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Folks,
I've been getting the NMRA calendar for a long time, but have never seen a photo of a Z scale scene in it.? Have I missed something? I don't think so.? The NMRA calendar group says they are looking for a few good layouts, but that's not true. They are looking for nicely detailed scenes that could be like the Z scale diorama built by Gerry Leone featured on the February 2011 MMRA Magazine cover.? In fact, I do not know why he didn't submit it for the calendar. The NMRA ignores Z scale and that's a shame. We'll never grow if that continues.
Malcolm Cleaveland
MCZ Models (Z scale intermodal accessories)
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The NMRA is not the only game in town. I know more model railroaders that are NOT NMRA members than those who are.?
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I also model in N scale and the NMRA has pretty much ignored that scale as well until recently.?
?
I do not believe that Z scale will not grow without the NMRA.?
?
I believe that we, as Z scalers, need to get out in the public and promote it. We cannot wait around for the NMRA or any other organization. Personally I take my Z scale T-Trak-Z modules to shows and set them up as often as I can. Last year I displayed in Charleston SC, Charlotte NC (at a regional NMRA convention) Myrtle Beach SC, Columbia SC and other places. I engage as many people as I can during setups and try to promote Z scale as much as I can. My friend John Duino does the same thing with his Z-Bend Track layout. We have done a number of shows together.?
?
In fact John and I will be displaying and promoting Z scale at the Historic Spencer Shops Train Show in Spencer NC later next month.?
?
John Duino has created a loose knit group here in the Carolinas called Carolina Z. Or CarZ for short. With the intention of promoting Z scale in and around the Carolinas.?
?
I am also working with my local train club here in Charleston SC to build a Z scale layout in our club to complement our existing O gauge, HO scale and N scale layouts.?
?
My intention is to continue to get Z scale out in front of people to promote it as often as I can in as many places I can easily make it to. I hope others are doing the same thing!
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Have you had a display at Spencer before? There is one guy that is always there with his Z scale, is that you? If not, there will be two of you this year, and that can't be bad.
V/R
Larry P. Card
Franklinton NC
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./___________\.
(]]]___o___[[[)
|\_o_______o_/|
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Show quoted text
The NMRA is not the only game in town. I know more model railroaders that are NOT NMRA members than those who are.?
?
I also model in N scale and the NMRA has pretty much ignored that scale as well until recently.?
?
I do not believe that Z scale will not grow without the NMRA.?
?
I believe that we, as Z scalers, need to get out in the public and promote it. We cannot wait around for the NMRA or any other organization. Personally I take my Z scale T-Trak-Z modules to shows and set them up as often as I can. Last year I displayed
in Charleston SC, Charlotte NC (at a regional NMRA convention) Myrtle Beach SC, Columbia SC and other places. I engage as many people as I can during setups and try to promote Z scale as much as I can. My friend John Duino does the same thing with his Z-Bend
Track layout. We have done a number of shows together.?
?
In fact John and I will be displaying and promoting Z scale at the Historic Spencer Shops Train Show in Spencer NC later next month.?
?
John Duino has created a loose knit group here in the Carolinas called Carolina Z. Or CarZ for short. With the intention of promoting Z scale in and around the Carolinas.?
?
I am also working with my local train club here in Charleston SC to build a Z scale layout in our club to complement our existing O gauge, HO scale and N scale layouts.?
?
My intention is to continue to get Z scale out in front of people to promote it as often as I can in as many places I can easily make it to. I hope others are doing the same thing!
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Hi Larry,
No, that's been me at Spencer (and Hickory and Raleigh and...). Kevin's been mostly in SC, as he mentioned. We will both be at Spencer this year, as well as some friends from the DC Z-Bend group. We're gonna have a helluva Z presence!
I'm also considering the upcoming show in Tennessee (I forget the name) in June, and the Asheville show in Sept.
If you're coming, bring something to run! Spencer is an amazing museum to visit, as well. jduino@...
----- On Apr 28, 2023, at 6:14 PM, Larry Card <lpcard@...> wrote:
Have you had a display at Spencer before? There is one guy that is always there with his Z scale, is that you? If not, there will be two of you this year, and that can't be bad.
