ACF 5250 better in Z?

[daniel_leavitt2000]

American Z lines ACF 5250 looks better then any of the four models we have available in N scale. That's just sad.

[Chris333]

It looks good, but I can see the gaps where the end pieces mate up to the body.
http://www.zscalemonster.com/azl/acf4bay/azl-90701-1.jpg

I have no idea what the N scale one looks lime though.

I am pretty impressed with these painted up MT Z scale SD40-2's
http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/1201/DSC09173.JPG
http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/1201/269.jpg
http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/data/1201/356.jpg
Must be the angles, but I can't really see the wide hood even though I know it's there.

[wcfn100]

I imagine an equally priced N scale version would be as nice.

Jason

[Mark5]

American Z lines ACF 5250 looks better then any of the four models we have available in N scale. That's just sad.

Z:


Trainman:


Hmmm, I'm hanging wit da Trainman on dis!

[Robbman]

American Z lines ACF 5250 looks better then any of the four models we have available in N scale. That's just sad.

Perhaps you should post some sort of comparison, with photos (both prototype and models) and relevant points outlining your assertation... just a thought.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Lets see..
No V shaped retaining ribs on the ends.
No brake gear to speak of
No floor on the ends
Large plugs for the thick roofwalk
The Z model appears to have two different shoot door configurations (side and bottom)

American Z lines ACF 5250 looks better then any of the four models we have available in N scale. That's just sad.

Z:


Trainman:


Hmmm, I'm hanging wit da Trainman on dis!

[Robbman]

For $34 one would think they would have at least gotten the car closer to correct... I've yet to see a post-1971 5250 with 8-panels and a roofwalk with 11 supports of the same width (not to mention those three that are close;y spaced beside each other)...

Sure, the Atlas car is like 30 years old but at least they got one of the roofwalk support designs right, (the other type is the twelve narrow/wide supports)...

And what's up with having 10 hatches on top of the car?

[wcfn100]

I no little about the prototype, but looking at some photos of FPCX hoppers, it would appear that the road numbers they are using may in fact have 10 roof hatches, eight panels and the uneven foofwalk support.

Too bad the pictures that support these spotting features are of 5700 cf hoppers not 5250s.


Jason

[Pray59]

To be fair Robbman... The $34 adjusted for N Scale production volumes is probably something like $11, if the manufacturer could get a volume discount, so how much detail can you get for $11 on brand new tooling in N?

In person to the naked eye, these cars look pretty good actually, but the printing is super fine and readable with magnification. ;D

[Robbman]

To be fair Robbman... The $34 adjusted for N Scale production volumes is probably something like $11, if the manufacturer could get a volume discount, so how much detail can you get for $11 on brand new tooling in N?

It's not a matter of how MUCH detail, i.e, the level of detail... it's a matter of getting the details right to begin with.

Tooling doesn't cost more to get basic details right.  It will cost more to get your LEVEL of detail higher, i.e, separate grabs, separate hatches, etc... but a car with a low LOD can still be accurate.