Z Scale Trains are Small but Good!

Рет қаралды 215,866

Күн бұрын

A look at a Z scale train set from American Z Line and a first look at a small Z scale layout I built. The full build video of the Z scale layout will be out on July 18th.
See how I built the layout: • How to Build a Small L...
American Z Line Starter Sets: ztrackcenter.com/starter-sets
Want to help support the channel? Buy me a cup of coffee!
www.buymeacoffee.com/stephens...
Check out my website: www.steves-trains.com
Note that while I have amazon affiliate links for most products, often you can find them at hobby retailers for cheaper. I like fiferhobby.com and modeltrainstuff.com but check other stores as well. Note that as an Amazon affiliate, I receive a commission on any sales make through those links.
TRAIN SETS:
N Scale Kato Amtrack Set: amzn.to/3iyCbBt
N Scale Kato Super Chief Set: amzn.to/3B4ISS7
Kato N Scale Track and Controller Set 1: amzn.to/3B61UHF
Kato N Scale Track and Controller Set 2: amzn.to/3Y5hflZ
More Kato Track Sets: amzn.to/3OYcZQJ
HO Scale Rail Chief Train Set: amzn.to/3OVJizQ
O Scale Lionel Polar Express Train Set: amzn.to/3EQLcNu
O Scale Lionel Hogwarts Express Train Set: amzn.to/3Y5hM7t
KATO TRACK:
Kato Unitrack (N Scale): amzn.to/3kl9msS
Kato Unitrack (HO Scale): amzn.to/3kl9msS
CONTROLLERS:
Battery Powered Controllers that work great for N scale too: amzn.to/3umqFfa
Awesome DCC Starter System: amzn.to/3gZVbbp
LAYOUT KIT:
HO Scale Grand Valley Kit: amzn.to/3uiPvN1 (my first adult railroad project)
Track set for Grand Valley Kit: amzn.to/3VPyzsS
Building set for Grand Valley Kit: amzn.to/3F1b8WQ
N Scale Scenic Ridge Kit: woodlandscenics.woodlandsceni...
N Scale building set: amzn.to/3BsZMu3
TOOLS:
Bench top hot wire cutter: amzn.to/3Voq1tk
My Resin 3D Printer: amzn.to/3gT2PEH
My Filament 3D Printer (upgraded version): amzn.to/3Uroph6
Snap-off Blade Utility Knife: amzn.to/3OXM1cj
Cordless Dremel Set: amzn.to/3VO86Mm
My DeWalt cordless drill: amzn.to/3gW5i18
My Dewalt cordless saw (current version): amzn.to/3H73Jbo
My Dewalt cordless miter saw: amzn.to/3VNnzfL
My DeWalt Cordless Brad Nailer: amzn.to/3XBvltD
Speed Squares: amzn.to/3IxfJ6h
Hot glue gun: amzn.to/3ZFcTmk
VIDEO AND AUDIO GEAR:
Rode Wireless Mic: amzn.to/3KhNlCy
Shure MV88 Portable iOS Microphone (Great external microphone for iPhone): amzn.to/3LmWw67
Smartphone vlogging kit: amzn.to/3rTXyPf
Selfie Mirror to see phone screen when recording self with back cameras: amzn.to/3KiCgRU
Canon SL3 (nice basic DSLR): amzn.to/3kdBHy1
LED light panels: amzn.to/36NZBNy
More Items:
NEC PowerCab: amzn.to/3acwox9
Digitrax DS74 Units: amzn.to/3M7KBbW
Pneumatic door lift stay: amzn.to/3x0AAb8
Toggle latches: amzn.to/3aiFt7P
Carry Handle: amzn.to/3GCsUAi
Drawer slides (Home Depot): thd.co/3M6XTpk
Drawer slides: amzn.to/3PYRjV4
Push Buttons: amzn.to/3M9eEQG
As an Amazon affiliate, I receive a commission on any products purchased through Amazon links.