V/R
Larry P. Card
Franklinton NC
?
?_________
./___________\.
(]]]___o___[[[)
|\_o_______o_/|
|__|.......|__|
The NMRA is not the only game in town. I know more model railroaders that are NOT NMRA members than those who are.?
?
I also model in N scale and the NMRA has pretty much ignored that scale as well until recently.?
?
I do not believe that Z scale will not grow without the NMRA.?
?
I believe that we, as Z scalers, need to get out in the public and promote it. We cannot wait around for the NMRA or any other organization. Personally I take my Z scale T-Trak-Z modules to shows and set them up as often as I can. Last year I displayed
in Charleston SC, Charlotte NC (at a regional NMRA convention) Myrtle Beach SC, Columbia SC and other places. I engage as many people as I can during setups and try to promote Z scale as much as I can. My friend John Duino does the same thing with his Z-Bend
Track layout. We have done a number of shows together.?
?
In fact John and I will be displaying and promoting Z scale at the Historic Spencer Shops Train Show in Spencer NC later next month.?
?
John Duino has created a loose knit group here in the Carolinas called Carolina Z. Or CarZ for short. With the intention of promoting Z scale in and around the Carolinas.?
?
I am also working with my local train club here in Charleston SC to build a Z scale layout in our club to complement our existing O gauge, HO scale and N scale layouts.?
?
My intention is to continue to get Z scale out in front of people to promote it as often as I can in as many places I can easily make it to. I hope others are doing the same thing!
|
Spencer? What state, live in TN and would like to go I’m a Z’er too.
On Saturday, April 29, 2023, 1:19 AM, John Duino <jduino@...> wrote: Hi Larry,
No, that's been me at Spencer (and Hickory and Raleigh and...). Kevin's been mostly in SC, as he mentioned. We will both be at Spencer this year, as well as some friends from the DC Z-Bend group. We're gonna have a helluva Z presence!
I'm also considering the upcoming show in Tennessee (I forget the name) in June, and the Asheville show in Sept.
If you're coming, bring something to run! Spencer is an amazing museum to visit, as well. jduino@...
----- On Apr 28, 2023, at 6:14 PM, Larry Card <lpcard@...> wrote:
Have you had a display at Spencer before? There is one guy that is always there with his Z scale, is that you? If not, there will be two of you this year, and that can't be bad.
V/R
Larry P. Card
Franklinton NC
?
?_________
./___________\.
(]]]___o___[[[)
|\_o_______o_/|
|__|.......|__|
The NMRA is not the only game in town. I know more model railroaders that are NOT NMRA members than those who are.?
?
I also model in N scale and the NMRA has pretty much ignored that scale as well until recently.?
?
I do not believe that Z scale will not grow without the NMRA.?
?
I believe that we, as Z scalers, need to get out in the public and promote it. We cannot wait around for the NMRA or any other organization. Personally I take my Z scale T-Trak-Z modules to shows and set them up as often as I can. Last year I displayed
in Charleston SC, Charlotte NC (at a regional NMRA convention) Myrtle Beach SC, Columbia SC and other places. I engage as many people as I can during setups and try to promote Z scale as much as I can. My friend John Duino does the same thing with his Z-Bend
Track layout. We have done a number of shows together.?
?
In fact John and I will be displaying and promoting Z scale at the Historic Spencer Shops Train Show in Spencer NC later next month.?
?
John Duino has created a loose knit group here in the Carolinas called Carolina Z. Or CarZ for short. With the intention of promoting Z scale in and around the Carolinas.?
?
I am also working with my local train club here in Charleston SC to build a Z scale layout in our club to complement our existing O gauge, HO scale and N scale layouts.?
?
My intention is to continue to get Z scale out in front of people to promote it as often as I can in as many places I can easily make it to. I hope others are doing the same thing!
|
Chris,
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Spencer, NC.? The historic Southern Railways Spencer Sops, now the NC Transportation Museum.? Great show.? I'll be there this year representing the Washington, DC Z-Bend Track group.
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Randy Smidt
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Outstanding. I run with the N scale crowd (NRMRC), but I do Nn3 so of course I have Z. None of it is chipped for DCC though. Unfortunately, due to my work schedule, I won't be making Spencer this year.
