AZL November New Releases Part 1

AMERICAN Z LINE
November 2013 New Release – Part 1

Rocky the Goat is here! This month, AZL is bringing Great Northern heavy Mikados to Z scale!

GN Heavy Mikado:



50103-1 GN USRA Heavy Mikado 3145 GN Green - MSRP $219.00
50103-2 GN USRA Heavy Mikado 3146 GN Green - MSRP $219.00
50103-3 GN USRA Heavy Mikado 3147 GN Green - MSRP $219.00
50103-4 GN USRA Heavy Mikado 3148 GN Green - MSRP $219.00

Photos of all new items can be found at: www.americanzline.com

Recommended pairing for the GN Mikados, GN waffle gondolas! These are still available in both sets and a single!

91247-1 GN 2420 Waffle Gondola 78622 Single - MSRP $32.00
90247-1 GN 2420 Waffle Gondola 78604, 78605, 78606, 78621 Set 1 - MSRP $117.00

See the new American Z Line ad on page 31 of the December 2013 issue of Model Railroader!

AZL has launched an ad campaign in Model Railroader Magazine to show readers what is available in Z scale and increase exposure of the product line. More ads are coming!

Rob Kluz
Ztrack Distribution

That is absolutely tremendous news about advertising in Model Railroader, however since most of these people don’t believe Z scale is a viable scale for model railroads, I wonder if the ad will appear to them as being blank in a sea of white background?

Joe

Zcratchman_Joe wrote: ...however since most of these people don’t believe Z scale is a viable scale for model railroads, I wonder if the ad will appear to them as being blank in a sea of white background?

Joe

Joe,
I'm sure there will be some people that see the ad as just another blank area on a page, but there will be some that will start taking Z scale seriously.
When I went to the NMRA PCR convention this year, I was disappointed there was no Z scale interest. In fact I spent more time discussing S scale than Z. So, I started hitting up train stores in N. Cal. I was able to leave behind a couple of copies of Ztrack (thanks RobK). In some cases I could have left some blank pages and had the same effect.
But in at least one case, Roger's Trains in Lodi, I got "I didn't realize that there is so much in Z!" Over the summer, they've gone from a couple of MTL freight cars, to adding Ztrack, then Rokuhan and AZL. When I ordered my first Mikado through them, they had no Z scale test track, but on powering the wheels, Roger commented that the AZL Mikado runs better out of the box than many of his N scale Mikados. When I picked up my second engine, I found he had built a test track and was playing with all the Z scale he had in the shop. This is at least one case where once they found there is more to Z scale than MTL it kindled a considerable interest.
At least here in N. Cal. it really seems like those of use in Z, are just falling to cummunicate, and the AZL ad is a great start.

Mark

markm wrote: ... I was able to leave behind a couple of copies of Ztrack (thanks RobK)...

Now THAT gives me an idea! I’ll bet everyone reading this lives close to a train store or hobby shop that doesn’t carry any (or carries very little) Z scale. Why not, after reading our own latest copy of Ztrack magazine, we donate it to one of those Z deficient stores? I don’t know how many stores you visited Mark, but even if it was one in ten that took the bait, then that would make quite an impact when done on a nationwide scale!!!

It does leave a hole in the collections of those of us that keep our Ztracks forever, but with Rob selling back issues, that’s an easy and inexpensive fix.

Joe

I just don't understand! Train's are Train's no mater how you look at it, Large or small they are for the same purpose A hobby everyone likes. It's just like the gauge standard or narrow gauge it has its purpose in real life to use the space you have to get the job none. as you can see today electronic are going Micro. This is great! It's really nice to have a small space and be able to have a complete layout just like the big one! Maybe it hard to work on but all scales have some problems. I get model Railroader and I think this subject has come up before. I will not continue getting them because they show no "Z" scale but maybe one or two pieces. I got on them about it! but did no good. They say that the distrubers of "Z" don't send them anything but I think they do. I even got on there face book page and posted some "Z' scale projects. I'm just a simple voice with no pull so it will stay the same but there may be a future for "Z" as things seem to be getting smaller and smaller!

Walter,
This may digress a bit. I still learn a great deal from MR even if they don't frequently spotlight Z. They have done feature stories, construction projects and even a serie or two on Z. I spoke with the MR people at the Sacramento NTS. They seem to be open to publishing quallity articles from Z sclaers: they just don't get many.

