motive power

[JoeS]

Well, I have been reading a lot of posts lately and was just curious as to the different motive power that people have for their Z scale. I think pictures posted would be nice so others could see what is available. Of course that being said, I can't as of yet get pictures up. :( My wife jsut got a digital camera for x-mas and I will try to figure out how to go about downloading a few pictures as I am not that computor/digital savy yet. But anyway, right now I have only 3, A micro-trains F-7 in union pacific, a micro-trains mogul in SP, and A marklin mikado in Burlington route. I haven't decided which is the best. They all run suprising well. However, after a total breakdown, cleaning, reconstruction and relubing, the mikado probably has the best creeping ability. So what do you guys out there have and how do you like them?

[Alan]

Yes, I also would like to see some photographic evidence of Z scale trains smile.gif

[EDModels]

Here is my AZL C44-9W... I paid only $450.00 for it...
http://www.ericmenzel.com/images/zscale/DSC00725s.jpg
http://www.ericmenzel.com/images/zscale/DSC00729s.jpg

[Stourbridge Lion]

:cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool:

[William Cowie]

Wow - do the ditch lights work?

[Alan]

Very nice, Eric smile.gif Now if we can get more people into Z prices may come down considerably ;)

[JoeS]

Nice shot Mythman. How well does it run? Are the characteristics similar to the split frame N scale loco's from Kato and Atlas?

[EDModels]

No, the ditch lights do not work. In fact this loco doesn't have any light wired. I will be adding a headlight when I install a DCC decoder.

This loco runs great both DC and DCC, I temporarily wired it to an old DZ-120 to test, while I wait for the DZ-143s to arrive. This loco is very smooth and is comparable to a Kato.

Here is a pic with the shell off.
http://www.ericmenzel.com/images/zscale/DSC01292s.jpg

And of course I have a MTL F7, which also runs good with DCC.

http://www.ericmenzel.com/images/zscale/DSC01293s.jpg

[pray59]

I have a few engines...

These are my NP locomotives. 4 are converted to DCC including the 0-6-0 up front. The second from the front is a bash job from CB&Q Mike into an NP W-3 Class with shorty tender, and all DCC conversions include firebox flicker.
http://raybob.boche.net/projects/images/p900aa.jpg

These are my CB&Q Mikado's awaiting DCC conversion.

http://raybob.boche.net/projects/images/p900b.jpg

These are my European steamers awaiting Americanization. Unfortunately, there are no 0-8-0, or 0-6-0 switchers for USA in Z. The two 2-6-0 Moguls are for Nn3 conversion projects.

http://raybob.boche.net/projects/images/p900c.jpg

These are my Southern and SP steamers. Mikes, and Pacific's.

http://raybob.boche.net/projects/images/p900d.jpg

[pray59]

These are my F7A's and B. They are awaiting the paint shop for NP conversion.

http://raybob.boche.net/projects/images/p900e.jpg

These are my AZL Locomotives. The brass SD54's will get NP treatment, and the plastic F59PHI's stay as they are.

http://raybob.boche.net/projects/images/p900f.jpg

Well, I think it's a good start... Don't you? tongue.gif :D

[rush2ny]

Holy Cow!!! That is some assortment of Z scale, perhaps the largest that I have seen anywhere at one time! I did see a cool Z scale layout this weekend but they were running strictly european stuff. Do you have any layout shots?

Russ

[Alan]

Robert, what an astounding collection of Z locos :eek:

You really are keen on Z :D

[HemiAdda2d]

Wow! Robert!
What a fleet! graemlins/notworthy.gif
You have as much invested in that setup as I do in my entire motive power fleet in N! :eek:
But one note--you are gonna repaint that gorgeous SD45 pair into NP paint? Comon, man, that's Aspen Gold!! :eek: graemlins/222.gif ;)

[pray59]

graemlins/222.gif NP Gold! graemlins/222.gif

[JoeS]

Wow Robert! That is impressive. I wonder, do you notice a difference in the running characteristics of the loco's that you have? I noticed you have several mikados and several pacifics, even though they are all the same, do you notice a difference amoung them? Is there one that just outperforms the others? Just wondering.

[Stourbridge Lion]

STEAM Power

[pray59]

Originally posted by JoeS:
Wow Robert! That is impressive. I wonder, do you notice a difference in the running characteristics of the loco's that you have? I noticed you have several mikados and several pacifics, even though they are all the same, do you notice a difference amoung them? Is there one that just outperforms the others? Just wondering. The Pacific's outpull the Mikado's better than 2 to 1. I did a tug of war with the Pacific pulling the Mikado as easily as any Microtrains car while the drivers were spinning or stalled. Then I added another Mikado, and at 2 to 1 the Pacific outpulled it. It takes 3 Mike's to outpull 1 Pacific.