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The TN show is Johnson City, I think. You have a great little layout and I'm impressed by how well it runs, it should be a great hit wherever it goes.
?
?
?
V/R
Larry P. Card
Franklinton NC
? ?_________
./___________\.
(]]]___o___[[[)
|\_o_______o_/|
|__|.......|__|
?
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On Fri, Apr 28, 2023 at 12:56 PM, Malcolm Cleaveland wrote:
but have never seen a photo of a Z scale scene in it.
I am thinking that this is not necessarily a bad thing.My Brother (who died in 2020 from Covid) was a Z Scaler and an N Scaler...but as a singular Artist, could create a scene which was not readily seen as any particular scale. I have been in that endeavor my myself since 1959. (Crushing my own ballast and road base for example) I hope to one day create an entire layout, which is. not readily distinguished to scale. I might even pull off individual scenes into our near future (with far better technologies) available. which are indistinguishable from the actua; prototype. Wouldn't it be wonderful....John Allen. However .... This is not 1963 in other ways as well. Today we have Nikon Digital Cameras which surpass the resolution of Kodachrome with far more technologically advanced lenses.; such as their 24 PCE. === === The NMRA is a Volunteer Organization with Dues. I am not a member for reasons which.... Oops! are today no longer relevant.
Today as in April 29, 2023... There is a NMRA Convetion being held, less than 100 miles from the location of my Train Room. There are several clinics on their NMRA-PCR Convention ... which I have a strong interest in. Wye I am not there today myself ? I must be stupid. I have just endured three years of Covid with subsequent Long Covid. I am finally able to drive and stay awake for upwards of 12 hours....and Yet ? > I am not there to discuss 3D Printers (I now own two). > How to paint/detail the Cabforwards in Brass....My Favorite > Modular Signalling Standards > Western Pacific... > Arduino? and many more... I am somewhat disgusted with myself Today at this very moment for not being there. NO Z Scale...? I differ. They have a Square Foot Challenge. Jim Collins –?Designing and Building a Square-Foot Diorama?
Friday. 8:30–9:30am?Room D (Virtual). This clinic will consist of a discussion/demonstration with photos of the process to build a square-foot diorama from scratch (mostly), for the Square-Foot Challenge.
I would have been particularly interested in that one.... as I model quite closely in detail..from very close up on my Workbench before transporting my modules to the Main Train Room.. Most of this is a combination of many materials, ardently measured to scale from prototype but I do take some changes in it all to suit myself. The thing is...I am not here to model to the specifications of the NMRA...but then again. They are also not obliged to model to mine.But with my Brother now Gone and four prominent N Scalers moving in December. Modeling in Muddville is getting kind of lonely.I should be in Sacramento right now in present time; as a member to the NMRA.:)) Mark Muddville, California.
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I guess I really should have included a link!
https://www.nctransportationmuseum.org/train-show/
?and the group https://www.facebook.com/CarolinasZScale
--
John Duino
jduino@...
----- On Apr 29, 2023, at 8:39 AM, Chris Harden via groups.io <planter19@...> wrote:
Spencer? What state, live in TN and would like to go I’m a Z’er too.
On Saturday, April 29, 2023, 1:19 AM, John Duino <jduino@...> wrote: Hi Larry,
No, that's been me at Spencer (and Hickory and Raleigh and...). Kevin's been mostly in SC, as he mentioned. We will both be at Spencer this year, as well as some friends from the DC Z-Bend group. We're gonna have a helluva Z presence!
I'm also considering the upcoming show in Tennessee (I forget the name) in June, and the Asheville show in Sept.
If you're coming, bring something to run! Spencer is an amazing museum to visit, as well. jduino@...
----- On Apr 28, 2023, at 6:14 PM, Larry Card <lpcard@...> wrote:
Have you had a display at Spencer before? There is one guy that is always there with his Z scale, is that you? If not, there will be two of you this year, and that can't be bad.
V/R
Larry P. Card
Franklinton NC
?
?_________
./___________\.
(]]]___o___[[[)
|\_o_______o_/|
|__|.......|__|
The NMRA is not the only game in town. I know more model railroaders that are NOT NMRA members than those who are.?