Joe,
I found the Ztrack issues that attract the most interest are the ones showing the AZL steam and the NTS and convention winners.

I will gladly send replacement issues at no cost for any issues you hand out. I think it is so important we show Z scale to the masses and what we have available. Mark's story hits home about what a single issue can do. Also if you ever want extra issues to hand out or give to those who may be interested in Z, just let me know. We send out about 40 samples every issue to clubs and individuals to pass out and promote the scale with. We are happy to do so!

Rob

Ztrack, I have only about 4 hobby shop here in the Cincinnati area I think only one carries Z and he runs it from his basement of his house. but he is packed with all other scales to it would take a week or so to look at everything if you know what I mean all the way to ceiling.

Walter,
Sounds to me that there are 3 shops in your area that need to look carefully at page 31.
I'll tell you what I found here in N. Cal. there are a lot of misconceptions at the LHS about Z scale:
"Marklin went bankrupt...Z scale is dead."
"Z scale doesn't sell."
"MTL only produces Z scale, so that's all I carry"
"Nobody wants to run trains THAT small"
Unfortunately, sometimes I just couldn't get past this point.

Find a LHS that is willing to order Z for you, particularly something like this Mikado and see their reaction to the engine.
Roger's Trains in Lodi (yet another plug!) was very impressed with the Mikado:
"This runs better than the N scale Mikados," and they are expanding their Z inventory.

Hope this gives you some ideas.

Mark

I know that one of these hobby shop I bought Z scale cars and people and a few building it's and older store. the other is DCC trains they use to carry Z but now only "N" "HO" but they will order. I'm not new to Z scale I have had Z since 2005. I do know there are some Z scale shops up in Columbus I was there last year they had Z in the store not lots but some cars MTL and some marklin track and few Engines. They probley had them for a while. I also have "N" scale lots, but It's in storage right now no room for them Yet. but thanks for the information I thought most people on here were into "Z" scale.

southernnscale wrote: ... They probley had them for a while.

This is the problem with getting LHSs to stock Z. We have all become too accustomed to buying online, not very many people walk into a store and ask: "what do you have new in Z?" Even if you buy just one boxcar per month, I've found that the interest in stocking Z goes up.

Maybe the DCC store ought to take a look at the AZL locos with the Digitrax oard. I ran across a DCC store a few years ago whose owner swore that "DCC does work if Z" even though he stocked both the boards for the MTL GPs!

Mark

Here is a link to the DCC trains store in Cincinnati, Ohio. One of the workers there is into the DCC systems and he has "Z" scale himself they have been thinking about putting more Z in there store. www.dcctrain.com/shop/category.aspx?catid=71
www.euromodeltrains.com/nochlayouts.html there are some Z scale layouts to.

I’d like to give a copy of that July/August (Best of Show… NTS) issue to a couple of train places around here (the ONLY two places around here, I might add).

The first place sells trains… but no Z scale. I’ve talked with them before about Z, and there was talk of me fixing them up with a small Z layout for them to display (at my fricken expense, of course) – but then we bought a new house that needed some remodeling time of mine (for among other things, a planned large multi-scale layout) but before that I got laid up… for the whole damned year so far, la de da, la de da. But they did seem interested so a copy of Ztrack sure couldn’t hurt.

The other place is a city away and they only had about ten or so Z box cars (MTL). But since I started buying my Trainfest tickets there the last 3 or 4 years, and my bugging them about Z whenever I’m in the area, they make sure to always have at least ONE Z scale locomotive in the showcase front counter.. tucked away way over on the right in a corner under the magazines they have stacked there… where no one will see it unless asked. But I think if they see that Z scale took top honors at NTS it may help sway them a little in our favor.

I’ve talked with Rob and he’s sending me a couple of copies to give to these shops and that’s great. But I tell you this apathy running through our community is terrible. This is an idea that will help Z scale, that thanks to Rob will cost us nothing, and that only three of us are talking about??? Come on people, jump on board here. Bug all of your ZCS friends – make this a national thing. Let’s see if we can make Rob complain he’s giving out too many free copies to train shops!!! LOL

Joe

southernnscale wrote: ... they have been thinking about putting more Z in there store.

So get a free copy of Ztrack from Rob and give it to them!

Rob, Thanks got them today I'll pass them out this weekend the weather is going to be nice! thanks again!