American Z Line has released Union Pacific bi-level autoracks. This is the send release of AZL's very popular autorack series. Two runner packs and a single car have been released. The set number and road numbers are: 90202-1 UP. Roadnumbers: 965705, 971949, 878843, 978888 90202-2 UP. Roadnumbers: 985131, 985386, 985784, 985155 91201-2 UP: Roadnumber: 978283 The cars feature etched metal sides, prototype specific logo placement, intricate pad printing, and AZL's roller bearing trucks with blackened metal wheels and AutoLatchTM couplers. This run is already sold out at the distributor. Please contact your authorized AZL dealer for availability. For more information on AZL and the line, please visit: http://www.ztrack.com/AZL/amerzlines.html http://www.americanzline.com/ Rob
Before I order one of these, I want to know if the four corners on the bottom of the flat-bed have been modified or not. Is the appearance the same as the SP auto-racks... where you had to modify the corners before release, but did not bother to touch-up the paint?
Thank you for the quick response. Do these UP auto-racks have bare plastic on the four corners or have the corners been painted?
Hi again, We left the areas unpainted since we cannot obtain factory paint in the US and also, it would have taken too long time. It cannot be noticed, unless you turn the car upside down. Sincerely,
Sorry Alex, we all are not going to get perfect ones this round. As Rob Allbritton posted a few back, with the crazy manufacturing schedule that Sanda Kan has, they (Sanda Kan) can't undo their own mistakes until something like mid to late next year. I don't know about you, but I am not waiting ! You really don't notice it, unless you are taking macro pictures like Jürg. When I have them on the track, they are 20-30cm below and away, even with our 1.2m high modules. There is so much more beauty on the cars than the bottom stirrups. This weekend, I should have another 12 on the module to take a picture with their 9 brothers and sisters. The load and unload area is this months project ! If you are not running 195mm track, then you could make or get someone to make you an appropriately shaped stirrup to pre-paint with Floquil or Poly Scale TTX yellow, then glue on. .
Mike, Okay... my mind is made up... not getting any. Yes... the auto-racks are nice looking and much wanted by many folks. But, as with any product I buy (Z or otherwise)... I do not believe I need to spend my hard-earned money on these releases that have been incompletely modified, just to rush to market. Someone took the time to modify the auto-racks to work correctly. It seems to me a few extra minutes could have been spent to re-paint the plastic areas after the modification. But... these are just my personal opinions.
It's a TIME thing! It has to do with TIME! Nothing to do with timing, just TIME! I have been in Z scale since the latter part of 2003 when I spotted an AZL SD45 in D&RGW on Ebay!!! Wow!!! What is this, a typo? Can't be Modern Z!!! But it was!!! TIME!!! In 2003 their was next to NOTHING in modern Z out there except AZL's locos and one MTL 50' boxcar(without roofwalk). MTL vs. Marklin wars at least twice a year on Yahoo Z Scale group. Trainboard had no Z members and Z Central Station wasn't even thought of yet. TIME!!! I was in a loud minority of Z scalers Screaming out to MTL to produce MODERN Z. 2004 got us Gunderson Husky's. Was Great!! But we Modern Folks wanted it all!!! We got transition stuff. Then AZL started talk about Modern tank cars, boxcars, autoracks, and centerflow hoppers, both 3 and 4 bays!!! Wow!!!! MTL came out with two different styles of 50' modern boxcars, then the 60' flats/bulkheads. Modern was, and still is rolling slowly along!!! TIME!!! We Modern Z scalers have so much more right here and now than what we had a mere few years ago. The wait, of TIME, has been painstakingly nerve racking so when it comes to a slightly modified MODERN AUTORACK I will surely be in the purchasing crowd as having been (and still am) in that screaming minority (Which has grown tremendously) of MODERN Z Modelers, who want more, More, MORE MODERN Z!!! What it all boils down to is TIME!!! So many waiting for so few in quantity you have to jump at every opportunity!! Or it could be lost forever! Hobo Tim
Tim I agree. But Alex was possibly coming accross as a collector? I only model modern Z and with the AZL Auto-racks, hoppers & modern tanks all has been answered, the folks at MTL must be paying attention to how quickly AZL sold out of the SP & now UP auto racks and the heat in expectation of the new tank cars..these will sell quicker than an AC/DC concert... MTL's ttx 4-pack is all sold out, this must prompt them to consider new modern tooling, please no more circus/birthday/smokey bear ect cars...who runs these anyway:tb-biggrin: This is a great time for us modern guys... Mike...
Hmmmmm Mike I agree with you on this, but according to MTL's records, this is the area where they make more $$$$$$$$$$$$ therefore they will not stop!!!!! Hobo Tim
Thats interesting Tim, I suppose if someone receives one of these cars as a gift in Z, then the seed has been planted, I was interested to read of your entry into z scale, I personally found the MTL huskies sparked my interest a few years ago... Mike..
Autorack Modifications Alex, I respect your decision - we look forward to your business for the next production run. The tooling will be modified for the next run, so there will be no need for hand modification on the forthcoming cars. Please be advised that we will release several more road names this winter - all will be hand modified. We do not anticipate the new tooling cars will be ready before Summer / Fall of 2010, and the factory has a long history of missing estimated delivery dates. Actually, I am the one doing the modifications. I did try to touch up the paint, but the color did not match well at all and it literally doubled the amount of time it took me to do the modifications. That was just far too long. Something that takes time and looks no better than without the touch up made no sense. My partner Hans thinks I'm crazy for doing this in the first place, and I'm beginning to think he is right. This is work that really should have been done at the factory rather than by one of the owners of the company, but so many people have been anticipating these cars for so long, it just didn't seem right to make people wait any longer. Best, -Rob(A) AZL
Thank you... Rob(A), Thank you for your detailed reply about the process that led to the current releases with hand modifications. I fully understand why what was done, was done the way it was. I also can understand your frustration in receiving a product for release, but not meeting the required quality. The auto-racks are really beautiful, with a lot of fine details. It's just disappointing to find these small flaws. Alex
UPDATE - All AZL UP Autoracks are now on their way to dealers across the US as well as dealers in Australia and Germany. Officially, AZL is sold out of these cars. Dealers 'may' still have cars available. Please contact your authorized AZL dealer for availability. AZL is planning additional road names over the next few months. We encourage all customers to work closely with your dealer in order to obtain these very popular cars. Rob
Building the Autorack unloading area. Located at the end of 3 track spur with curved mainlines around it: Preparing the scene for the unloading ramps. Opened the end of the car, thinned out the plastic to look like sheet metal and reattached to look like opened doors. Installed a shelf and installed two 1:200 "We Honest" cars. Too big, wide. Märklin/Alvaro cars look better, narrower. Need to make some ramps and the building. .
More work on the module. Tried to paint the load/unload lot using a laser cut mask. Even though the heavier weight mask laid well and, I even added weights (10-32 nuts) all over to make sure it stayed down when sprayed but . . . it still blead under . . . bad ! The test sprays went well though. Sooooooo . . . I am now going to print it, thanks to commercial printer Don Fedjur. I added a few cars and some Plastruct fake light poles for an example of the future: .