Ok folks, I bit the bullet and I am building four z tack modules, not sure if they will be z-bend or t-trak style. The current plan is to hand lay he track and coming from N-scale I need some pointers on several dimensions. 1. Is there a commercially available track gauge one can obtain? 2. What rail sizes are typically used Code 40 /50/ other? 3. Turnouts frogs will be 5 for the yards and 7’s or 9’s on the mainline. What are the typical ones used in Z-scale? 3. Coming from N-scale I have several track gauges that indicate clearances for the tunnel portals and bridges etc. what are the equivalent clearances for Z gauge? 4. My locomotives consists of One MTL F7’s A-B-A set, three MTL gp 35’s and z-theks SW1. I plan on converting these over to DCC with Lenz Gold decoders, any hints and tips? 5. What DCC track voltages should one use, I will have a Digitrax zephyr unit as my command station, Left over from N-scale. 6. Where can one find decals for prr. I plan on painting the sw-1 to pensy. As I get into this deeper I know I will have more questions. Thanks
hello kestutis and welcome fellow N scaler. i can't answer all your questions, but i did want to offer that lajos thek makes a pennsy SW1, and i'm sure he would supply you with decals if you asked. beyond that, i've found usable decals by searching through the microscale sets (use the index under "roadnames"). you might find some very usable decals (that are not at first obvious) in sets for hoppers, trailers, etc. fyi. dave f.
Welcome kestutis, I cannot answer ALL your questions, but I'll try what I can: 1. MicroTrains sells an all-in-one tool with a track guage. Highly recommended if your hand laying track. 2. Code 55 is standard, but some have handlaid code 40 in Z, with frustrating results, as I remember. One thing for sure, NEVER leave your handlaid track module in the sun. You'll never run trains on it again. 3. I believe the only straight turnout currently mass produced in Z is #4, as made by Marklin, and soon to be released by MTL. Aspen Models and Peter Wright also make Z turnouts, but I don't know what number they are. 3 again. Don't know off hand, but someone will chime in with that dimension. 4. No DCC experience, sorry. 5. Same as above 6. Already answered by David F. Hope these help some, and welcome to our little world! [ March 06, 2006, 11:01 AM: Message edited by: Kez ]
Also, normal grades should be restricted to 2%, just as in N scale. If you only want 5 or 6 car trains, you can increase that a bit, up to 4%, Ive heard. No personal experience with grades myself, this is just what I've garnered from other Z scalers over the years. Keep us posted!
http://nts.fast-tracks.net/index.php Check out this website for Handlaying Track in all Scales including Zm. Have fun! Tim
Märklin turnouts are #4.5 (13 degrees) - many other manufacturers have copied the same geometry. Others produce higher frog numbers, for example König. For tunnel clearance etc, look at the European standards here. These are "blessed" by the NMRA.
Welcome to the world of Z. (or "It's a small small world..." ) Kez got most of these for you but I'll go down them one at a time, adding my two cents' worth. Kez answered this one... Use the Micro-Trains gauge. Code 55 is commercially available and the norm, technically it is horribly oversized. Code 40 is oversized for the scale as well, but looks better. If you're building the layout for home use, I'd go with code 40 if you have the skills to do the hand-laying. 55 is less fragile, more readily available and easier to work with. The Marklin 13-degree turnout is most commonly found and is the basis of the Peter Wright turnout and the forthcoming Micro-Trains turnout. It is a #4.5 frog. I suggest purchasing the Fast Tracks turnout jigs to make your own for the larger frog numbers. If you have the skills to hand-lay track, they shouldn't be hard to do. The highest clearance for Z scale is the MT Gunderson well car with double-stack hi-cube containers. Allow at least 1&3/4 inches clearance. Or build your own gauge based on that car. Auto racks are coming, by the way! Ask Robert Ray about this (pray59). He's done the conversions. We use Digitrax DZ143s in our F7s and going to try a couple in GP35s. Apparently there are two options here. We use the Easy DCC System from CVP down here, but I guess it can work the same with the Digitrax (we just get GOOD local support with CVP). 1) You can have the booster output downrated to 10 volts or so. 2) You can adjust CV5 (Vmax or max output voltage to the motor) to a setting that maxes out voltage at 8-10 volts. I spoke with the guys at CVP about this just an hour ago. They said there's no given CV value for a specific voltage. You'll have to put the loco and decoder on the bench and test it with different settings, until you get the max voltage output you desire. Check the default for the Lenz Gold decoders, and maybe you'll figure it out before everyone else! One note of caution. Robert Ray found that the amp spike from a booster reseting can harm a loco that's stalled on a turnout. He suggested installing an automobile lamp in the wiring to absorb the amp spike, and we're going to look into and probably do this as a precaution. You can try to find a set of Microscale N scale decals that would fit (I used their decals for my Z GP35s in B&O and C&O and they look fine) or contact someone like Robert or HoboTim about printing you up some decals. Best of luck! Adam
Grades are the same in every scale. If you're staying true to your era, you won't need the clearance for double-stacks. EDIT: Forgot this was modular for a moment.
