# Sticky  Z Scale Info Link



## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

This is a good page to find out about Z scale.
http://www.zscale.org/

Trouleshooting and everthing else.


----------



## tworail (Apr 13, 2006)

Cool I will sticky this thread, so others may take a look. Can't say that this thread will ever get buried, Z does not seem to be a real popular scale here 

Maybe I'll get some Z and contribute a few threads on my own. Always thought it would be good for furniture layouts, ie in a coffee table..


----------



## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

It is quiet here so I thought I would fix the engine.
I may have goofed up on the engine, the armature is actually fixed on the base. It showed on the german diagram but i didn't understand it until I read the Z scale org site. The gear will have to be pulled off the shaft. I will just wait for the parts and see.


----------



## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

*Parts are in.*

Walther's came through today.
Parts are in and I will have to remove the worm gear to installl the new 5 pole armature.Moan  . One plan is to push the armature shaft out. With a yardsale mic. I measured about 40/ 1000th Guess what? a paper clip is slightly less. I have the chassis structure on the other side if I pull. Chassis obstructs the access to the lower armature. Not good.

So the engine is stripped found some corrosion on one axle. The old motor is dead. It didn't work without a load, (axles removed). The worm gear is sharp.

I did take some Pic,s, but no time today. I used tweezers and my smalllest precision screwdriver for disassembly. Copper contacts could use a cleaning. 
You should of seen the size of the shipping box.


----------



## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

T-Man said:


> Walther's came through today.
> Parts are in and I will have to remove the worm gear to installl the new 5 pole armature.Moan  . One plan is to push the armature shaft out. With a yardsale mic. I measured about 40/ 1000th Guess what? a paper clip is slightly less. I have the chassis structure on the other side if I pull. Chassis obstructs the access to the lower armature. Not good.
> 
> So the engine is stripped found some corrosion on one axle. The old motor is dead. It didn't work without a load, (axles removed). The worm gear is sharp.
> ...



And the size of your magnifying glass too. 
I just started working with N and thought they were small. I don't think I would be able to work on Z.


----------



## Nightowl4933 (May 11, 2011)

it's been a long time since anyone posted on the Z scale section of this forum, so I thought I would :laugh:

I wonder if this scale isn't popular in Canada and the US because you may not have the space issues us Europeans have?

In the UK, cellars (or basements) aren't common in more modern houses which normally leaves a spare bedroom (usually the smallest in the house - my train room is about 6' 6" wide) or the garage, which are generally too small to get anything bigger than a Mini in! Also, garages are unheated, not secure and we can't get gun licences very easily :laugh::laugh:

Pete


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Well, I think most of the train guys I know are older, maybe eyesight and steady hands play into the choices of scales.


----------



## Nightowl4933 (May 11, 2011)

It certainly does - I wish I'd thought of that before I started. I only chose Z because of the limited space and a desire to take on this hobby.

If I could persuade SWMBO to let me have a larger area, I'd change to HO in a second!


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I've seen Z-scale stuff, it's impressive, but tiny! If I were going really small, I think N-scale would be my lower limit.


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Nightowl4933 said:


> If I could persuade SWMBO to let me have a larger area, I'd change to HO in a second!


SWMBO ???

I had to look that one up ...

"She Who Must Be Obeyed" !!! :laugh::laugh::laugh:

Love it!

TJ


----------



## Nightowl4933 (May 11, 2011)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> I've seen Z-scale stuff, it's impressive, but tiny! If I were going really small, I think N-scale would be my lower limit.


Hmm, nice idea, but I didn't think N scale is as prototypical - and I've been a Maerklin fan since 1962!


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

What's less prototypical about N-scale over Z-scale?


----------



## Nightowl4933 (May 11, 2011)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> What's less prototypical about N-scale over Z-scale?


I don't know, as I've never really been interested in it. I'm only repeating what I was told, and therefore happy to be proven wrong.

From Wikipedia, N scale can range from 1:148 to 1:160, depending on location, which can lead to inconsistencies, but Z scale stays at 1:220

Anyway, I guess it's up to the modeller


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Well, as long as you stuck with 1:160 say for all your stuff, everything would be to scale. I agree if you mixed sizes then things wouldn't look right. O-scale has some of the same issues, there is "scale" and "semi-scale".