Пікірлер: 314

@mozarteanchaos 9 ай бұрын

i'm not entirely sure why i got recommended this, but these little trains look neat. it's nice to see people talk about the things they enjoy

@thomaskissell5269 11 ай бұрын

I primarily model Z scale - what I find is that it doesn't take up *that* much less space than N, but, it looks a lot better in the small spaces than N does

@chocolate_maned_wolf 8 ай бұрын

what do you mean?

@BaliAgha 8 ай бұрын

@@chocolate_maned_wolf He means the size of the terrain and the environment around the locomotive, making Z scale "look a lot better in the small spaces than N does".

@joekrepps 6 ай бұрын

⁠⁠@@chocolate_maned_wolfBeing 40%-50% smaller than N, in a fixed space, the same train can have 40%-50% more scenery around it. You get a higher ratio of scenery to trains Vs. N scale, in the same space. This translates to vertical space as well. I know of a guy in my region who models the Gottardbahn, a Swiss mainline with a long tunnel in Z. Modeling in Z allows him to build “reasonably” high Swiss Alps in a warehouse type space. (I think he’s on KZfaq.)

@gregevans2885 5 ай бұрын

I model large steam transition era in N. To me HO is the best looking scale if you have the space. I don't have a ton of space so for me I'm stuck with N. It's a struggle to see all the details in N I can't imagine anything smaller!

@waxeightoneeight 5 ай бұрын

How does a Z scale radius turn compare with N scale? I was planning on building a suitcase layout in N scale, but I’m thinking of moving over to Z scale if the minimum turn radius is significantly smaller.

@Doggeslife 8 ай бұрын

I didn't know it was so costly. A basic small oval set with 3 cars and a locomotive I can find for $99 in N-scale, but a similar Z-scale set is triple that. Miniaturization does not come cheap. They look cute though. In truth I haven't owned a set since the late 1960s when as a kid I have an HO oval set with a yellow/blue Santa Fe diesel.

@debbiemilka2251 11 ай бұрын

Your application of foliage in this "Z" scale mini diorama is just beautiful. It is a stunning portrayal of depth and random natural appearance. I'd love to see you do a tutorial on how you created this awesome scenery.

@StevesTrains 11 ай бұрын

Video on building the layout including how I did the trees next week!

@grandcrappy 5 ай бұрын

Delightful.

@grandcrappy 5 ай бұрын

Transversing switches a problem in z scale, without frequent derailments?

@DIYDigitalRailroad 11 ай бұрын

Great. now I need to buy a z scale starter set. THANKS STEVE🤪

@StevesTrains 11 ай бұрын

Haha. Yeah you do! I was thinking about how it could be useful to have a Z scale line in the background of an N scale layout to do the whole forced perspective thing.

@KennethScharf 3 ай бұрын

About 30 years ago when I was involved in model railroading, N and Z scale were mostly made with European prototypes in mind. There were more American prototypes represented in N than in Z, but not as much as HO and O. I hope that's changed over the last 30 years!

@ATrainGames 10 ай бұрын

The Micro-Trains Z scale GP35s set a whole new standard for Z when they came out. Digitrax made DCC decoder replacement light boards for them, and we ran a 100 car train with 7 GP35s (3 up front, 3 mid-train, and 1 in back) for World's Greatest Hobby on Tour in Ft. Worth, Texas back in the day. Our modular Z scale layout was 4 feet wide and stretched for almost 40 feet in length. Fun times... But back to N scale.

@Nicbatta 8 ай бұрын

It’s incredible how much detail goes into this tiny train

@tomg721 11 ай бұрын

Looking forward to next week Steve. I am working on a HO scale mountain on my layout, and I like what you have done on your Z scale layout.

@euansmith3699 7 ай бұрын

The close up shots of the train rolling past as amazing; so smooth and such great detail, it looks quite large.

