Looking at the numbers, as far as scale forums here on Trainboard go, Z Scale has moved to the #3 spot of the Scale forums, following HO and N Scale forums. For every 8.65 N Scale posts, there is a Z Scale post For every 1.28 HO Scale posts there is a Z Scale post Z Scalers post 11.24 times more than G Scalers Z Scalers post 13.79 times more than O Scalers Z Scalers post 13.92 times more than Narrow Gaugers Z Scalers post 22.50 times more than S Scalers Z Scalers Most Popular Topic = 580 replies N Scalers Most Popular Topic = 711 replies HO Scalers Most Popular Topic = 127 replies O Scalers Most Popular Topic = 42 replies G Scalers Most Popular Topic = 39 replies S Scalers Most Popular Topic = 33 replies Based off these stats, I would think Z Scale is in healthy shape here at Trainboard! Comments?
Those are interesting numbers. The Z bunch is a pretty dedicated group. It's fun to see Z climbing the charts so to speak.:thumbs_up:
Time to get the word out there, Jeff! Thanks for posting these stats, Robert. We have been watching the Z forum grow with a fantastic, and eclectic, group of passionate Z Scale modellers. The quality of forum's work is definitely up there with the best in any scale. And no, I'm not changing scales... tempted admittedly.
I agree with Gary in the past 18 months we have seen the Z forum grow from basically not participation to one of our prime forums. I also believe this forum is probably has the most dedicated members to a scale. Jeff, As Gary stated please spread the word as we are happy to accept more great Z scale members.
I think the big thing here is the pictures in the post and the positive atmosphere. You see some great work and get great feedback. Seems like everyone is a friend here.
I would not know how they relate to brick and motor shop sales, but I would expect that for internet sales, they would be statistically comparable. That being said, if Trainboard was the only online forum for all scales, and these stats being the same, I would expect that an advertiser on trainboard who sold all scales, would get this same breakup of business from advertising here. Speculation of course.
Let's see! I recall two different instances where I became tremendously irritated by some of the members of the Yahoo Z_Scale group. During those instances I posted some outstanding Sales pitched messages trying to get the ACTIVE masses of that group to come join the Trainboard. Trainboard Z was in its infancy! Don't believe me, go search the Yahoo Z_Scale messages. Twice!!!! Anyways, look at the amount of Posts compared to the amount of Threads? HO- 2,294 Threads with 19,358 Posts Z - 995 Threads with 15,085 Posts 592 Posts in the "What's on your Workbench" alone!!! 60 pages with a huge amount of diverse Z scale topics. If all of those topics had their own Thread, perhaps Z scale would have another 100-200 Threads to add to the 995 already there. Now we are a little more than 4,000 Posts behind the HO crowd. I'll bet that as we get closer to Christmas, the 4000+ gap will close very quickly! GO "Z" GO !!!!!! Hobo Tim
Hi Guys; This is very profound info indeed...... I think we Z scalers are typically left out of the major publications, and certaily the mainstream type hobby stores. So i guess its no wonder that we are a very strong internet comunity that is dedicated to our scale. I for one found trainboard at the same time as finding zcetral station. I had been modeling alone in z scale for over 20 years before finding these sites, and i can't even begin to describe how these two sites have changed my hobby life. These two sites are now on my daily check-in list, and its contributers are always inspiring with their work. So guess what i'm saying is that i feel the other scales are better represented by the magazines and shops, and we z scalers are a lonely bunch of great modelers looking to find like-minded freinds...... Tony B.... Wasatch Z Club
Myself, I am a newbie to Z Scale, having just gotten into Z a few years ago. Before that I was an N Scaler. I have always seeked like minded people, and N Scale was an outcast scale until several of us in Boise started the Snake River N Scale Model Railroaders. When I moved back to the SF Bay Area in the mid 90's, I was an isolated N Scale modeler until the internet really came of age, and I was then in N, like I am now in Z, here on Trainboard. For the first few years, this Z Scale forum remained rarely used, as people would post, and never get a reply. I started replying once I built my first Z Scale model, and started taking an interest in Z, and then there were 3 or 4 of us here. It was nice to talk to Z Scalers, but posts were still only a few a week, then all of a sudden it started taking off. I was never really a heavy poster when I was in N Scale, but I seem to be much more interested in Z than I was in N a few years ago, and it's mostly because I felt everything had already been done in N, so there was nothing exciting and new. Now I have that great feeling I had way back in the 80's when everything in N was new. I get the feeling that a lot of the people here in the Trainboard Z forum feel the same way, and enjoy sharing the excitement of new things they have done in the scale. It's a great time to be in Z!
