GRR in a GRR (Z scale)

[ttrigg]

Shortly before we went blank for the weekend, many of you had been discussing doing a "Garden Railroad" within a Garden Railroad. Well I gave it a try, figured "Why Not?" Dug through my footlockers of "semi-retired" scale stuff, found the Z scale stuff, which had been a "mining operation" on one of my N sacle layouts. Out to the garden it went. had a couple of spare power leads in the area of Mr. & Mrs. Flatbottoms house, sooooo.........

Long Story SHORT; Looks Good; runs like "cow droppings". Think about it! Little ity bity tiny wheels mixed with Large rose petals equals DERAILMENTS after DERAILMENTS! When the breeze starts up, the cars do not stay on the track, even when not moving. Spent more time putting the cars back on the track than running them around the track. Then came the dogs, our dogs have LONG fur, long fur easily tangles into the Z scale track, dog gets startled, dog runs, still cannot find one of the cars and three sections of track!

For further details look for the Rosebud Falls Gazette Volume 2, on the news stand near you soon!


Correction, the wife just came in from the garden, she had been doing some planting in the "seasonal bed". She found the missing car and 2 pieces of track.

[Anonymous]

Tom;

I did not understand a word you said; don't forget this is an international column and if you can't use the queens english or a reasonable facimile thereof I suggest that you give it a rest.

And to even discuss Z gauge in an elite situation like this is just awful.

Think again mate.


Rgds Ian

[Puckdropper]

ttrig, you'll just have to build yourself a little garden shed for your Z stuff and give it the illusion of being operable. A thin (say 24 gauge--like telephone wire) wire could be wrapped around the trucks and tracks to discretely hold the cars in place on the tracks.

Not every garden railroader is out running trains all the time, the owners of your garden garden railroad just never happen to run at the same time you do. ;-)

[RhB_HJ]

Tom,[8D][:D][8D]

Since Z-Scale is that compact you could enclose the little layout in plexiglass, paint the outside of the plexi as a fence, bushes and other stuff, scenic the inside with the regular material.
Any questions...... you tell them the owner has plenty of money, is raising dogs and can't afford to have them interfer with his hobby, that's why his has a "sheltered" GRR.[:D][}:)][:D][:D]

To set a special accent you could add a few Hippies who are still painting the fence; make sure they're standing on their heads while painting. Plant a sign that says: "It's not easy, mate. We're from DownUnder and left without a barbie!" [;)][;)][}:)][:D][:D]

In short, it could be a scene within the scene, problem is what could one do for the next step down?? [;)][:)][:)]

[ttrigg]

HJ:
For the next step down, there are "Polly Pockets". The dolls are about "scale" to the Z, but making a GRR to the Z-GRR, would have to contact some of those people who carve scenes on toothpicks! Saw an article on Discovery(???) channel the other day where a fellow actually carved a village on a toothpick!!! Maybe could get him to carve a train!

[vsmith]

EEEEEK!

Z scale garden RR in a garden RR, heard of it but always thought it was a crazy idea just for the reasons you point out, but if its working for you...

POST SOME %^$# PICS MAN! WE WANT TO SEE!!!!!

[ttrigg]

Full Pix spread will be part of the Headline Story of Volume 2 of the Rosebud Falls Gazette . In the mean time just enjoy the concept!

[RhB_HJ]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ttrigg

Full Pix spread will be part of the Headline Story of Volume 2 of the Rosebud Falls Gazette . In the mean time just enjoy the concept!

Tom, [;)][;)]

Amongst "a few" other things we produce Cedar Split Rail fences. Believe it or not, the range goes from Z scale to Large Scale.
My wife questioned my sanity - I guess she's just one of many [;)][:o)][:o)] - when she saw the size of the Z scale cedar rails. They average 0.020 to 0.030" in cross section (0.5 to 0.75mm) and of course they are hand split.
I'm working on a small Z scale diorama to showcase some of the stuff, including handlaid Code40 track.

When I'm done, I'll post a picture with a IIm freight car for size comparison.

Anyway, it's quite a "change" from working on Large Scale stuff. [:)][:p][:D]

[vsmith]

The way my eyesight is going I'd need an Electron Microscope to work at that scale[:p]

[Anonymous]

I've seen it done - one layout I know of had a model house built onto a sheet of ply that was brought out on sunny, calm days. There was a simple Z scale layout around the house (which looked pretty effective). It can be done, you just have to realise the limitations. That building spent most of its time perched on a shelf in the stock cupboard...

[tangerine-jack]

Phooey, if it weighs less than 10lbs (4.5 kg) then I don't need it or want to hear about it.[|(]

Just kidding! Sounds like an interesting concept, I saw a photo in MRR mag, must be 20 years ago now, of an HO scene with a garden RR in it. There is some precedence for this insanity!


[oX)]

P.S. The US of A doesn't have or need a queen, why would we use her English? That would be stealing!

[ttrigg]

Jack;

Every now and then I do go off on an insanity tangent. Now that I'm "better" the Z is back in it's box in the garage. Just need a bit more time to get the story finished for publication in the "newspaper".

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by iandor

Tom;

I did not understand a word you said; don't forget this is an international column and if you can't use the queens english or a reasonable facimile thereof I suggest that you give it a rest.

And to even discuss Z gauge in an elite situation like this is just awful.

Think again mate.

Rgds Ian

Ian, the idea is to create a scene like in front of one of YOUR garden railroads buildings and have some scale size people running a garden railroad of their own.


I like the idea! But i have questions!

Have you added scale weight to the cars to aid against derailments of the Z scale?

Being your garden railroad represents 1:1 what scale would the Z scale be 1:32, 1:29, 1:22.5 or 1:20 [:D][}:)] Vic, may lose sleep over this scale question.[:0] He just LOVES scale debates!

[Anonymous]

I like the idea, but agree that a track that can be brought out on fine days would be the best way to go with this. And how about using a cheap hO set as material for a ride-on park railway? Never mind, I'll take my pill now.

[John Busby]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Gungnir

I like the idea, but agree that a track that can be brought out on fine days would be the best way to go with this. And how about using a cheap hO set as material for a ride-on park railway? Never mind, I'll take my pill now.

Hi Gungnir
Its been done before I believe
I would think the hard part would be finding enough Triang super four size brass rail.
Removing and cutting out the roof and fitting the central bench seat should not be hard or moifying the cab for the driver.
Something like the RH&DR would require scratch built stock
Could be intersting to do the Armoured Train that resulted in some German piolet during WW II remarking about being shot down by a toy train.
The RH&DR did actualy move some freight as well at one time so perhaps could be classed as a light railway rather than a miniature railway
regards John