Microtains SD40-2 test shots

[Chris333]

Will this temp anyone to enter Z scale:
http://www.micro-trains.com/cs-sd40.php

I'm sure the couplers can be made to look better than that and the fuel tank is on backwards, but other than that it looks pretty good. It is still a "wide body" the chassis is the same width as their GP35 and I've heard the cab is the same part from the GP35. Still looking at the photo it does look w-i-d-e to me.  Check out the handrails, they aren't etched now.

Wish I could use one for me era.

[tom mann]

It does look pretty good!  Maybe the handrails could be improved upon.

However, while I understand the need for the wide body, I wonder if the walkways could be made narrower to bring the total width to within prototype specs.  This way, the "overhang look" wouldn't be an issue.

But it is nice and probably will cost less than 1/3 of the AZL model.

[John]

It looks real nice .. won't get me to do Z .. but if MT was smart, they would to one in N ...

[Ed Kapuscinski]

If it's got a widebody, no matter the reasons, I have absolutely no interest in it.

[wm3798]

Fer Cripe sakes... It's Z scale.  There's going to be compromises.  I don't have an interest in it, but it sure opens up some possibilities for those who do.

If JJ re-lays his curve in c25 Z gauge, you might have a true scale model to run!

Lee

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I understand there will be compromises. I'll take some things being overscale like handrails (we've lived with it THIS long in N...), but there are some things that just make stuff look absolutely toy like.

Wide hoods are one of them.

[DKS]

I understand there will be compromises. I'll take some things being overscale like handrails (we've lived with it THIS long in N...), but there are some things that just make stuff look absolutely toy like.

Wide hoods are one of them.

Right. Especially when there's a way around the problem. AZL's GPs are the right width, and they're in the same price range, so it's not like MTL was faced with some kind of insurmountable technical limitation. They just decided to take the easy way out, and unfortunately it makes their locos look... well... like toys.

[Mark5]

It looks real nice .. won't get me to do Z .. but if MT was smart, they would to one in N ...

I hope not. It would take an eternity to get some road names. Worse probably than Kato.

[Sokramiketes]

It does look pretty good!  Maybe the handrails could be improved upon.

However, while I understand the need for the wide body, I wonder if the walkways could be made narrower to bring the total width to within prototype specs.  This way, the "overhang look" wouldn't be an issue.

But it is nice and probably will cost less than 1/3 of the AZL model.

Or widen the sideframes so it doesn't appear to have so much overhang... at which point, MTL should give up.  In fact, they should just remove themselves from the Z scale market.  They obviously can't handle it.  The can't handle the simple engineering to make scale width hoods.  They can't handle the production schedule to keep hot items like husky stacks on the market. 

Maybe they can start a new railroad scale.  1:200 scale.  Slightly larger so they can take the easy way out on manufacturing.  And even less demand than Z scale so they maintain a slower pace. 

[Ian MacMillan]

You know what... I wish I could settle for "well it's ok, and we'll scoot by with it" at my work......I wouldn't be employed long...

[Chris333]

Right. Especially when there's a way around the problem. AZL's GPs are the right width, and they're in the same price range, so it's not like MTL was faced with some kind of insurmountable technical limitation.

Now you know that gluing brass to plastic will never hold!  ;D

Seriously that is what Joe said the reason was for the wide body.

[DKS]

Right. Especially when there's a way around the problem. AZL's GPs are the right width, and they're in the same price range, so it's not like MTL was faced with some kind of insurmountable technical limitation.

Now you know that gluing brass to plastic will never hold!  ;D

Seriously that is what Joe said the reason was for the wide body.

Missed that one. Poor, poor Joe.

My AZL GP must be "special"--it held together even after dousing it with alcohol to remove the lettering.



I'm wondering how many guys out there stripped it completely. Robert? Any problems??

[Chris333]

Yes he said the brass would expand and contract at a different rate to the plastic and he worried the brass panel may fall off over time.

...but they glued on those GP35 etched railings  ???

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Any old excuse will do...

[DKS]

Yes he said the brass would expand and contract at a different rate to the plastic and he worried the brass panel may fall off over time.

...but they glued on those GP35 etched railings  ???

If they were that worried about it, they could have etched some small tabs into the edges of the brass panel, inserted them into slots in the plastic shell, and bent the tabs over on the inside. This would absolutely guarantee the brass panels would remain secure. But I strongly doubt such drastic measures would be required. As it is, the way AZL did it, there is a substantial amount of overlap between brass and plastic (yellow outline is the brass part, green outline is the opening for the motor). The expansion differences of these relatively small parts would have to be enormous for such large bonds to be broken. Of course, five years from now I could be back with my hat in my hand, but... I doubt it.



Not to mention that, in addition to all of this, AZL provided optional pilot inserts to fill in those gaping pilot holes with body-mounted couplers. The truck-mounted couplers just snap off with a twist, and the inserts pop in. IMO, AZL did everything right, and then some.