?
I also model in N scale and the NMRA has pretty much ignored that scale as well until recently.?
?
I do not believe that Z scale will not grow without the NMRA.?
?
I believe that we, as Z scalers, need to get out in the public and promote it. We cannot wait around for the NMRA or any other organization. Personally I take my Z scale T-Trak-Z modules to shows and set them up as often as I can. Last year I displayed
in Charleston SC, Charlotte NC (at a regional NMRA convention) Myrtle Beach SC, Columbia SC and other places. I engage as many people as I can during setups and try to promote Z scale as much as I can. My friend John Duino does the same thing with his Z-Bend
Track layout. We have done a number of shows together.?
?
In fact John and I will be displaying and promoting Z scale at the Historic Spencer Shops Train Show in Spencer NC later next month.?
?
John Duino has created a loose knit group here in the Carolinas called Carolina Z. Or CarZ for short. With the intention of promoting Z scale in and around the Carolinas.?
?
I am also working with my local train club here in Charleston SC to build a Z scale layout in our club to complement our existing O gauge, HO scale and N scale layouts.?
?
My intention is to continue to get Z scale out in front of people to promote it as often as I can in as many places I can easily make it to. I hope others are doing the same thing!
|
Folks,
The replies to my call for submissions to the NMRA calendar were very interesting.? Mostly about getting Z out at train shows.? We have one locally and I take a small layout that fascinates some of the kids and provokes the HO guys into saying "How do you see
stuff so small?"? I'm 82, have worn glasses since I was in 4th grade and make a line of Z containers (MCZ Models: corrugated, refrigerated, and liquid) and 28' and 53' trailers that I sell to dealers.? I take detail photos of all of them.?
It's really not difficult.? I've ried to motivate people like David George to give it a shot, but no luck. ?
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Happy 4th of July,
As far as I remember, there has never been a Z scale month in the NMRA calendar.? Not because there are not great modelers in our scale, but because I don't think anyone has ever bothered to submit photos!? For example, I begged David George to submit photos of his award-winning layout but never received a reply, so I infer that he did not.? The blurb in the attached NMRA request for submissions says that they're looking "for a few good layouts", but that's untrue.? What they are looking for is excellent photos of small, richly detailed scenes.? So pictures of an excellent diorama would qualify.? Something like the Z diorama featured on the cover of the Feb 2011 NMRA Magazine by MMR Gerry Leone.?
Why do I think this is important?? I think our scale is losing traction.? Many would-be modelers think HO when they consider taking up the hobby.? If knowledgeable, they may consider N scale, but they are rarely exposed to Z scale, hence rarely consider it.? This is not helped by the lack of highly visible retail access to Z.? Walthers does not carry it and M.B. Klein (Modeltrainstuff online) is phasing it out.? These are huge losses.? I think getting some photos in the NMRA calendar would boost much needed awareness of our scale.?
Malcolm Cleaveland
MCZ Models
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Malcolm - please know that in May 2023 we have?submitted two photos of Mr. Dave George's award winning Z scale layout, "The Golden~Blackhawk & Central City" () .
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Tom Morrison is NMRA Calendar Co-editor and SCWD Webmaster and he said of our submission,? "The overall shot of the landscape would be amazing in any scale but in Z-scale it’s especially impressive. You wouldn’t happen to have a shot of that with trains in that scene?"?
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Unfortunately, the city shutdown?the building we are located in for asbestos?abatement?in late May and it has yet to reopen.? We are hoping we might be back in before the July 15 NRMA Calendar deadline and then we can get the shot(s) Tom has requested, but we may not be successful.
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John Buckley
Golden~Blackhawk & Central City Model Railroad
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Many thanks for the link. In the last twenty years I got some hints about this layot, but was unable getting in touch with good pictures. Now I know how this incredible layout looks. Impressive. Again, many thanks from Good Old Europe.
GreetZ Arnim
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What can I say?? Photos of Z scale scenes for the NMRA calendar without Z scale trains in them?? How ......... unfortunate.
Malcolm Cleaveland
MCZ Models
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Larry Card
Mark Cartwright
Arnim v. Herff