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Post by domi on Oct 29, 2022 14:15:49 GMT -5
Thanks for explanations. Dom
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Post by domi on Oct 29, 2022 14:13:14 GMT -5
With AZL`s new PAs becoming available, more and more old brass PA1 enter the secondary market. I had the chance to get one and of course took a picture: View AttachmentBest, Sven Just for my information, how many dollars was it worth ? If no worries for you giving us the number ? Dom
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Post by domi on Oct 29, 2022 11:06:56 GMT -5
What is interresting is that CP actually operated a barge service to serve a remote branch in British Columbia, until the eighties... Infortunately I'm unable to find any data on it else than a few pics with no explanation. Dom
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Post by domi on Oct 29, 2022 10:25:48 GMT -5
... Too bad model trains builders and airplane kits manufacturers never managed to harmonize their respective scales. Myself as an aviation fanatic I've a few 1:200 airplane kits, some of which will find place above my future layout. Hasegawa :Douglas DC3, Airbus A300B4, McDonnell-Douglas DC9-30, DC10-40 and MD11, Lockheed L1011-200 Tristar. Italeri : Tupolev Tu-95 Bear. But indeed there is a full Z scale aircraft kit that I'm the happy owner : an Aerospatiale-MBB C160F Transall, a Franco-German military tactical transport airplane that has been widely used by French Airforce until the very last months, and that is furthermore dear to my heart as it was the very first airplane I was rated on as a young military pilot close to 40 years ago. Dom
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Post by domi on Jul 3, 2022 5:58:25 GMT -5
this is a great improvement for french Z scalers. Marklin produces only very small quantities of any cars; And I do not know if they made even a loco. French Z scalers who wants something have to transform german material or do it in 3D printing by themselves Better than that : Marklin never took care of the french market since its implementation. Only 2 SNCF locos had been released for 50 years, a 2-10-0 150Y Class and a 4-6-4 232TC Class, both of them beeing former german railroad designs. I wonder if these signals could be used as block signals on a french layout ... But unfortunately there is not (yet) a french railcar (Picasso or Caravelle) made by AZAR (French modellers like "local and rural" lines from the 60's or 70's), so I think these models (together with TGV to come) are rather suitable for cross-border traffic to Germany or Switzerland. For myself I was waiting for a long time for availability of US models, after I saw an HO layout in RMF, 1976 ; especially there were no structures, so my N layout from the 80's was ... German ! Please allow them to take the time they're needing ! They're starting from scratch, and such as AZL, they cannot arrive in the first time with a full range of rolling stock... Indeed I think their idea of first making a 67400 Class diesel is clever, as this locomotive model has run for nearly 50 years on almost all SNCF network including electrified lines, with all kind of trains behind, ranging from the hotshot intercity passenger train to the slowest drag freight.. And in my opinion the 72000 Class is the nicest of all electric and diesels that ran on the french network. I've always been in love with it ! For this very reason, and although I've no plan to model any french railroad in any future (I still have to find the time to start my mexican project, and I'm afraid I'll have to retire in order to find it), I just ordered one sample ! Sometimes I will put my Ferrocarril Chiapas-Mayab freights on the siding just to have my 72000 stretching its wheels on my future layout.. Dom
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Post by domi on May 1, 2022 10:14:37 GMT -5
No, it's not! UP just announced that due to supply chain congestion, they are suspending this year's steam tour, Supply chain congestion ? What is "congested" ? Has traffic risen above all previous figures ? Dom
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Post by domi on Apr 18, 2022 8:58:23 GMT -5
Very sorry, Rob. All my best wishes for your loved ones and yourself.
Dom
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Post by domi on Apr 18, 2022 8:43:56 GMT -5
Nice paint/decals and nice pics! Is that an MTL coupler on the front of the PA1? Yep, all brass AZL locos have MTL couplers. Dom
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Post by domi on Dec 8, 2021 11:54:21 GMT -5
Guys, does this temperature warning relates to used locos as well ? My layout indeed sits in a room where there is only a portable heater that I only run when beeing in this room. Thus locomotives in permanent location on my layout are rather cold when I just start heating the room for train sessions and I’m wondering if I can damage them when running still cold.. Dom Thanks Dom: There is inside cold and outside cold. Outside cold can go below freezing and engine oil can solidify. Inside cold is usually a whole lot warmer than outside cold... Inside should be fine! I'm glad that I checked the forum before going to bed! I can sleep well, now...
OK Captain, many thanks for your input. Dom
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Post by domi on Dec 4, 2021 14:31:58 GMT -5
Guys, does this temperature warning relates to used locos as well ? My layout indeed sits in a room where there is only a portable heater that I only run when beeing in this room. Thus locomotives in permanent location on my layout are rather cold when I just start heating the room for train sessions and I’m wondering if I can damage them when running still cold..
Dom
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Post by domi on Nov 22, 2021 12:25:56 GMT -5
Wow are these things great! They run around my smallest layout with 95mm curves! They are more or less about the same speed as a The Z Maker switcher (Rokuhan shorty with voltage reducing resistor), but without the annoying run away down hill and slow down up hill speed issue. At 1.5 volts non PWM straight dc they go a slow speed, about 10 scale mph and that’s about as slow as they can go without stalling. Using a Snail PWM controller they can actually crawl! Clean track required of course. The AZL video with it speeding into frame does not do these any justice. But for all of us with tiny layouts, these are a must have. I’m a very happy customer right now. Wonderful ! Which brand of PWM snail controller are you using ? Dom
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Post by domi on Oct 17, 2021 10:07:03 GMT -5
First: you need to trim off the back wall of the coupler box (draft gear box) I just measured that as 0.5mm in depth. Try holding the coupler box together while you cut off the back as shown in the pictures. That should keep everything in one piece and will help prevent bits from flying apart. Second: DO NOT USE A DREMMEL. The friction of the sanding disc will create enough heat to melt the coupler. You will wind up with a mess of goo. USE A SHARP HOBBY KNIFE. Third: We can send you some extra adaptors, but they are designed for the SW1500 and will not fit our other locomotives. OK Rob thanks for your input. And as these adaptors won't fit any AZL loco other than SW1500s, I'm not going any further with the idea of purchasing a bunch of these. Dom
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Post by domi on Oct 10, 2021 10:13:32 GMT -5
This is really excellent news ! First the availability of a Z scale switcher and above all the (nearly complete) compatibility with MTL's magnematic coupler, as the first role of a switcher is to... switch, what AZL's coupler doesn't allow. However, I've a few questions today : -First, is there any indication of how how much lenght the MTL coupler box has to be trimmed ? BTW I already tried that with a few MTL coupler boxes in the past (for AZL GP38 and MTL GP9/35 use) and all ended the same : all the inside stuff, hinged parts and spring went off and the coupler box was wasted. -2nd : for MTL coupler box trimming : is it advisable to use a dremmel with a very thin disk, rather than the hobby knife the procedure sheet speaks about ? -And finally 3rd : will the adapter be sold as a spare part (for example at AZL Direct's) for use on any other AZL locomotive ? I'm thinking about my GP38-2s (only one is retrofitted - with non trimmed MTL coupler boxes which I definitly think they protrude too far) and above all about my GP30, which has rather short chassis / carbody beyond trucks...
Dom
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Post by domi on Sept 11, 2021 10:34:59 GMT -5
Great step forward for Z scale ! Dom
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Post by domi on Sept 11, 2021 10:14:49 GMT -5
For those who are not rivet counters, an Alaska custom painted SD70M could represent a decent SD70MAC.. Dom
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