----------



## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Now where in the world would you go to look that up?
Z scale is very interesting to me. I don't have any of it because it wasn't there when I started with trains and HO was what I could afford. Just because it's tiny doesn't mean it costs less. Can you imagine having the job of assembling those little engines and cars? It would be a short trip to Chatahootchee for me. I'd like to have some z stuff though sometime. Pete


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

In truth, most of the time the smaller stuff with similar capabilities is more expensive. Don't know why the O-scale stuff is so much more expensive than HO or N, that makes little sense.


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Oct 29, 2011)

I'll jump in and revive the thread!

Actually, the stuff from Micro Trains, and more recently, the injection-molded stuff from AZL is not expensive, $130 for a geep... decoders are pretty cheap too if you run DCC.

Regards, Greg

update: just realized that I helped further derail the original intent of this thread.

I do have some information and links on my site:
*
http://www.elmassian.com/trains-mainmenu-27/z-scale-mainmenu-108*


----------



## pmcgurin (Sep 7, 2010)

I was getting interested in Z Scale, until I read the piece about the coupler issues. I think the N-Scale couplers are trouble enough.


----------



## Nightowl4933 (May 11, 2011)

I don't have issues with the couplers, generally.

Sometimes, on older carriages, they can be a bit stiff (or slack) but they're not complicated!


----------



## flyvemaskin (Nov 19, 2011)

The swmbo person is hard to deal with. We live in a four bedroom house, just the two of us moldy oldies, and dammed if i can have a room for an N scale layout. Have considered Z scale myself. Z on a door might be interesting. First, I want to see someone's z scale stuff in operation however.


----------



## flyvemaskin (Nov 19, 2011)

No guts, no glory. I'm into N, but would change to Z for space reason if I could affort the steam locos. Just think how much you could get on a T-TRAK module. I'd be in hog heaven. I'm 63, retired, and big hands and fingers, but think I could do it. I was looking at the Z scale steamers, and $600 plus is out of my budget, like way out. So N it is.


----------



## airborne7395 (Dec 22, 2012)

Greetings to all!
Ive had all gauges, and even Z once. Downsizing has placed me back on Z scale and I am happy to pursue it. I just wear my glasses more often! Anyone tried the Cortina layout from Noch, and has anyone added the ad ons to it? Happy Holidays!


----------



## trainmeup (Aug 27, 2018)

T-Man said:


> This is a good page to find out about Z scale.
> http://www.zscale.org/
> 
> Trouleshooting and everthing else.


Thank you for the link. This would be a fun model size to work with. I am thinking of starting with this size.


----------



## DJTrains (Oct 8, 2008)

I've never cared much for HO but the Z is so tiny it's cute. Obviously the emphasis is not JUST on the trains but the entire layout as a whole. I'll give this some thought.


----------



## Ralphie73 (Feb 4, 2021)

Somebody wanted to see a Z-scale in action. 








That's a video on my Facebook page, but I can't copy it over here and make it work. 
Anyway, that's a Marklin Z-scale starter kit with different cars and a landscape ordered from Noch in Germany. I ordered all the stuff from an outfit in Canada called Eurorail Hobbies and they order stuff from Germany.
I found an end table with a glass top locally cheap, and installed the train in it. This way, I could get a table-top train without tearing up my coffee table.
The glass keeps the cats out!

-Ralphie73


----------



## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

ModellbahnShopp-Lippe is cheaper and faster than ERH. Shipping is flat rate €27.50. Four days to your doorstep.


----------



## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

The link is still there. One update in 2009 had directions on replacing three pole motors. 

It's good to see a coffee table set up


----------



## cchbvvd (3 mo ago)

In the UK, basements (or storm cellars) aren't normal in additional cutting edge houses which regularly leaves an extra room (typically the littlest in the house - my train room is around 6' 6" wide) or the carport, which are for the most part excessively little to get anything greater than a Small scale in! Likewise, carports are unheated, not secure and we can't get firearm licenses without any problem :laugh::laugh:


----------

