Press Release – May 29th, 2007 America Z Line is proud to announce the following injection molded freight cars: 3 Bay Center Flow Hopper Product data: Will be sold as 4-pack with different road numbers Truck: AZL roller bearing truck with metal wheels and AZL coupler Roadnames first release: BN, BNSF, NS, UP, SP Expected: January 2008 Tri-level Auto Rack Product data: will be sold as 4-pack with different road numbers Truck: AZL roller bearing truck with metal wheels and AZL coupler Etched metal sides Roadnames first release: SP, UP, BNSF, CSX, AT&SF, CP Rail Expected: January 2008 60’ Gunderson Box Car (TTX TBOX) Product data: will be sold as 4-pack with different road numbers Truck: AZL roller bearing truck with metal wheels and AZL coupler Roadnames first release: TTX Expected: January 2008 All freight car sets will be offered at competitive prices. To download a PDF of this press release, including line drawings, please click on the link: http://www.ztrack.com/Ztrack_PDFs/AZL_PR052907.pdf AZL is a product line of Rail Miniatures Ltd. AZL products are distributed exclusively by Ztrack Magazine Ltd. Rob Kluz
Great News Rob! Any news on the release date for the coal porters? Can we preorder the coal porters? Also I'm hoping the link you posted has preorder info, but I can't get the link to open. Anyone else having problems with it?
Drooling Zone!!! Rail Miniatures is the MAN!!!! WOW!!! Look at those three car styles!!! MODERN!!! Three Modern rollingstock that Z scale needs and that will sell well. ESPECIALLY the three bay Centerflow Covered Hoppers!!! WOW!!!! These have got to get the Z scalers mouths watering!!! Watch your step, Drooling Zone!!! Hobo Tim
The link is direct to a PDF. You may have to save the linked file to your desktop first before opening it. If that doesn't work, email me offline and I will send you a copy of the file. I am not taking orders for the coal porters yet. Once I have final product numbers and pricing, I will be able to start taking orders. These are LONG over due! Hopefully we will see them in the next few months. Rob
Those are all excellent choice cars Rob! Things are really looking up for Z Scale! Bring on the plastic SD45's!
Oh wow! Great stuff. I can't wait to see their trucks and metal wheels. Hopefully the wheelsets will look as good as the FVM wheels in n scale. Since they are all 4 packs, maybe some of us can split up sets?:shade:
Finally (well, not until after Christmas), Autoracks !!! Guess I'll have to buy 2 sets of those bad boys ! Mmmmmmm . . . metal wheels ! Hope you planning an selling lots of spare trucks and wheel sets. I hear a stampede !
TCS has been slow on developing the decorders. We are now in talks with another company to do a drop in decoder. AZL may actually back the production. We hope to have more on this later. Also, AZL is planning on offering trucks and couplers. But, I don't have a date when this will happen. Likely these will not hit the market until a car run or two is out. I don't know about you all, but this is one very exciting time for Z. With all of the new rolling stock from MTL and now AZL, we have options that we could only dream of a few years ago! Sorry Chris it is all too modern for you. LOL! Rob
It would be really good if a decoder could be fashioned to fit both the SD70 as well as the GP7. Not having seen the innards of an SD70, I don't know if that is possible...
Great News Rob! I'm happy that the release date is 2008 because I've used allready the budget for 2007.
Have not heard what configuration these AZL decoders will be in. I hope they look like the Digitrax GP35 decoder with LED lighting!! Hobo Tim
Centerflow Covered Hoppers Rob, Have a question about these Hoppers. It says First Release! But, do you know if or could you sway AZL into releasing these Centerflow Covered Hoppers in Undecorated sets? Reason I ask is that most Centerflow Covered Hoppers are light gray and only sport regular reporting marks. When I first read this News Release my mind went to work wondering which Centerflow paint schemes I would re-paint some of these in too! Painting an Undec would be so much more easier!!! I know this question always comes up when MTL releases a new body style, but this release would be the ultimate since 60% of all Rollingstock on US railroads are Covered Hoppers!!!!!! Go AZL!!! Look forward to your reply!!! Thanks Rob! Hobo Tim
Grain Trains Since starting in Z scale, I have always had a thing for the Country Life, Farms, Fields, Down Home USA! Must be that is where I came from!!! I have always wanted a Country scene!! Corn/Grain fields, forest, pasture, grain elevators, tractors, combines, and all the other stuff that makes up a more modern country scene around the railroad tracks. I use to work at a Farmers CO-OP and this appeals to me. Need some Grain Trains!!! Here are some paint schemes I wouldn't mind having alot of, in there various schemes (and several were produced). Even one of these, for show!!! The Ultimate issue with a Centerflow Covered Hopper for me is, having to build more Farm equipment and grain elevators!!! But I don't mind!!! Hobo Tim
I don't mind if you build more farm stuff too Tim! I am still in acquisition mode for cows for my feedlot complete with "Cow of the Hill", if you know what I mean. My grain cars need to be more Simplot, ADM, NP, and BN. Also I want to mix some Diatomaceous Earth in with latex house paint to get the lumpy finish of insulated Northern Pacific 3-Bay Conditionaire Center Flow Hoppers: And repainted into BN: Santa Fe had them too:
Oh Robert, you are just saying that cause you know I will make more than what I need for myself. I know your traiNP of thought! RTV/Cast Resin/Etched Metal/Laser Hobo Tim
I agree with Tim about the simple or undecorated paint schemes. At the very least, do some of the almost bare off white cars. You see way more like this than you do of fancy paint schemes. Randy
60' Gunderson Box Cars... in TTX TBOX no less... AWESOME!!! 3 Bay Centerflows... in NS... GREAT!!! I want to formally register my vote for undecorateds, from AZL, MTL, and anyone else releasing rolling stock in 08. Especially the Centerflows... there are so many lease cars out there, more than road owned I would estimate, that it only makes sense to release "undecorateds with data" like those that Atlas releases. Anyhow, I'm just glad to see these new items coming out by Jan 08. Of course, now that I know about the TBOXs (Rob, here's my pre-order request) I'm going to be the first to raise serious cain if these things are delayed like the gons <grrrrrrrr>.
