new to z need info

I'm wanting to build a layout in a suit case with dcc what is the best track, brand of engines and cars and i all ready have a nce power cab will it work and do i have to add any thing to it to make it work and any track plans for the suit case . i have nscale now and wanted a small suit case z layout need to know a little about it before i jump in

 

Keith,
Welcome to Z. If you browse the postings here, you'll find there are a number of N-scalers on the move to Z.
For track, I'd suggest Rokuhan for a suit case layout: the rails are the highest and they produce the smaller radius cruves you'll want. In fact, they produce curves too tight for some rolling stock. You haven't mention what you're into, so I'd suggest using curves 120mm and larger: they'll handled 40-60 ft rolling stock and F7s and GPs nicely.
For DCC, the NCS Power Cab seems to be the prefered unit in Z, so you're off to a good start. We don't have RTR locos with DCC installed, but have some really good DCCers in Z who have installed in just about everything that rolls. Probably the the easiest installations are the drop-in decoders for the AZL GP30 & GP38-2 (Digitrax) and the MTL GP9 & GP35 (Digitrax & TCS). If you want to do European, Digitrax also makes a unit for Marklin, but I'm not familiar with that decoder.
As for track plans, there are some basic ones on the MTL web site, and this and the other Z scale sites have some in their images areas. The music box to suit case size layouts are popular in Z so I think you'll find a lot of inspiration.
Let us know what you come up with.

Hope this helps,
Mark

 

The best track is relative to your ability and taste. For example, MT flex can easily be used for a small briefcase layout. However, some to not like to paint, ballast, weather the track.

Rokuhan has the best selection of sectional track, especially tight curves, however be warnned that larger locos will not make all those small turns. They also have some small radii turnouts that might work for you.

MT sectional track has american tie spacing but 195mm is the smallest radius. This could be too large for a beifcase depending on the size.

Marklin track does not have proper tie spacing but there is a large selection and curved turnouts. However, it cost a bit.

So I guess the best is relative to what look you want and what cost you want.

I like MT sectional the best, but that is my opinion.

 

thanks guys for the info. i was wondering about the voltage the nce power cab puts out if it was to much for z . I seen where thy only take 8 to 10 volts

 

Welcome to Z scale Keith; I'm doing the same thing that you stated building a Z scale layout in a suitcase and the above post hit the nails on the head for DCC. For track I went with Rokuhan because it's modular track as is MT but the Rokuhan has a better variety to offer and my suitcase is 18" x 12" and was easier to fit an oval with the Rokuhan track.
Both are good track though; I also built a small z scale home layout with MT track.
have fun it's amazing in z how much you can fit into a small space

Glen

 

If you are building a suitcase layout, I would just use a 9V battery operated controller to keep it completely portable. As far as I know, they are completely compatible with most, if not all, Z scale locos. I have a ZTrack one and it runs the locos very nice. I would recommend a MTL GP35 for a loco; I have a couple and they are the best runners that I have (except my AZL SD75i).

 

With the NCE Power Cab there is no need to limit track voltage as it is at 13(12.5) vac to the track at 1.5 amps this is the lowest DCC track voltage out of the box.

I do however put limits on the voltage to the motor. I set CV3 at 2, CV5 at 180 and CV6 at 90. On the power cab motor volts are calibrated at 18 units per 1 volt so start voltage set to 3 is approx 2 vdc cv5 set to 180 is max motor voltage of 10vdc, CV6 mid motor volts is set to 90 or 5 vdc and I set CV3 to 2 acceleration and CV4 to 4 for deceleration. after to start using your throttle you may want to adjudt this down to depending on how you operate. set this way deceleration is faster than acceleration to start with long trains with multiple lead units I use CV23 and 24 to slow down rate of acceleration and deceleration to simulate long heavy drag. This give me very smooth acceleration and deceleration on 18/128 steps for power. but it is a starting point you may find other numbers are more suitable for yo once you get used to using DCC and suing it with other operators and other systems.
learn about consisting which is putting together multiple engines on a common address so they react as one unit. When in consist mode set CV22 to 3 so only forward facing headlight on front of consist is on. A few things that might help you. As mentioned by others you need short circuit protection that is fast acting gives visual indication and limits current. I use a 15 watt 12 volt lamp for this purpose and place it where it is visible when operating so if a short appears I can see it and 15 watts won't allow something to create too much heat if am slow to see the alert when lamp lights so I do not melt anything. Some full sized DCC systems this short circuit condition can create a load of 75 watts which is enough to melt plastic it it exists for any length of time. Yes I know that most systems have circuit breakers but I have seen enough melted plastic over the year I have used DCC at shows to know that they do not always react fast enough to stop melted plastic.