@ColoradooscaleOrg 11 ай бұрын

I've been in z since 1983 and really enjoy it. Of course I model German and Swiss in Mini-Club and 1/220 however the fine scale Euro spec offerings in the last few decades have rubbed off on the US market and its GREAT to see! I'm into domestic US in my P48 and O scale 2 rail modeling however I love the entire hobby and model N with my 8 year old together. Wonderful video and thanks for sharing. -Erik Lindgren

@robertcontri4087 10 ай бұрын

The Rokuhan switches are amazing! Very smooth and positive. They include isolation circuits for spurs. The switch motor is hidden in the body.

@HumancityJunction 11 ай бұрын

AZL makes really great Z scale rolling stock and locomotives.

@StevesTrains 11 ай бұрын

Yes they do from what I can tell!

@mloik1 11 ай бұрын

Looking forward to the follow-up video. I can see my cats encouraging me to start a Z-scale layout.

@thatsimulatorguy 11 ай бұрын

The blooper at the end 😆 Thanks for showing off the Z scale!

@qmadon 8 ай бұрын

The Z scale diorama layout gives you the feeling of a big world even though it's small. I'm also a Z gauge fan and I love small layout. I make a small diorama and introduce the process of making it on my homepage.

@TheRobertLcollins 11 ай бұрын

I'm really enjoying my Z scale. I built one layout, and now I'm on my second. There's a lot you can do in such a small scale. What I'm wondering now as I plan out another Z layout is whether or not 60' cars will handle the 195mm radius curves.

@TexasCat99 10 ай бұрын

The details makes the difference. A bit of weathering can make it look more real and the little set-up looks neat. Great for people who don't have rooms or basements for model rail-roading. A Revell space ship model vs a Japanese Bandai that is 1/2 to 1/8 the size (Depending on the kit) LOOKS better because the smaller kit has 3x the details.

@shawnpowell5876 11 ай бұрын

Great video and tutorial of the Z Scale train. I'm very impressed with it and how it works so well! Nice job as always on the 18x24 layout. Cheers from Laurel, Delaware USA

@Jasper_Seven 10 ай бұрын

Lots of earth quakes! Nice video. Great demo layout. Was interested in Z for a couple of years, but wouldn't commit until I bought a house. Then I decided my eyes are so bad, I went 16mm narrow gauge instead with live steam. That has turned out to have its own set of issues...

@RandoWisLuL 4 ай бұрын

I was never into model trains, but always thought they were cool. Z scale trains hover, i think i could get into those. Have a track going around a tiny ledge right below the ceiling of a house and have a strip of led's next to the track. To most people, it would just look like an LED ledge but then the train goes by and you get a surprise lol

@StevesTrains 4 ай бұрын

That would be cool!

@tommurphy4307 2 ай бұрын

you are FULL OF FUN, dog!

@RandoWisLuL 2 ай бұрын

@@tommurphy4307 yup with the EAT sign in the kitchen and everything

@Raildig 11 ай бұрын

Nice scenery and video Steve, this package you have is a great way to start in Z scale too.

@davidorama6690 11 ай бұрын

Z Scale offers the opportunity of running trains in more realistic vast scenic settings.

@DB-ek5kd Күн бұрын

Cool video!

@andyrbush 7 ай бұрын

That is the first time I have been able to compare OO and O thank you. I tried N scale but it was a nightmare. I gave it away I couldn't do anything with it from trying to join the Peco track to coupling the carriages. I'm too old to see it even. Thanks for showing this.

@kenfolstad1346 11 ай бұрын

Beautiful Steve, love it

@TrainWork 11 ай бұрын

That’s Impressive 👍😃OperateOnOperator

@timothystevenhoward 10 ай бұрын

That Rokuhan stuff is nice. I got the small controller for around the Christmas tree setup.

@Smolderz 10 ай бұрын

Cool video Steve! AZL is doing a great job in Z scale! 🙂

@billclark81 11 ай бұрын

I love seeing this setup. It is a beautiful setup. It is amazing. I do think you have cost me more money. I am looking forward to next week.

