Z Gauge: Layout modelling help please

- A
- Anthony Geering
  
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posted
20 years ago

Sun, Feb 1, 2004 9:57 PM

Hello Fellow modellers,

I am thinking of making a small z gauge continental layout, probably a mountain scene. The scale is 1.5mm to the foot. I have done a lot of british OO gauge modelling, so this is a new venture for me. I realise that I can apply most of the standard techniques.

The smallest radius marklin curve track is 145mm. Anyone care to comment on its performance? I have some 195mm track at present.

How suitable is the Peco Flexitrack for small radius curves?

What about snow? I have plenty of green and brown scatter material. Does anyone have a realistic and lasting way of representing snow covered landscape?

Advice gratefully received.

Regards, Tony

see my layouts at

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- P
- Peter Ibbotson
  
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posted
20 years ago

Mon, Feb 2, 2004 12:17 AM

There is an active Z group on yahoo (its under z_scale).

However, in answer to your questions.

145 is OK for most things, BUT the moment you want to run long locos and coaches it looks awful. Most of the marklin locos run fine on the 145mm, I think the ICE is an exception to this (And I'm sure there are others)

Peco flextrack is fine, but it's a different code from the Marklin stuff, see the website below for some examples of flextrack work with silly radii (use google to translate). Peco is reckoned to be the best flex for Z but I think you need to be careful on the transistions (I don't use flex at the moment).

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Snow. Easy see the Noch website

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Peter

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- Gregory Procter
  
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posted
20 years ago

Mon, Feb 2, 2004 9:09 AM

145mm is going to be too tight for other than small locos and 4 wheel wagons/coaches. (well, that's my opinion ;-)

Always use the set track for minimum radius curves. Flextrack tends to move a little and create alternating tighter and looser radii.

This is just my opinion, but it seems to me that a 180 degree turn is always going to look toy-like if your eye can take it in in one glance so a radius in Z scale that is proportional to a "large" radius in OO that looks good is still going to look silly.

Regards, Greg.P.