Republic Locomotive Works sells Nn3 gauges. I'm not sure if they would work for Z scale standards. Nn3 = N scale Locomotives running on Z gauge track http://www.republiclocomotiveworks.com/show_item.php?ItemID=570 http://www.republiclocomotiveworks.com/show_item.php?ItemID=571
wow, I am overwhelmed with a lot of info. Thanks guys. The standards that JB's link provided is exactly the information I have been looking for. I think I am setling on the Z-bend concept more and more. I already have close to a dozen n-scale t track modules and love them, but I am searching for something new. For those who have built Z bend modules what height do you have them set at? thanks again
It won't. Nn3 equipment is wider, I believe, than Z equipment. Probably taller than anything Z other than double-stacks, too.
My Z-Bend Track module legs are 48" with leg levelers to give the height from the floor to the tops of the rails 50". It's perfect for me, as I'm fat, and my back hurts bending over an N-Trak module to put cars on the track. I stand straight, and can see everything well without bending over. Here is a height perspective photo of Loren Snyder's modules (Matt Petach left, Loren is in the middle, and Jim Manley to the right), and you can see the tunnels as being about 50"-52" from the floor. Just low enough to reach everything, but just high enough to make operation easy and avoid just seeing roofs like you do on an N-Track module: Here is a shot of David George's (Dave is standing to the left, and Jim Hoover of Nn3 fame is standing to the right) Z-Bend Track modules that are at a much lower height. In this height range, you can sit down comfortably and run all your trains. Access is easy from a chair, and the kids really love it. Adult show goers have a harder time as they have to bend over to see the details, but you can't say that he don't have "Bend" in his Z-Bend Track setup. For home use, this might be a comfortable height too: Here's our leader, the guy who invented the Z-Bend Track standard, Bill Kronenberger walking around Bryan Keyser's module for another height perspective: And if you really want to "Get Down" you might look into building your modules real big: This guy, responsible for these modules, Rob Allbritton, was literally dwarfed by their towering stature: So it's a matter of prefrence on the height you choose, but by having a set of legs that bring your modules to the 50" top of rails height, you will be able to connect up with other ZBT modules at shows, and meets. -Robert
I remember that fellow who imported half to the swiss alps during that set up at the NTS in Seattle. That modular layout is what got me started thinking of Z. The clincher for the deal is when the builder of that mountain showed me the DCC setup of the modules. It beat anything that I have done in N-scale. From Ntrack days I used dimensional lumber for legs and that experience was not very positive, Tried using conduit but is was a mess to deal with during setup and tear down. These experiences made me into a rabid t-traker, no major legs to deal with. Typical set up and debug at shows took 10 minutes for a 24' layout. While the local HO and N guys were struggling setting up their modules during the local shows, We would have operating sessions. Robert, what type of legs have you used for your modules that you built. I searched Yahoo groups for some info but came up without any conclusive results. The local Bend track guys suggested the improved legs on their web site. (However they used everything from 2X4's to warped dimensional lumber on the modules). It may be time to take a visit to IKEA store for some ideas -kestutis
I just used two 1"x2" pine strips screwed together to make L shape legs which are very strong and still light weight. From my page: -Robert
I had to duck for cover from the boss, so, this leg arrangement is sturdy and lightweight enough for me, but because my modules are small, the legs cannot be fold down. I only have a car (t-bird) so my modules have to fit inside, and I can fit one 2'x4' in the back seat, two 2'x2' end modules on the front seat forming a "V" to the passenger door, and a 2'x3' 15 degree bend module in the trunk. All this limits the height of scenery I can use. I stack all the legs on the back seat, then put the 2x4 module on top of them, and I have enough room for a small stool and 1 box of trains left over. My friend has an SUV, so he built his modules longer, with fold down legs. Not as sturdy, but heck of convenient, and when you bolt a couple modules together, everything gets plenty sturdy. -Robert
A couple of slightly off the thread comments questions from some posts in this thread: Tim, I couldn't find Zm stuff on the Fast Tracks site. Can you point it out? Robert, is that Jim Hoover with Mr. Dave in the photo from NTS or is it Garth Hamilton? And .... I forgot the other question. Oh well. Randy
