In an astonishing business move...

[Pray59]

This is your basic 10' x 40' ramp like you would find on a team track. It's .54" wide x 2.18" long. Very easy to scratchbuild, but even easier if you buy the kit.

Why waste your time, the laser did all the work? ;D With it's peel and stick construction you are done in 15 minutes, and all 480 nail holes are already burned in place for you. Flip the model over, spray a quick shot of dark brown to the underside to simulate creosote treatment, and it's ready for placement as a foreground quality model. 

-Robert

[DKS]

all 480 nail holes are already burned

This is the kit's salient selling point.

[TrainCat2]

So, I wonder what other manufacturer is going to be tapped to contribute to MTL's new world of Z.   ???

There are so many things that be done for them as they continue to expand this new concept.

BTW Robert, I saw the proto at NTS while talking to Joe. I did not know it was your work until this thread. Very Nice.

[wm3798]

I doubt seriously that a z-scale nail head would be visible to the naked eye.
How high should it be to match a z-scale flat car or boxcar sill?  That's the critical dimension.  Of course, you'd have to take into account the rail that's 2' high... ;D

Lee

[Chris333]

Something like this ramp could be made by hand, but it's a pain. You have to get all the correct sized strip wood, cut it to length and stain all pieces. Glue it together while keeping it straight and we are talking about small 3/16" parts here. Then you hope it doesn't warp or bow as it dries.

I know you like to save a buck Lee, but I just think it was way easier to have all those crossbeams as one whole sheet.

Sorry to disagree 

I do have a few small scratch built wood pieces similar to this ramp. They look nice and were about $4 to build.

[DKS]

I doubt seriously that a z-scale nail head would be visible to the naked eye.
How high should it be to match a z-scale flat car or boxcar sill?  That's the critical dimension.  Of course, you'd have to take into account the rail that's 2' high...

True, the nailheads are ordinarily not visible, but they make a nice effect. Like using bricks or ballast that's slightly larger than it should be to add visible texture.

In addition to "two-foot high rail," one must also take excess ride height into account. It's worse in Z than N, I believe, so thinking about it might make your head explode. (winks)

I'm looking at starting to correct ride height in all of my Z scale rolling stock. It will of course affect coupler height, so it's not going to be an easy fix by any means, especially since I don't have any handy power tools like a small milling machine.

Oh, if you're using ordinary sectional track, like Marklin's, the distance from datum to the bottom of a freight car door is ~0.30 inches. I dont know what it would be using M-T roadbed track.

[DKS]

Something like this ramp could be made by hand, but it's a pain. You have to get all the correct sized strip wood, cut it to length and stain all pieces. Glue it together while keeping it straight and we are talking about small 3/16" parts here. Then you hope it doesn't warp or bow as it dries.

I know you like to save a buck Lee, but I just think it was way easier to have all those crossbeams as one whole sheet.

Sorry to disagree

I totally agree with you, Chris. There are a lot of things worth scratchbuilding, like a freight house or industry. But a loading ramp is almost a throw-away detail item. Cutting a bunch of quarter-inch posts and all of the eensy cross-pieces and getting them all straight is not worth the effort on something that most folks won't even look twice at. Who's going to stare at the loading ramp you spent a painful half-hour or more fussing with and go, "Oooh, nice scratch-built loading ramp, there!" More than likely they'll quietly assume that you bought one of the three commercial kits!

[Pray59]

So, I wonder what other manufacturer is going to be tapped to contribute to MTL's new world of Z.   
There are so many things that be done for them as they continue to expand this new concept.
BTW Robert, I saw the proto at NTS while talking to Joe. I did not know it was your work until this thread. Very Nice.

Whoever wins the bid I guess. MTL had been negotiating with other laser kit manufacturers before inviting me to bid. I took a look at all the competition out there and figured I could make a go of it as well as anyone, so I submitted my model and quote before the cutoff.

Joe D'Amato is the driving force behind MTL's Z Scale line, and wants to see MTL offer all kinds of Z Scale products. Joe is also a Z Scale modeler so that helps too. I would not be suprised to see MTL expand their line by offering etched brass products. I would be happy to see MTL etched brass offerings along with their cars, locos, resin loads, and now laser structures. As far as Z Scale is concerned, MTL offers reasonable prices, and a constantly increasing selection of products.

I wonder why more of the big boys don't jump onboard with Z?

I did try to order one of your Z Scale Train Cat dual track through girder bridges a couple months ago, but my cars was never charged and the model never shipped. Are they in production yet?

-Robert

[wm3798]

I wouldn't even try to build it out of wood.  Even the grain would be impossibly "fat".  I would construct it with Styrene, and use paint to texture it.  For the base, I'm thinking of using one of those Plastruct web trusses, like in the roof of my caboose shop.

I'd ad some vertical posts between the z bracing, and bury the bottom chord in some weeds.  Shoot it all a dark, creosoty color and weather it with some grey washes.

Then do the surface with scribed V-groove siding, which I use for the flooring in my gondolas.


I could probably simulate the nail heads by pricking the surface with a straight pin, and letting the dark weathering wash get in there.

Man, I'm actively planning a Z-scale project!  Let's see if it turns into a live job...

Lee

[TrainCat2]

I did try to order one of your Z Scale Train Cat dual track through girder bridges a couple months ago, but my cars was never charged and the model never shipped. Are they in production yet?

-Robert

The Artwork design is finished. The final placement on the sheet is what is taking time. More on a sheet, less $$$. Your card would not be charged until shipment.