First airing of Shasta, our new Z layout with a Z bend module interface

[kevsmiththai]

This Sunday's Zedex 2011 show at Kingston Bagpuize with Southmoor village hall will once again feature some of the best Z scale layouts in the U.k along with some specialist traders. The show is now well established as the best day of the year to meet up with all our fellow 'Zedheads'

For my part I have shown our 'Cuyahoga' Nickel Plate Road layout at Zedex for the last three years so we are due for a change anyway.

My hope is to launch Z-Bend track modules in the U.K, The system is very popular in the U.S.A and I decided when I started construction of 'Shasta' our new layout that I would incorporate a Z-Bend interface at one end so that fellow module builders can connect up in the future. The layout is just at the stage of track laid and powered up and I have cut out the river beds for the Sacramento river but have not started the scenery as I want people to be able to clearly see how the baseboard connections,made using the Marklin telescopic track section, work out. As there will be no curtains at this early stage visitors will be able to look undeneath and see the standard wiring hook-ups as well.



One area where I am experimenting is superelevating the track on the tighter curves, particularly the 'Shasta Springs' curve on the Z-Bend balloon module



early results look quite positive although I intend to make sure all of the tricky bits of rolling stock like the 5 unit articulated spine cars and the Pennsylvania GG1 electrics go round reliably before I ballast it all in position

On the joint between the 'Dunsmuir board' and the 'Cantara Loop' board I have once again used O scale copperclad ties to do the baseboard edges to align the tracks. This makes the ends of the rails, especially the multiple tracks in 'Dunsmuir' yard more robust



video of the early construction and test trains can be found at

http://youtu.be/xSo63cIBXBA

I'll post a photo and video report on Zedex after next weekend so you can see what we are up to here in England

KEV

[Mudkip Orange]

very nice.

[Bernard]

Really like the design of the yard....easy access in and out of the yard.

[KenS]

Nice.

But, superelevated Z curves?  Can you actually see a difference from a normal viewing distance?  I know some people don't think it's worth doing in N scale, although I like the rather subtle effect the Kato superelevated curves give.  I'm just not sure I'd see it in Z.

[kevsmiththai]

yes you can certainly see it! I'll be posting a new video report on the show on my youtube channel after zedex and you will see how much it shows when the double stack intermodals go round. The layout is quite high as well so although it is not at eye level you are more side on looking at it.

KEV

[keiman]

Note to self after seeing this - where didI put all that US Z gauge?
Marklin steamwith DCC, Microtrains F units with DCC , Freight cars and a set of Marklin passenger cars.