2014 11:16:49 GMT -5
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Post by zdave on Aug 9, 2014 15:12:35 GMT -5
Hi, We will update the future SD45 and ES44AC threads with all kinds of information next month. But a WC SD45 is part of the first SD45 run. Sincerely, Hans (AZL) Any chance for an Erie-Lackawanna SD45, Hans?  |
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Post by zman215 on Sept 19, 2014 18:30:03 GMT -5
Rob,
In this thread as well as in Ztrack I read about the E8 collaboration and more specifically that AZL would bring out the PRR E8. However, I see that Marklin has the PRR E8 out this fall. Will AZL still be bringing out the PRR or is road only with Marklin?
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Post by Rob Albritton on Sept 20, 2014 7:39:00 GMT -5
Rob, In this thread as well as in Ztrack I read about the E8 collaboration and more specifically that AZL would bring out the PRR E8. However, I see that Marklin has the PRR E8 out this fall. Will AZL still be bringing out the PRR or is road only with Marklin? AZL will sell the E8 in UP, SP, and PRR, as well as some other road names (Hint: Kentucky Derby & Grand Ole Opry) Marklin gets unique road numbers for their products. Marklin units also have a special truck to accommodate the Marklin coupler. The coupler pocket we use for the AZL AutoLatch coupler would not work for the Marklin coupler piece. The Marklin nits also get a special fuel tank that is designed to activate the Marklin action tracks (small switches in the middle of the track). There will be no noticeable difference in the fuel tanks unless you turn the locomotive upside down. |
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Post by tknarr58 on Nov 8, 2014 18:31:38 GMT -5
Just received my UP CA-3 brass caboose. Absolutely awesome. More brass cabooses please!! GN, NYC, ATSF,
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Post by Hans Riddervold (AZL) on Nov 9, 2014 12:45:17 GMT -5
We are thinking about just that. More on this later. Sincerely, Hans (AZL)
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I just recently purchased 3 of the new SD70s (Thanks Rob K.!). They are very well done and are running well, once broken-in. My GP38-2 is a reliable and smooth runner, too.