The reason is that the Mikado only has 2 drivers in contact with the rails, where the Pacific has 3 per side. Also the Pacific's drivers are bigger so it has much more surface area in contact with the rails.

For some reason the Mikado's first and 3rd driver slots are cut deeper by about .010", and they also do not have electrical pickup on those drivers. This leaves the drivers off the rails when you go forward. The seem to hunker down in reverse, but I need to convert one more Mike to do a DCC tug of war with the Mike's in reverse.

Why do I bother with aquiring the Mikes? Well the NP used Mikes for freight and Pacific's for passenger service. You just seen many more freight trains than passenger trains on the line.

Sadly, for the Mike's, that tiny 0-6-0 switcher up front pulls as well as the Mike, and runs just as good as the Pa :D cific.

[E-8]

That is amazing Robert. I hope to be able to afford a single locomotive someday. graemlins/222.gif

Charlie

[JoeS]

Looks like I'll have to try and pick up a pacific now as well! I kinda noticed that my mike pulls not much more than the mogul. Makes a lot more sense now.

[William Cowie]

Brass locos that run smoothly - what a concept!!!!! tongue.gif

Robert, all I can say is, like, wow, man!! :D :D

[BoxcabE50]

Originally posted by pray59:
Well, I think it's a good start... Don't you? graemlins/wow.gif There's a few dollars worth on display! Am looking foward to seeing those units in NP!

:D

Boxcab E50

[JoeS]

http://www.railimages.com/gallery/joeszajko/aab
Just a check to see if this works! Hmmm Seems as though I get nothing but the dreaded red x in the box. If anybody has any ideas as to why I appreciate the advice. Thanks. Here are the direct links. http://www.railimages.com/albums/joeszajko/aab.sized.jpg
and http://www.railimages.com/albums/joeszajko/aaa.sized.jpg
and lastly http://www.railimages.com/albums/joeszajko/aac.sized.jpg

[ 12. January 2005, 12:52: Message edited by: JoeS ]

[Stourbridge Lion]

This is what shows the image
</font><blockquote>code:</font><hr /><pre style="font-size:x-small; font-family: monospace;">http://www.railimages.com/albums/joeszajko/aab.sized.jpg</pre>[/QUOTE]http://www.railimages.com/albums/joeszajko/aab.sized.jpg

[pray59]

Nice locomotive Joe! I was not into Z when MTL was selling them, but I was so tempted by the Nn3 locomotive they offered. I can't wait for their next Z loco release.

I like to use the image button for instant UBB code to post my pictures. That way I don't have to remember anything. I just do a "right click + view image" in my web browser to get the image's web address, then copy the complete address, and paste it in the popup dialog box for image.

-Robert

[Fluid Dynamics]

Those SD45s are awesome. One of my favorite locomotive types. Does anyone on here have any of the Z scale tunnel motors?

[JoeS]

Stourbridge Lion Thanks! I think I fixed it! By the way my photo skills will improve as I practice. This digital stuff is all new to me. It is really quite funny, you can see where my handling of the mikado has worn off my weathering on the boiler. Amazing what the digital eye can see! And Robert I will try your method as well. I will get used to this tech stuff eventually!

[ 12. January 2005, 13:32: Message edited by: JoeS ]

[pray59]

Originally posted by Fluid Dynamics:
Those SD45s are awesome. One of my favorite locomotive types. Does anyone on here have any of the Z scale tunnel motors? I can't afford any more brass stuff right now, but I looked on the AZL page and they only have the SP units left.

I'm waiting for the SD70's in plastic this summer. Saving my shekels for those as I want about 4 of them. :D

[JoeS]

By the way Robert, was there a specific relase date on the SD 70's?

[pray59]

What I heard was the first road numbers would be available at the NTS in Cinci this summer. This was what Hans said while he was running his Sounder train on the Northwest Pacific Z Sclaers modular layout.

Here is a shot of Hans Riddervold from AZL at the NTS where I heard it first:
http://raybob.boche.net/Shows/images/Hansf59.jpg

Also in Z Scale News...

It has been announced that this summer, July 5th and 6th, there will be the first ever Z Scale Convention in Columbus, Ohio. After that is the NTS in Cincinnati.

http://www.ztrack.com/asrtpgs/Columbus_2005_Convention.html :D

[JoeS]

Well, my curiosity is peeked. A person could easily go modern!