Skip to main content

Finally found decals small enough for my Z-scale Mikado. Now it is in NYC to match all of my other (5) steamers.

 

Maybe I can use it as a miniature railroad on my miniature railroad!

 

Believe it or not, inoperative as this is, it still cost $50. I though that was pricey. So it seems both G and Z have the edge on O price-wise.

Z Scale NYC Mikado

And I must say after comparing all scales that O seems optimal for this old guy.

Attachments

Images (1)
  • Z Scale NYC Mikado
Last edited by Michael Hokkanen
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Z scale is cool. They have a Z scale Big Boy that costs about the same as the new Lionel BB.  I thought about how big of a layout I could build in my 16 x 32 area I have for O scale. It was tempting.....until I watched a video on a large Z scale layout. The high dollar Big Boy stalled a few times while running.....micro dirty spot......never happens in O 3r.....I've had trains run across a 2 inch gap in track without issue!

The idea of Z is still cool.......I'll leave it for someone else.

Sinclair, what I have there is G by Aristo-Craft, 0 by Marx, 027 by Marx, S by American Flyer, H0 by Athearn, TT by Lionel (a non-powered 1/120 scale they offered several years back), N by Life-Like and Z by Marklin.

 

Incidentally, Z is no longer the smallest electric-powered scale:  there is now "T", about 1/2 the size.

N gauge is small enough for me. Track cleaning is more of an issue with smaller gauges. When I first acquired a batch of second-hand N-gauge trains in the 1980's, they had loads of gunk on the wheels and it was a major project to clean them all for reliable operation. That was why I developed the practice of running home-made track cleaner cars (with disposable denim track-wiping pads) on most of my trains, in ALL scales. It gives me consistently reliable operation and minimizes the need to clean wheels in the long run.

 

I haven't done much with N-scale lately. I got distracted with O-gauge about four years ago. Eventually I want to get back to some HO projects on my main layout.

Last edited by Ace

I'm with you, Ace:  the small scales do seem to need more attention to track cleaning.  Incidentally, I have made a track cleaning car in 0 and S, following your suggestions.  It's amazing how well they work, and I want to thank you.

 

Michael, I have noticed that the grease in Z-scale engines will cause the whole mechanism to bind up tight if they are not run frequently.  Could that be your engine's problem?  Of course, maybe somebody used too much current trying to get it going when it was bound up, and ruined it.

Add Reply

Post

OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×