@abrahamdozer6273 5 ай бұрын

I'm building a diorama right now showing a naval destroyer "train busting" in Korea circa 1950. The Destroyer is 1:350 and I need a steam locomotive (ideally of Japanese origins), tender and an old box car or two. It doesn't have to work. It doesn't need the motor or guts. Something that has been dropped on the floor will do as it'll been seen in the process of "blowing up" after being hit by a 4" naval high explosive shell. Z Scale is the closest size to 1:350 that is around and practical to obtain .

@jackheninger5471 11 ай бұрын

A fun video Steve. I first came across Z scale at the 1999 NMRA convention where a woman was demonstrating how to make Z scale trees. They came out pretty good and one of her comments was the scenic possibilities of Z scale. Ya gotta watch the earthquakes!!! I was rehanging a shop style light over an earlier layout and had one end up and was working on the other end when the chain slipped out of my fingers and made a direct hit on a Downtown Deco building still in kit form and broke a wall in 2 places. Once I got done swearing I realized I had just created a future building with some prime earthquake damage.

@StevesTrains 11 ай бұрын

Every accident brings new opportunities!

@TheJpec361 11 ай бұрын

Those Rohukan controllers are great. I've used the double to run a 12 x 6 T-TRAK layout for an entire show and not depleted the batteries. I saw a huge Z-Trak layout at an N Scale convention, and one module was a port facility for vehicles arriving by ship, and it looked exactly like the one in Baltimore. The ship size was prototypical, and there were over 100 auto rack cars in the facility. I always figured that motor miniaturization would benefit Z eventually. I've seen the vibrate motors from pagers and later cell phones used as power.

@StevesTrains 11 ай бұрын

Very cool! Yeah, those little vibrate motors from phones are obviously highly durable and reliable so probably great to use in model train applications.

@rudyvalle9022 11 ай бұрын

How ‘bout that?! At 0:52 That Lehigh Valley S2 on the cover of the Z Track Magazine is a locomotive I built for a client. I’m not making custom models anymore but it’s nice to see a real printed copy of the magazine with my work on it.

@StevesTrains 11 ай бұрын

Very cool!

@theslicefactor4590 2 ай бұрын

I haven't been into train sets for years but I think HO scale would be my favourite.

@SteveWoodard66 11 ай бұрын

Great video Steve! Nice to see you giving Z a try. I've been in Z since the early 90s (but have also dabbled in HO and N). I always thought that with your focus being on small layouts Z would be a great addition for you.

@StevesTrains 11 ай бұрын

Yeah, I’ll definitely have to do more with it in the future.

@normanrowe2831 11 ай бұрын

Very nice. Thanks.

@nigel900 10 ай бұрын

Fascinating. 👍🏻

@ironworksmodels 11 ай бұрын

Love the outtake ! 😀

@StevesTrains 11 ай бұрын

Thanks, I’ll need to start doing that in my videos going forward. I’m always bumbling around knocking things over and stuff.

@Redheadedlady55 11 ай бұрын

~Enjoyed seeing this little fella-Z...want one but N-scale is pretty small when working things out....but my heart really wants a Z-scale one day.😊😊😊😊

@lacreativa3712 11 ай бұрын

Ladys LIKE it!!! It´s something really pretty cool. LA

@Wapitimodels 10 ай бұрын

This was fun to watch. If your ever in the need of Z or N scale models stop by and take a look of what we have to offer for your layouts

@Rostov_red_beard 9 ай бұрын

wish I chose Z for building my 4' by 2' lay out. Great video thanks!

@VarnHomestead 11 ай бұрын

love it!

@agingmillennialmainer 8 ай бұрын

I love everything but the oval Z sticker. Looks like a good apartment set choice

@paulw4259 2 ай бұрын

Thank you.

@brucejohnston8510 11 ай бұрын

That's a small gauge of train I've seen it once here in blenheim a few years ago referd to trains in a match boxes nice one Steve cheers from Bruce .blenheim south island new Zealand

@75blackviking 10 ай бұрын

I have always just loved Z scale trains. Always had HO but Z was always really fascinating.

