Dad's Z Scale

CNE1899 Jul 6, 2022

  1. SJ Z-man

    SJ Z-man TrainBoard Member

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    We Need A Convention
    Great reading !
     
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  2. SJ Z-man

    SJ Z-man TrainBoard Member

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    We Need A Convention
    Great reading !
     
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  3. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    Yeah, it's been too long since we had a Z convention.
     
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  4. zfuture

    zfuture TrainBoard Member

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    AZL would be more than happy to support a future Z scale convention. Found memories of Medford and Denver in particular.
     
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  5. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    My favorite was actually the Columbus/Cincinnati in 2005 because it was both a Convention AND a Train Show. To this day I never seen a larger Z Scale layout at a train show in any scale. Medford was fun too, but I Denver due to a new day job. I am starting to feel a Z Scale Renaissance in the works too, as lately I have started seeing many finescale Z layouts posted and published. People are taking Z Scale seriously again.
     
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  6. JoeS

    JoeS TrainBoard Member

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    To your point I agree. I feel like there is a spark in Z that feels similar to those good old days in early 2000s

    Im seeing better modeling…heck what used to pass as good back in day for me isn’t good enough. 3D printing…more product. More details….

    So when I look at what these guys were doing in 90s….so impressed!!
     
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  7. JoeS

    JoeS TrainBoard Member

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    And it would be enjoyable to meet folks. It’s daunting with jobs schedules…etc…
    But it would be fun
     
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  8. CNE1899

    CNE1899 TrainBoard Member

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    Joe,
    I agree. That was the sentiment I had while reading this article. There are so many of you I'd like to meet.
    Share ideas in person and see things up close.
    At a minimum, it might be nice for any of us in the east to meet. I think that is MA, CT, NH, NY,
    NJ, MD, and VA.?

    Scott
     
    Last edited: Jul 29, 2022
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  9. SJ Z-man

    SJ Z-man TrainBoard Member

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    That’s why Mr. Dave, myself, wife and others have been going to Altenbeken (happens every other year).

    3377533E-26C3-48DB-915E-300ACBBC63CD.jpeg

    228034D0-D898-4EE7-98AE-7C6C5DF7BBAC.jpeg

    This year was 1/2 the participants due to government rules and others not wanting or able to be there.
    (Normally, there is another aisle and ~2x the attendees).
     
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  10. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    I too would really like an East Coast convention. I have never been to a convention East of Ohio, and I would really like to tour some Pennsy, B&O, and NYC museums and prototype equipment.
     
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  11. CNE1899

    CNE1899 TrainBoard Member

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    More interesting finds while sorting thru my dad's train collection.
    At this point I am focused on Z scale.
    My dad had created a name for his Z scale locomotive and rolling stock building, George's Steam Supreme.
    Some of these locos I posted on page 1.
    My dad was looking to create US steam for Z scale, and one approach was to kit-bash Marklin shells.
    He also tried to help create something for RLW, but there are so many iterations of even one class of USRA locos,
    that it is hard to have a one size fits all approach.
    So other approaches my dad took were to create parts so a modeler can modify Marklin shells.
    He also tried to create locomotive shells to fit over stock Marklin chassis.
    My dad worked with several machinists who also did casting. One of the was London Bridge, and the other worked with In Service Miniatures.
    In Service Miniatures put out a 0-6-0T switcher to fit over the Marklin 0-6-0 chassis.
    Alco_0-6-0t_3.jpg
    Alco_0-6-0t_1.jpg
    He created others as well, the NYC 4-6-4 Hudson, PRR 4-6-0 G5, USRA 2-8-2 Mikado, and the 4-6-0 Harriman.
    The Harriman almost made it out into a item.
    Hariman2.JPG
    To be continued.
     
  12. Kez

    Kez TrainBoard Member

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    Really neat stuff, Scott. Very interesting to follow your trip through some Z history!
     
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  13. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    I wish someone would do all those parts again, but updated to 3D brass like Shapeways offers
     
  14. JoeS

    JoeS TrainBoard Member

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    It would be nice to build your own locomotive so to say. I went back to the first pictures and particularly like that 2-8-0.
     
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  15. CNE1899

    CNE1899 TrainBoard Member

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    Next up, more cast shells to fit over Marklin chassis.
    NYC 4-6-4 Hudson.
    The shell in the foreground is the master, made by my dad. The shell in the background is a casting.
    A pilot and trailing truck specific for the Hudson were to be included.
    A tender was also created along with Commonwealth trucks.
    IMG_3646.JPG
    PRR 4-6-0 G5
    Sells come with G5 type pilots.
    IMG_3647.JPG
    USRA 2-8-2 Mikado
    Mikado shells come with a Mikado pilot, Two types of trailing trucks, Bissel-Cole and Bissel Delta, valve details, a tender and Commonwealth trucks.
    The shell in the foreground is a master, then a metal casting, a brass casting and several other
    configurations of a Mikado.
    IMG_3643.JPG
    IMG_3644.JPG
    To be continued.
     
  16. CNE1899

    CNE1899 TrainBoard Member

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    Trailing trucks....
    My dad had three types cast:
    Bissel-Cole two-wheel used by Alco.
    Bissel_Cole_141-R-840.jpg
    Bissel Delta two-wheel.
    Bissel_Delta_141-R-1126.jpg
    Delta four wheel truck
    ATSF_3759_Kingman-c.jpg
    Four-wheel truck.
    Screen Shot 2023-01-17 at 8.10.44 PM.png
    Cast metal trailing trucks.
    IMG_3571.JPG
    How to mount the Bissel-Cole trucks.
    AlcoTrailingtruckMount3.JPG
    AlcoTrailingtruckMount2.JPG
    AlcoTrailingtruckMount1.JPG
    Drill a hole in the Marklin truck and into the trailing truck, screw together.
    Scott
    More to come.
     
  17. Kurt Moose

    Kurt Moose TrainBoard Member

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    Great stuff for details!
     
  18. CNE1899

    CNE1899 TrainBoard Member

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    My dad was trying to create some different types of tenders.
    These are all trials and are of different qualities.
    IMG_3652.JPG
    He and the machinists tried casting different locomotives, like this F-7 and a B unit.
    IMG_3656.JPG
    Stay tuned,
    Scott
     
  19. mdvholland

    mdvholland TrainBoard Member

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    Hi Scott, that was some great pioneering your dad did. Can you explain how he made the masters?

    Matt
     
  20. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    My question is why did your dad stop developing Z? I figure he must have stopped around Y2K, since all that you posted has nothing newer, so what has he been up to the past 20 years?
     

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