I am a complete newbie. The only train I own is an American Flyer S Scale - which is a dandy. I am interested in the possibility of making a Z scale train layout for Christmas, to put on a display area that is approximately 18-20 inches deep, and about 6 feet wide. I have a 14 year old son, and 11 year old daughter, and I thought this would be a fun activity for us to do together for the next few months as the weather turns colder. I would appreciate any and all input on whether this is a good idea, whether the space is adequate, and so on. I don't want to spend a whole lot of $$ - wasn't sure how we would go about making a village to match the scale of the train. Thank you in advance!!
Welcome to Trainboard Husker. MTL and AZL has starter sets that are perfect for what you want to do. There are lots of laser cut kits to make villages, and most of them are simple to build. They are great little projects you can do with your kids.
As I live in the UK, I am not familiar with what types of track are available in the USA. However, I would recommend using Rokuhan track (see http://www.rokuhan.com/english/). I have also used the Marklin Z scale track and I find that Rokuhan track is much easier to use (as well as having a greater selection, especially of curved pieces). It can be easily assembled and disassembled so that different layouts can be tried. This track can be temporarily attached to baseboard using the A006 and A007 track fixtures, or a double loop spaced with the A007 track fixture makes a fairly rigid layout for temporary use without being attached to a baseboard. One example of a double loop is the Rokuhan R062 Rail Set C Double Track Oval, which requires a depth of 460 mm (approx. 18"). Six feet of width gives many possibilities for interesting layouts in Z scale. Again, I would stress, that these are my personal opinions of someone based in the UK, with little knowledge of the US market. Rob Pearce (aka ViperBugloss)
I like Rob's recommendation. Even thought I never used it, I do hear only good things about their tracks. I use MTL flex track and Fastrack switches, but I don't recommend it for beginners.
Husker, Welcome to Trainboard. I too do a bit of American Flyer held over from my youth. Makes a great under-the-tree layout for Christmas. The space you have is nearly enormous for Z scale. A couple of thoughts for you: Z doesn't like being on the floor, too much dust. Z really likes being seen at just below eye level. Get yourself a track planning program. There are a number of shareware products. Just make sure they support to track manufacturer you use. I think the Rokuhan product would a good starter system. It's easy to use. There is a wide selection of sectional track. They offer throttles and electrical accessories that are all plug and play. Mark
You will have enough room to make a pretty nice layout in the space you've proposed. I would also like to suggest Rokuhan products. They have a complete line of track and turnouts and the plug-and-play power supply/transformer and switches to power it all. There are building kits available as well as 3-D printed buildings and cast buildings. You'll also be able to find vehicles, people and plenty of scenery material to make a complete layout. Welcome to the wonderful world of Z!
With an area that big, it could cost a good amount in track. Both the AZL and Rokuhan track work well and are easy to use. You may want to consider shortening the layout down from 6 feet to save on costs. It could also save you $$ depending on what other elements you want to add to it such as houses.