@Rostov_red_beard 9 ай бұрын

me too, the amount of detail is surprising.

@tommurphy4307 2 ай бұрын

why don't they make them taste good?

@75blackviking 2 ай бұрын

@@tommurphy4307 Excellent question. If they tasted good, folks would be inclined to eat them, and then the small trains would face extinction. Think of it as Darwinian self preservation. On a related note, broccoli florettes can be used as trees in Z scale dioramas, at least on small timeframes.

@NorthCountryTrains 11 ай бұрын

Fantastic, Z scale rules!

@FreeManFreeThought 10 ай бұрын

Finally a scale that can actually be usable in my 100m2 two bedroom apartment!

@ryano.5149 10 ай бұрын

I built/am building an N scale layout in a rectangular electric guitar case, so...where there is a will, there is a way!

@lowcountryrailroad7701 11 ай бұрын

Very nice.thanks for sharing David @LCRR

@User123x 11 ай бұрын

I love the z scale layout a lot, I'm excited to see the tutorial video as I'm curious how you made the ballast, it looks really good

@3zadam 9 ай бұрын

cool video

@user-jt2eu1cc6p 4 ай бұрын

These days to make a model railway you have to think out of the box. (Especially if you want to attract the younger generation) I have a 8mm scale layout which is basically N gauge track and rolling stock but use tamiya accessories. Going to shows it does get a lot of attention.But when I explain the principle they can understand it

@royceknight2351 4 ай бұрын

Love the earthquake demonstration!

@RedWolf777SG 7 ай бұрын

I fine the Z scale trains quite tiny and cute! not to mention the many possibility you can do with them, like for example, having entrie railroad system inside a coffee or dinner table.😅

@Trains-With-Shane 11 ай бұрын

I've got a Trinity Railway Express Z-Scale set but I haven't even had time to take it out of the package and run it.

@ungowa1002 15 күн бұрын

I’m lookinhard atz now

@cliffnelson1174 10 ай бұрын

During the 80s i made a small HO scale R.R. with a quarry in the center and I used Z scale trucks and dozers and the like for a forced perspective.....it was kinda convincing....

@SebastianD334 10 ай бұрын

that seems to work pretty well but most of my issues with N-scale are non-kato switches, especially double slips, so I wonder how those would perform in Z-scale

@toomanyhobbies400 10 ай бұрын

Algorythims seem to be working well for you. Videos are coming up for viewing the same day. I am going to build a small N gauge too small for industry switching. Probably scenery in a rural wooded area with a clearing, cabin, carport, shed, dirt access road, picnic table. You could too. About Z scale, the minimum turn radius is not much tighter then N, but because the train is so much smaller, a 2X3foot layout will look so much larger than the equivalent size N layout.

@robcampbell3235 11 ай бұрын

Maybe Nn3 with a small section of dual gauge (Nn3 on loop like your earlier traction loop) heh... Love your stuff Steve! if youre ever near Denver chasin’ lmk burgers are on me!

@steffenrosmus9177 10 ай бұрын

Well done, Pennsylvania on one square feet.

@kentbarnes1955 11 ай бұрын

Wow....I've been "playing" with N scale...and doing a "small" layout etc....but Z scale is intriguing

@TheLeanConsultant 4 ай бұрын

Your layout looks like Tracy Island! You could call it Train Z Island lol

@marksinthehouse1968 11 ай бұрын

I hope I can get a set like that here in the U.K. I like USA outline models you do things slightly different in the US,we call Z zed,you call it Zee superb 😊,great channel Mark 😊😊

@StevesTrains 11 ай бұрын

I have a team member at work in the UK and often do work for UK clients and I have to completely change my spelling and word usage in reports and presentations or people yell at me. LOL

@marksinthehouse1968 11 ай бұрын

@@StevesTrains 😂😂your doing ok Steve mate

@firesurfer 5 ай бұрын

@@StevesTrains Maybe you should yell at them for using UK verbiage when talking to you. It goes both ways.