INDEED, INDEED!! I was dormant for years in Model Railroading having been in HO as a young boy, N later on, O for a tad in my teens, N in college and no scale for 10-15 years...then Thanksgiving 2004....went to FAO Schwartz toy store in NYC which was re-opened-and the first lace I ever saw Z Scale in person when I was 9....saw Z again...a little trip to a place called ebay with some permission from my wife and a thousands of dollars later...I'm almost ready to start my first semi-permanent Z Scale layout ;-)
Z & me The sentiments expressed here reminds me of a someone I meet through model railroading years ago. He grew up on a different Continent and we are the same age. After we became friends and got to know each other and hear each others stories, I was amazed at the similarities in our lives. Now I like to tell people that He and I grew up in the same neighborhood but in different countries. There seems to be many of the same similarities among certain model railroaders. Some are content to model in their familiar scale. Some will moan about not having what the other guy (scales) have and then there are the others, the ones that seek after the unique, the unobtainable and they relish in it. I like to create and build and I like the enthusiasm that seems to exude from Z scalers. I like the additude of "if they can do it, so can we" I see so often in Z. Soon the ranks of Z will swell to unimaganable numbers and they will not only notice but they will FEAR THE ....... getting carried away, sorry. I guess what I want to ask is if you are satisfied with the status quo or are YOU a Zeeker? Steve F
I do think that Z Scale will grow, but I don't think it will ever hit the size of N or HO. Knowing the average age of my group and others plus the higher costs of Z Scale compared to others, and the natural (but unfounded) fear of Z's size, I think those will be the limiting factors. I do expect it to become more popular due to the small space it takes up for those in apartments around the world and also for those with lots of space who want to have basement empires... Michael
I of one believe that Z scale will explode at least here in Utah within the nexr year. The new Wasatch Z Club is the first Z scale club in the state, and our club module's will surely be a hit at next years Hostler Show in March. Utah has a very rich railroad history, and a large model railroad following because of it. Being in the heart of present UP country, and surrounded by the ghosts of the old D&RGW, SP, CP, OSL and many other fallen roads, makes Utah a hot bed of rail activity. We have two very aspiring fellas at the U of U developing a new Z steam loco from the ground up, that will defenatly be a hit both here in Utah and around the world. Not to mention that Gwyl in Logan has started the latest all Z scale on-line hobby shop, the only one in Utah and surrounding states. So as i said, the Wasatch Z Club is the first of its kind in our state, and is sure to spark some interest in Z scale very soon.. Tony B.... Wasatch Z Club
Z will grow. But I think you have to consider that anyone that has a huge dollar & time investment in N or HO is not going to give it to the trash man just to buy Z. I think this means Z will come along at a rate equivalent to some percentage [possibly a high percentage] of new people getting into model railroading especially when they figure out that almost anything available in HO will be available in Z. Prices WILL go into free-fall once volume gets established. ...don
I agree with Don's comments as well. A lot of the folks we see getting in to Z now are younger modelers, other scale seem to be aging faster than Z. Costs come down as production volume goes up. Just look at North American Z. In the last few years it's gone from a minimum of $450 for a hood unit down to as low as $130. And that's for good quality equipment that runs not for "starter" quality as in larger scales that frustrate beginners and even scare some off. As for size, I think younger generations are completely accepting of and even pushing for ever greater miniaturization. Z may very well be the future of the hobby. OK, OK, may be a little wishful thinking, but perhaps not. ;-) Randy
Randy, I to believe that younger kids are more apt to get into a smaller scale than the big one's. The same can be said about DCC.... the younger generation is very computer savy, and will expect a model railroad to be computerized, and have many more features like sound. Tony B... Wasatch Z Club PS: Did anyone see MRC's new DCC set that looks like a kids "game boy"? Just another example of the future........
