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?
Nice shot Mythman. How well does it run? Are the characteristics similar to the split frame N scale loco's from Kato and Atlas?
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. And of course I have a MTL F7, which also runs good with DCC.
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. These are my CB&Q Mikado's awaiting DCC conversion. 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. These are my Southern and SP steamers. Mikes, and Pacific's.
These are my F7A's and B. They are awaiting the paint shop for NP conversion. These are my AZL Locomotives. The brass SD54's will get NP treatment, and the plastic F59PHI's stay as they are. Well, I think it's a good start... Don't you?
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
Wow! Robert! What a fleet! You have as much invested in that setup as I do in my entire motive power fleet in N! But one note--you are gonna repaint that gorgeous SD45 pair into NP paint? Comon, man, that's Aspen Gold!!
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 cific.
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.