@peteengard9966 10 ай бұрын

I know an O scale 2 rail modeler that put a Z scale setup like a garden railroad on his O scale layout. He had figures riding the cars and other scenery..

@tommurphy4307 2 ай бұрын

I THOUGHT you were going to say he had 'trained' mice running the trains.

@helioselexandros 7 ай бұрын

I gotta get me a z sxale set. Theyre so cool and detailex

@NikolajLepka 3 ай бұрын

a brief overview of how big the scales are in terms of size reduction would be nice; a 1:whatever type deal.

@StevesTrains 3 ай бұрын

I plan to have a video very soon showing T, Z, N, TT, HO, S, O, G side by side with some scale data and measurements. I’m just waiting on my s scale diesel to arrive in the mail.

@daleinarizona1561 11 ай бұрын

For those who want the Z scale set can create a huge scenery of different types of buildings, farms and industrial areas.

@ajmayowskijr 11 ай бұрын

Very nice Steve but too small for me. I need my reading glasses for my O-gauge.

@taoskid8769 5 ай бұрын

Isn't it ironic that as the average home/apt has gotten smaller, prototype rolling stock has gotten bigger with longer trains! I guess that's helped smaller scales. I can't imagine modelling autoracks and 70 foot boxcars in O scale. But you can certainly can model modern trains in Z or N scale. Thanks for the video.

@kurtsalm2155 8 ай бұрын

I just bought a ZZZ scale layout. It can only be viewed under an electron microscope. The realistic coal cars can be loaded with 1 carbon atom each.

@StevesTrains 8 ай бұрын

Solid

@lesliefulton9219 10 ай бұрын

yeah Z is quite fun, have a substantial amount of it myself and have done a few layouts over the years, but focused on HO narrow gauge at the moment (including HOf - mining on Z scale track basically). You have to keep it very tight (the joins) and on my last layout I spent some time soldering track joints to maintain electrical connectivity, as well as jump wires on the switches (I was using Marklin switches with micro trains and peco flex track). Its also good enough to run Nn3 as well, plenty of set track that can be weathered and sceniced up, you can still find Micro trains Nn3 cars, and with 3D printing, easy enough to design and print an engine to fit a AZL mech. And it will fit nicely into a case.. Also if you can hand lay 009/HOn30, you can hand lay Z as well. just tighter tolerances.

@StevesTrains 10 ай бұрын

Picking up some Nn3 stuff would be fun. Since I don’t have any structures on my little Z scale layout, I could run Nn3 stuff just fine.

@robertschmidt6383 11 ай бұрын

I 've heard that some HO scalers will use smaller gauge trains to show back distance. This would work for that as well.

@StevesTrains 11 ай бұрын

Yes, it is a great way to create a forced perspective and make the layout appear larger if you do it correctly.

@Rostov_red_beard 9 ай бұрын

very cool concept I haven't seen it in practice yet.

@tommurphy4307 2 ай бұрын

you were lied to.....

@more5347 10 ай бұрын

I started this hobby recently with my first lay out which was in N scale. it's 11Inches wide by 23 inches long, inside my piano bench. but z scale is calling to me....

@sernajrlouis 11 ай бұрын

Cool video and channel just subscribed

@K10wNs-Shed 11 ай бұрын

Z-scale goes great built into a glass top coffee table

@StevesTrains 11 ай бұрын

That is a great idea!

