Hello, A while back there was talk of some folks (Doc and Barry) in Utah coming out with new Z scale steam loco kits. I believe they were looking at producing a heavy Mikado first, followed by an 0-8-0 and then a (gasp!) Shay. Does anyone have any updates on this? is this still on track? Thanks, Ajay
Last I heard was that there would be an update soon, after they posted about driver sizes being a bit off. We are due to here from them soon. I wish they had a web page. There was another guy, who used to do design work for MTL, that said he was going to make a loco, and he started a web page, but I have not heard from him in about a year. Also, Searails was supposed to produce a Z Scale RS2 shell, but we are still waiting to hear from them.
I talked to Doc (Jim) today and the work on the loco is continuing. What I'm being told is really exciting and look forward to more updates. As far as a web site with updates, that is in the works as we speak.
Not Enough! Gwyl, This bit of info is not enough!!! We want answers!!! We need answers to the curiosity that this post is creating. Photos!!! Photos would surely curve the appetite of curiosity!!! Perhaps you should contact Doc again and tell him of the current predicament. :teeth: Ok, all seriousness aside, photos would be great!!!!! See what you can do!!! Thanks! Hobo Tim p.s. I have been contacted with an inquiry from them as to increasing the weight of casting resin!!! Sounds like they are close to release!!!!
I think the best way to make a 0-8-0 is to start with a 2-10-0 or 2-10-2. The 2-8-2 has too large a driver and they are spaced waaaaaay too far apart. Out of the few projects I have planned the hardest seems to be making a 2-8-2 out of a 2-8-2, go figure. Bring on the steam, make my job easier : )
in an email communication from jim at searails, it seems the RS2 may be put off. the width to fit an MTL chassis would make the proportions too large (added to the thickness of the shell materials). i got the impression they were probably going to abandon it. that may not be what he meant to say, but that is what i thought it distilled to. i was REALLY looking forward to that shell, and expecting it fairly soon now. but i don't think we'll ever see it (not from searails anyway and not any time soon). dave f.
LOL! In my conversation with Jim this morning we talked about photos/updates etc. The plan is to have some photos/updates with in the week. :teeth:
Chris, I noticed that when I was working on my L1s, but, I figured that since there was nothing I could do... The center to center distance from the first to last driver is over 2.5' too long (for the Pennsy, more than that for the USRA). Strange thing is, I can't figure out why. There is plenty of room left between the flanges to make them tighter. I'm guessing it was for balance and traction reasons. The drivers are very close on diameter (60.5"). The center to center from the leading truck to the frist driver is about exactly right for the pennsy (106"), but the trailing truck is over 1' too far back from the last driver, which I guess has something to do with the flanges clearing the motor mount. Maybe that's why the spread the drivers, too. The didn't want to push that dimension too far off, so they split the difference. The overall length is about 1' too long for Pennsy, but only about 6" for the USRA. Dan S.
The drivers being spread might have something to do with whatever foreign model first used the chassis. Maybe there is a prototype for it out there. For us they just slapped a funny looking light USRA body and changed the cylinders. http://www-personal.umich.edu/~khmiska/br_86.htm
