Awright, you "Z scale piddlers"...

[3rdrail]

You know to whom I am referring, you "rubber scalers".  ;D ;D There was a photo in the Kalmbach new items of an American Z Line GP7 or 9 in DGLE.  Looked very, very, tempting - so damned tempting I've got a couple of questions. First, MSRP is shown as  $185. - ouch! Anybody discount these?? Since MTL now has switches and this is a scale hood width GP, I am awfully tempted to "piddle around" with some Z too. Might do another 24" by 48", only in Z.

So, how cheap can I get an AZL Geep? Where? Some of you are getting decals done, where??  Inquiring minds want to  know.   

[tom mann]

Gregg, I thought the MSRP was actually above 200, and that 185 would be the discounted price.  At times, AZL uses a brass shell around the motor to achieve the scale width hood.  The GP7s available now are actually a pre-release:  Only UP and Pennsy are available so AZL can receive feedback for the future run.  I've seen (and weathered) a SD40T-2 and a SD40-2 from AZL and they are amazing little models.

I've ordered Z from Chuck and Anthony at ZScaleMonster.com.

As for decals, a bunch of people make them on their printers and trade them with others. 

A man can meet you tonight by your mailbox to discuss details if you're interested in joining the Z people.

[FrankCampagna]

http://www.zscalemonster.com/azl/gp7/gp7.htm

Frank

[Chris333]

There have been a few small problem with the first AZL GP7s (UP & PRR) So if anything I would wait for the "real" production run. I think most problems are with the truck contacts against the frame. Also it comes with traction tires on 2 wheels I believe. I don't know if this will effect electric pick-up or not.

David has one.

I still plan to get one though.

[3rdrail]

Ohhh, the rascal has trainphone antennae too! Thanks for the warning Chris. Since the Dothan show is only a little more than a month away, I won't try to get something built for this year. But for next year, maybe...

[Chris333]

To start your collection:

http://www.zscalemonster.com/shawnee/500-006.htm
http://www.zscalemonster.com/mt/ps2/531-00-020.jpg

 

[Chris333]

Also PRR hoppers in 2, 4, or 6 packs:
http://ztrainstation.com/store/index.php?target=categories&category_id=204

[3rdrail]

Chris, only the 55 ton hoppers are of the correct era, the boxcars and covered hoppers are the shadow keystone lettering, post-1954, I prefer the circle keystone scheme used from 1930 to 1954.  :-\

[Chris333]

Same here, I didn't buy any of the boxcars either.

I did draw up a X-29 boxcar in CAD to etch the sides and glue to a stock car body, but then what would I use for decals?

So can we get to you try On30 as well?
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/gallery/album40
Bach-man says it is a stock catalog locomotive, but I can't find a prototype like it at all 
Does look nice though.

[3rdrail]

Same here, I didn't buy any of the boxcars either.

I did draw up a X-29 boxcar in CAD to etch the sides and glue to a stock car body, but then what would I use for decals?

So can we get to you try On30 as well?
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/gallery/album40
Bach-man says it is a stock catalog locomotive, but I can't find a prototype like it at all  
Does look nice though.

Yeah, its a stock catalog locomotive. That does not mean any were ever actually built. Have you seen the H. K. Porter Catalog that the NMRA reprinted? I bought a copy in Chattanooga in 2004. Porter catalogued light and heavy 4-4-0's from 24" gauge to 5'6" gauge. I doubt that a fifth of the designs catalogued were ever actually built.

[David K. Smith]

There have been a few small problem with the first AZL GP7s (UP & PRR) So if anything I would wait for the "real" production run. I think most problems are with the truck contacts against the frame. Also it comes with traction tires on 2 wheels I believe. I don't know if this will effect electric pick-up or not.

David has one.

I still plan to get one though.

Yes, I have the Pensy with antenna. So far it runs without any problems--I guess I was lucky. It's a very fine little loco--good looking and a nice, smooth mechanism. It does have two traction tires, although they don't appear to give it much grief; I've ordered a replacement truck so I can be rid of them, but it may be quite a while before parts are available. Here it is with some of the WDW Pensy hoppers, which are also nice models:

[Pray59]

I have some of the AZL GP7's too, and they are pretty. I have 1 Pennsy, and 2 UP's that I was going to repaint but I decided to keep them as is. I can now do a bit of a Camas Prairie thing with my UP GP7's and MTL NP GP9's. They MU together with MTL's just fine.

-Robert

[3rdrail]

Same here, I didn't buy any of the boxcars either.

I did draw up a X-29 boxcar in CAD to etch the sides and glue to a stock car body, but then what would I use for decals?

So can we get to you try On30 as well?
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/gallery/album40
Bach-man says it is a stock catalog locomotive, but I can't find a prototype like it at all  
Does look nice though.

Yeah, its a stock catalog locomotive. That does not mean any were ever actually built. Have you seen the H. K. Porter Catalog that the NMRA reprinted? I bought a copy in Chattanooga in 2004. Porter catalogued light and heavy 4-4-0's from 24" gauge to 5'6" gauge. I doubt that a fifth of the designs catalogued were ever actually built.

Since my ISP decided to take Friday night off, I got out the reprinted Porter catalog. A telegram to Porter with the message "Tenons Hadria Telary" would have gotten a quote on one 30" gauge light 4-4-0, FOB Pittsburgh. 

[Chris333]

What does Tenons Hadria Telary mean? Are there photos? ;D

Here is a 30" gauge 4-4-0 that still runs in Brazil, it has the same sized drivers (36-38") and same spacing as the Bachmann model, but look how far back the cab is. Oh yeah plus it is outside framed and look at the boiler sticking out the back of the cab by about a foot!

[3rdrail]

What does Tenons Hadria Telary mean? Are there photos? ;D

Here is a 30" gauge 4-4-0 that still runs in Brazil, it has the same sized drivers (36-38") and same spacing as the Bachmann model, but look how far back the cab is. Oh yeah plus it is outside framed and look at the boiler sticking out the back of the cab by about a foot!

Chris, there is one photo for each type of locomotive - so there are two 4-4-0 photos, one for the light and one for the heavy. Each of the various dimensioned locomotives had a code name, using the letters in H.K.Porter. There were also code words used in telegrams shown in the catalog. "Tenons" meant quote price on one locomotive, "hadria" meant the smallest 4-4-0 in cylinder and driver size, and "telary" was the codeword for 30 inch gauge. There are a number of photos of other Porter locomotives in the book, but none of 30 inch gauge 4-4-0's. Lots of "fireless cookers" and mining engines, including compressed air. The oddest was the compressed air 0-8-0 used by the Navy to tow dirigibles.