Just wondering if anyone here knows any more about micro-trains new sectional track with roadbed that is supposed to be comming out somtime later this year. Is there any new news? Any preproduction sampels? Is it going to look better than kato's N scale track? And what about the GP 35. Any inside info there? What type of motor? I know I am throwing a lot of stuff out, just wondering and waiting like everyone else. I keep getting pulled more to z scale and less to N, so I am really curious.
We were talking about the sectional track in a chat room a couple weeks ago. So far it's all speculation. So far nobody has seen samples or is leaking info. At the NTS in Seattle last summer I asked Joe D'Amato why they only had flextrack, and he said that their molding machine had problems dealing with such small rail. Something about the residual heat causing the rail to go out of gauge after ejecting from the machine. He also said that MT was looking at a new injection molding machine that may be able to better deal with the track, but that they were working on releasing more track products. Later, I read a rumor that they were going to release a track with ballast attached, much like Kato Unitrack in N, but It is still hearsay as of yet. I went ahead and bought a couple Fast Tracks jigs to make my own turnouts because I did not want to wait, but I will sell them at the first sign of NA style turnouts reasonably priced. -Robert
I really like the idea of a track system like unitrack. I just hope that if they decide to go that route, they take the ideas from modelers and make the roadbed look more realistic than unitrack. Using Ballast is difficult enough in N. It has been very difficult in Z. So if they could make a track with the roadbed that really looked good I think people would buy tons of it. That alone with a greater varitey of North American loco would make z scale explode. I am quite sure of it. Even now I am contemplating just selling off my N to start saving for the big Z empire!
I stopped buying N Scale a year ago, (with the exception of the Atlas Shay) but I think I'll hang on to my N collection, in case my eyes start going out or my hands get shakey! I just got my Shay in the mail a few minutes ago. I had been following all the hoopla on the Nn3 group about possible Nn3 conversion, so I panic'd and ordered me up one before they disappear. I also have one of these on a slow boat from Germany: I got in on Tom Knapp's group purchase of these Z Scale locomotives, afte seeing one that Tom had modified into a nice Nn3 Mogul. It is a Z Scale locomotive, but the cab is a little large for Z and a little small for Nn3. It really looks nice painted black with a silver smokebox. OOPS! i fixed it. [ 08. January 2005, 01:31: Message edited by: pray59 ]
The picture I see shows a box, but I think you were refering ot the mogul that just came out? I was tempted, but I purchased a MT mogul last year, and decided to pass on that. I will say I really like my MT mogul. It really looks fantastic and runs rather well. I am guessing they run on the same mechanism, so running characteristics should be the same. Nice loco.
Robert- There's a white box, with Marklin in red letters. What was supposed to be showing? Is it a secret? Boxcab E50