 

I used TCS decoders and I set my DCC decoders to allow DC operation. This means they work just fine on DC track as well as on DCC track. I find it too cumbersome to take along DCC equipment to power small layouts so I use, battery powered controllers to power them. I do not need to have AC power and I can run a small layout with one engine all day for two or three days using just the battery power available in Medvend 9vdc power pack or Rokuhan C001 or C002 controller. The wall transformer from Rokuhan is so small that it is no problem t carry just in case 110AC/wall power is available. I find the C002 so small as a controller that It is as easy to use as the layout with the built in Medvend unit. I have a piece of velcro under C002 and under a spot on suitcase so it is easy to position and forget about it and it stays put.

 

thanks all of you for the info. I have a nscale layout in my basement and use the power house oro on it and the power cab on the moduls at the shows and work bench and thought i would use it on the suit case some . I bought some micro trains track sunday at the show at columbus ohio . do any of you have o plan for a suit case that is 18x 26.

 

Once again, the CV's do not change the actual voltage, only the apparent. The full DCC track voltage, less about a volt for the decoder internals, is applied to the motor. However, with the small Speed Steps used, the pulses are only on a short time and off longer (repeated about 10000 times per second, depending on the decoder manufacturer). Literally thousands of us do this every time we run our locos so not to worry. The slightly higher voltage (~12 Volts DC) compared to the Analog power supply's 9 Volts DC just makes the motor run that much faster. The motor's wiring will *NOT* be distroyed by this minimal voltage increase !!!!!!!!!!!!!! What *WILL* destroy the motor is a STALLED motor, the SAME as if you run an analog power pack, only in the DCC case: faster as it makes a higher Power (heat !!!) So, watch your trains. But we all have had stalled motors at shows for many minutes where someone is not watching there trains and a derailment, rear end, etc. occurs.

CV2, 5 and 6 simply change the Preportion that the DCC voltage is applied to the motor, at any given Speed Step. At Speed Step 28 (or 128), there would essentially be the full DCC voltage applied to the motor and it should run way to fast. So you see many running their trains at Speed step 4, 7 12, 18, etc. to get that 60, 80 or 120 scale MPH. Changing CV5 simply re-scales the percentage that the full DCC voltage is applied, such as 50% less 'On" time so it effectively runs slower at the same Speed Step 28 (or 128). The Voltage does not change but the effective does.

Think of someone pushing your behind (Hey, steam trains have a . . . Tender behind :teeth. If someone keeps pushing you with the same strength, you move forward some amount. Then they push twices as fast at the same pressure, so you now want to move faster ahead.

 

This shows the Preportion that the DCC voltage is applied to the motor at Speed Step 1 (left), 64 (middle) and 128 (right): (or 1, 14 and 28, depending on which scale you have chosen to run your Cab/Throttle with)



This shows the Track voltage (left) and the Decoder's internal voltage (right) that will be 'chopped up' and applied as varied 'On' pulses as shown in the upper graph.

 

I'm new to Z.

There's a loop of N Gauge around the mountain thats too tight for anything other than a 0-6-0.

I'm gathering a shopping list to replace it with Z & T. The tracks can run side by side through the N Portals. Only one train will run at a time anyway.

Who makes concrete Z flex track?

Thanks.

 

Osho,
Welcome to Z. I'm not aware of any concrete flex track being manufacturered. Rokuhan makes roadbed sectional track in concrete (their PC line) and I suspect sometime in the future, they may be producing a flex version.

Hope this helps,

Mark

 

Thanks.

I am waiting on a dealer for brown flex track in T. The MT flex track Z ties looks good in brown.

Seems as though you need to put the Marklin rails on the MT ties for the best blend of Z scale.

 

What's the Z opinion on Peco Z track?

Code 60 too tall?

 

In my opinion Peco's rail threads are too wide. Code 60 is too tall, and ties are too far from each other. You should prefer that brand (as well as Marklin's) for hidden areas (Tunnel, hidden yards, etc). For visible areas, I prefer Micro-Train's flextrack. Code 55 rail is still too tall, but rail threads are far narrower and tie spacing is prototypical to north american practices.

Dom

 

Peco and märklin flex are near exactly identical. Peco flex is fully flexible where märklin flex is stiff until backside ties are gapped (read their included instructions ! ).

As Mark and Dom state, the Code '60' rail tread is nearly double the MTL flex, which really looks bad in a picture. Also, the MTL flex rail is nearly on top of the Tie Plates (prototypical) so the total rail height looks lower in a photo.

I can't find the thread or my saved picture of all the manufacturers and handlaid track. Someone else have it at the ready?

There was a discussion thread:
http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?139294-code-40-flex-track

 

Other than adapting the Rokuhan pier set, what options are there for pier sets for Marklin Track?

I'm looking to do this type of layout with Z & T on a 48x24" board for running at home.

http://www.zscalemonster.com/rokuhan/briefcase/r021.jpg

Maybe incorporate passing tracks, too.

 

Marklin has it's own pier set.