@HolidayDecorator 8 ай бұрын

Used to be a local store in one of our malls that sold coffee tables with N or Z scale layouts in them. Very expensive, but the layouts were finely detailed with buildings, scenery and some had actual working lakes, streams and waterfalls. I wanted to buy one, but didn't have the funds at the time. One I was looking at had 3 z scale trains that could run at the same time, had switches to change tracks and had a 3 tier waterfall emptying into a flowing stream that ended at a lake with actual moving boats with people fishing in them and around the lake, included mountain terrain and a beautiful trestle bridge over the stream. And the entire thing was automated. Of course, it was the most expensive one in the shop too all in a standard glass top coffee table. Price at the time I was looking at it: $5,999.99 around 1999-2000 era. It was gorgeous. If I could have afforded it, I'd have definitely purchased it! Now that I'm legally blind and older, I only do O and G scale trains now. At least I can see them, but still have a little difficulty getting them on the rails 🤣🤣🤣

@mariebcfhs9491 10 ай бұрын

Z scale is great for having wide sweeping curves without it taking up the entire room

@indridcold8433 6 ай бұрын

When I was a lad, I made an HO scale track set that was 3 metres by 2 meters. It had three and a half circuits and a figure 8. The little town had a McDonald's. I still put a water tower by the track for the steamers, A small pile of coal with a bulldozer and backhoe in the mix to shovel it. It had a crane car, a functional rail cleaner, a few F locomotives, some car carriers complete with vintage cars of the 1970s, two tracksters, and lots of crossovers. One day, there was a very heavy rain fall. The basement flooded. The track was ruined. I gave it all to someone that wanted it for parts. I was so proud of the bridge on that layout. It was a drawbridge I could control with the auxiliary AC power. I really miss it. Today. a simple figure 8 with one locomotive, four cars, and a basic power supply, costs as much as I put into the entire set back then. I guess a return to model train hobby is not for me.

@StevesTrains 6 ай бұрын

Yes, sadly it is not cheap, but few hobbies are these days.

@indridcold8433 6 ай бұрын

@@StevesTrains The painful tragedy is that it was my first and longest lasting hobby. I think about it a lot. If I did not have to start 100% from nothing, I know I would still be in it. It is heartbreaking. Should I ever restart again, it will be N or Z gauge, DCC control, (which did not exist when I was a kiddo and young adult). Four diesels (one being Conrail), two steamers, two tracksters, one rail cleaner. For rolling stock, I want a 5 wagon long passenger train, a long somewhat modern freight car train, a short vintage freight to go with the steamers, and a few machine type utility wagons. I want a seaside layout with a beach, small aeroport, a seaport with cranes and docked vessels, and mountains. The price was reaching $7500. Of course, not all that is done at once. But just the beginning set was getting close to $1000. At least, I can still admire your work.

@StevesTrains 6 ай бұрын

@@indridcold8433the main reason I started doing YT videos was to pay for the hobby, which it has done, albeit with a huge amount of extra work that leaves little actual time for the hobby (outside of recording videos). A bit of a catch 22 unfortunately.

@tommurphy4307 2 ай бұрын

was there a liquor store near the mcdonalds?

@mpetersen6 10 ай бұрын

To me where Z scale could really shine is in a layout with a mountain railrooading theme.

@ph11p3540 8 ай бұрын

I gather some nanotech or microprocessor lab has built an entire model train layout on a silicon chip somewhere in the world just to prove a point of what can be done with nanometer scale machines. Would make quite a major statement on the state of nanotech engineering

@pooletrainboy 11 ай бұрын

Criey it really is small and I sometimes think OO is to small, I hope all the details are factory fitted and there are no Z or even N locos that have detail bags.

@danastovall9723 8 ай бұрын

I didn't know z scale WAS this good

@ivar_oslo-hr3mc 4 ай бұрын

I was in the Märklin factory in Germany and saw how they made them.

@StevesTrains 4 ай бұрын

Cool!

@colnagocowboy 10 ай бұрын

I like the idea of modules. But i dont like the ratio of track to scenery. So im going to try it in z scale

@Stormtrooper53 5 ай бұрын

I had a Z scale train when I was a kid. It was a steam locomotive and you could pit a couple of drops of oil in it and it would smoke. My dad got a sheet of plywood and mounted the tracks to it so I could just slide it under my bed. I wish I could find something similar. Most z scale locomotives I find today are modern diesels.

