02-22-2026, 09:00 PM
(02-22-2026, 07:58 AM)TMo Wrote: Welcome back Royal Blue! Anyone contemplating Z-scale gets an automatic bow from me! No way I'd have the patience or the finger dexterity to make that work... Looking forward to your future posts - there should be a tutorial on the site for posting pix, but once you get them in an acceptable resolution, it becomes old hat.
Raining currently here at 36 F, but they're forecasting a further drop in temps as the day progresses which will make travel quite difficult. 1-0 after the first period. Don't think that's gonna hold up.
(02-22-2026, 04:49 PM)Royal blue Wrote: TMo,
Z is not that bad, some of my meds make my hands shake a little but i use Rokuhan snap track easy to connect has good geomerty rock solid performance. Anyone interested in z should keep in mind steam locos at that size are delicate and so are locos with pantographs.
There are tools for wheel alingment basicaly a ramp long for big cars and locos and shorter for 40 foot boxes ect. Uses gravity. 195mm is bare minimum curve practical 4 axle diesels do well. I would go 220mm at least for 6 axle locos.
The other thing to consider is are you going to loop run or switch, this will determin coupler type.
Rokuhan is a Japanesse brand mostly JNR prototypes i have a few of them also have a German all glass rail car by Rokuhanalso they have a sereis of F7 "shorty" locos cute but anything from prototypical i have all four road names they come unpowered powered chassis sold separetly.
I have two Rokuhan steamers one is JNR the other a B&O 060 switcher.
Back to couplers Rokuhan has n scale arnold style couplers but can be replaced by knucle couplers, micro trains, AZL and a couple other brands like father nature and full throttle have knuckle type there are 3 knuckle types all compatible but kadee looking type is only one that can remote uncouple i think. And of course Marklin has its "european" style couplers.
My first test run on a temporary loop i pulled about 9 cars for 5 hours 45 min no derails, hesitation, speed flucuations, motor distress and almost no overhang on curves.
I was impressed.
I do have an odd ball its a kit of a box cab diesel basicaly its a small cast metal body that fits a Rokuhan powered chassis.
Most of my roster is AZL and Micro Trains.
American Z Line (AZL) is based in Dublin Ohio not too far from where i moved to Grove City both subburbs of Columbus. I got an invite to visit facility they have a Z display and musem. Also they have a Z club 4 members at moment one in his nineties?.