Ztrains: 2008 Coffee Break Topics

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2008 Coffee Break Topics
Beginning in January 2007 Ztrains began the weekly Coffee Break column to highlight various products, websites and stories that we think may be of interest to the Z community. Pour a cup of coffee and join us each week as we visit with a new idea in Z scale (1:220) model railroading. If you should find a non-working link on this page, please let us know.

2010 Coffee Break

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2009 Coffee Break

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2008 Coffee Break

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2007 Coffee Break

January 6, 2008
85' Smooth side passenger cars by Marsilius, produced by Bowser and available at Ztrack Center: Smooth Side Passenger Cars

January 13, 2008
The James River Branch is David K. Smith's Z scale layout and his online Z scale blog and documentation: James River Branch

January 21, 2008
Joe Fugate offers a free scenery clinic on his website. Joe also offers a line of instructional model railroad DVDs: Joe Fugate's Scenery Clinic

January 28, 2008
Static grass machine in action! In this YouTube video see just how effective a home made static grass applicator can be: Static Grass Applicator

February 4, 2008
ProZ is a new line of Z scale trains and accessories by Tokyo Marui. We have two links this week: Visit ProZ Website and Visit Dealer: Hobby Search Co.

February 12, 2008
RR-Track sectional track software, based on Marklin sectional track geometry also good for Micro-Trains® Line, Micro-Track sectional track!: Visit RR-Track Software

February 17, 2008
The N-Tram company of Germany has a mini-module standard they we find very interesting: Visit N-Tram

March 2, 2008
Cardstock buildings. This week we show you, via YouTube, what can be done with cardstock, an inkjet printer and some imagination: Watch The Video

March 10, 2008
The Coffman company of Richmond, Kentucky produces "The Right Clamp" to aid in your kit building efforts: Coffman Clamps

March 23, 2008
Watch as some very talented people build a mini-module for the upcoming ZMOD gathering in OSLO, Norway, April 2008: ZMOD Module Build

April 2, 2008
Sterling Models of Johnson, Vt. produces a line of very realistic trees, from 3" up: Sterling Models

April 14, 2008
Modular train tables in a 2' x 4' size from Martin & Johnson with a built in locking feature: Martin & Johnshon

April 28, 2008
Canyon Creek Scenics produces inspiring trees in their DeepWoods series... also beautiful conifers for Z scale: Canyon Creek Scenics

May 4, 2008
TimeCast produces a series of dedicated Z scale and 6mm historically accurate European and North American structures: TimeCast

May 12, 2008
Arizona Rock & Mineral, located in Arizona, produces what is considered to be some of the finest model railroad ballast available: Arizona Rock and Mineral

May 18, 2008
Pizza layouts, these seemingly simple model train layouts pose many challenges, primarily they test the builders' creativity: Pizza Layouts

July 7, 2008
YouTube video featuring Loren Snyder of the BAZ BoyZ, a Z scale modular group, showing how to produce Z scale conifers: Z Scale Tree Video

June 1, 2008
Train Safe of Germany produces some very clever high-end travel storage and display protection products for Z scale: Train Safe Display Tubes

June 8, 2008
Magic Water is a 2-part resin mix produced by Unreal Details LLC and according to their website is designed to be the "easiest and most realistic water modeling system available": Magic Water

June 15, 2008
Bakatronics LLC of Connecticut produce a runway lighting and runway pavement kit for both N and Z scales: Bakatronics LLC Runway Kit

June 22, 2008
Asphalt. Here is a very clever and simple technique for producing your own roads, streets and highways: Asphalt Technique

June 29, 2008
Here is a terrific example of DCC (Digital Command Control) in Z scale as it controls locomotive lighting and lighting effects: DCC Locomotive Lighting Effects

July 7, 2008
Learn this technique for making your styrene look like real aged wood. This tutorial is a keeper: Age And Weather Styrene

July 13, 2008
220dasjournal is an online magazine in PDF form published by Guido Kruschke. Having been out of publication for 2 years, it looks to be making a comeback: 220dasjournal

July 23, 2008
The 2008 National Train Show was held in Anaheim, California July 18th through the 20th. Kim Vellore shares some of his photos with Ztrains readers: 2008 National Train Show Photos

August 3, 2008
Trainini Magazine is an online Z scale publication in the PDF format published by Holger Spaing: Visit Trainini

August 10, 2008
Steve Gibbs has produced a 9 minute video from the 2008 National Train Show in Anaheim, California and it nicely highlights what's cooking these days in Z scale: Go ToThe Video

August 24, 2008
This short tutorial will show you how to try your hand at making trees from furnace filter material: Furnace Filter Trees

September 1, 2008
Learn how Nano LEDs can work wonders in Z scale, from Ngineering: Ngineering

September 7, 2008
Berkshire Junction makes a great product for realistically simulating telephone and electrical lines... it's EZ Line: Berkshire Junction

September 15, 2008
Fast Tracks makes a wide range of turnout and track building kits and accessories in Z scale, lots of great information on this well designed site: Fast Tracks Hand Crafted Track

September 23, 2008
Mianne open grid benchwork allows you to assemble complicated layouts in less than an evening using just a screwdriver and a pair of pliers: Mianne Open Grid Benchwork

September 29, 2008
Model Builder software allows you to design and print you own buildings in Z scale using over 400 realistic images as your building basis. Software runs on PC: Model Builder Software

October 5, 2008
Micro-Mark offers a very fine black poly fiber for use in the making of trees, very nice stuff at a great price: Micro-Mark Black Poly Fiber

October 12, 2008
Ryan Andersen and Will Ayerst are your hosts for a weekly model railroad podcast. Listen while you work: Model Railcast Show

October 26, 2008
Z Central Station, one of the more popular online user forums for Z scale, has a new look. Join today and talk to other Z scale enthusiasts: Z Central Station

November 2, November 9, 2008
This topic had a 2 week run in the Ztrains Coffee Break. Zthek has produced a brass kit for a DIY logging locomotive on a Marklin 0-6-0 chassis: Zthek Brass Logging Locomotive

November 23, 2008
This week we looked at a masterfully designed N scale logging layout, the Possum Valley. The creativity and execution of this layout are very impressive: Possum Valley Logging Layout In N Scale

December 1, 2008
Contest winning model rail photos from the folks at the Gateway Division of the NMRA in St. Louis from the past several years... lots of great inspiration to be found here: Contest Photos From Gateway NMRA, St. Louis

December 7, 2008
The Minitec company of Germany seems to have some real solutions for Z scale ballast: Minitec Z Scale Ballast

December 14, 2008
Black Bear Construction Co., Inc., produces jigs and associated kits, including materials, to help you build your own Z scale trestles: Black Bear Construction Co., Inc.

December 22, 2008
Abandoned rail lines are a great way to add some history and character to your layout... find some inspiration and ideas here: Abandoned Railroads Of The US

December 28, 2008
Here are some simple, brief and most important... useful notes from SierraWest Scale Models on a basic modeling philosophy: SierraWest Scale Models

Monday, August 9, 2010

Elevated or “EL” Model Railroading

I received an email from a reader who attended the recent train show in Milwaukee, WI., and they told me about a new company called:
Imagine That, Laser Art Productions.

This new company is producing laser cut “EL”, or elevated train kits and components for several scales. I wrote to them and asked about the possibility of working in Z scale and was told that this may be in the future works for Z. Check out their site and maybe drop them an email if you'd be interested in this decidedly cool idea.

Coffee Break Archives