@StevesTrains 4 ай бұрын

There are some steam locomotives occasionally available. It is harder to make them run well in z scale whereas diesels are easier to manufacture so probably why.

@tommurphy4307 2 ай бұрын

TRY A GERMAN HOBBY place like wohlschlegel

@Geezer65 2 ай бұрын

The definition of a boat is "a hole in the water you pour money into" The definition of a model train is "a sheet of plywood you stack money on" Definitely a big money hobby. With all the money going in the wrong direction.

@StevesTrains 2 ай бұрын

This is the reason I do KZfaq, so the YT income about equally offsets the hobby expenses.

@aredub1847 10 ай бұрын

tiny rc cars and drones are also great.

@Thinginator 10 ай бұрын

This made me curious what the smallest model railroad scale on the market is, which is apparently "T Scale," which works out to about 1:400 or 1:500 scale. The trains are narrower than your finger and some of the smaller locomotives fit comfortably on a coin. Interestingly, to aid with traction and electrical contact at their miniscule size, the powered wheels are magnetic - which has the strange added effect of making T-scale trains capable of climbing grades of 45 degrees or more! They're a bit pricy though, despite being so small, I imagine the level of precision necessary for it to work plus the niche aspect of it all means they're not cheap to make. Still, watching train cars smaller than your pinky finger pulled by a locomotive the length of a nickel run along a layout you can put just about anywhere certainly has its appeal!

@StevesTrains 10 ай бұрын

My Friday YT Short this week is on T Gauge and I’ll have two full videos coming up on it, the first on August 29th.

@tommurphy4307 2 ай бұрын

what is the implication behind your finger reference??

@curtisnewton895 4 ай бұрын

"I did'nt know ...WAS this good"

@StevesTrains 3 ай бұрын

The “Is” was completely intentional and worked well.

@ilikerollercoasters4757 10 ай бұрын

I’d definitely struggle getting it on the rails

@monmixer 5 ай бұрын

How do the scales line with die cast and such. for instance what scale railroad works with 1/24th scale die cast? Etc

@StevesTrains 5 ай бұрын

G scale is the closest to that. I think g scale is 1/32nd but it varies. O scale varies too but is around 1/48 so half the size of your cars.

@jordangordon2350 3 ай бұрын

Just trying to get into this, I wonder if these have any locomotives that use DCC with sound and steam; or is N probably the smallest you can go for all that?

@StevesTrains 3 ай бұрын

DCC yes, not sure if any have sound.

@whytebearconcepts 10 ай бұрын

I'd love to do Z but I love steam, and a good (2-8-2) engine is over $200.

@joewoodchuck3824 4 ай бұрын

I wish the letter designations for train scales was in aphabetical order. Going by numerical scale is probably better primary nomenclature on that basis. We do numerical in every other modelling realm, so why should trains be different than the rest?

@michaelhyland7035 4 ай бұрын

I have seen that z-scale are magnetized to stay . ?

@kevincollins264 11 ай бұрын

A bit off the Z scale topic, but, can you recommend a substitute for the Scenic Express MEDIUM NATURAL SOIL & DIRT. It seems that they have discontinued it.

@StevesTrains 11 ай бұрын

Oh, that is sad! I haven’t looked around for another product yet, but I guess I’ll have to see what is available soon once my supply runs out.

@thejerseyrailroader28 11 ай бұрын

Hey Steve, are you ever going to add scenery to your portable switching layout?

@StevesTrains 11 ай бұрын

Ha, yeah, one of these days. I haven’t been in a mood to do structures lately and have a bunch to do for that one and the 2x4 layout. Really need to get going on that.

@outlaw2191 10 ай бұрын

The way to end with a BANG😂, 08/10/23

@johnwhitley2898 11 ай бұрын

Very cool this "Z" train.... I am very tempted to just jump in, but the EARTHQUAKES in the Area...... Lol 😆😆😆😆. Just kidding! Small footprint and great detail