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Z scale

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Rasputin:
I was just wondering if any train enthusiasts have ever used the z scale (micro trains) as a sort of toy train for a playmobil diorama ? Maybe a simple loop of track on the floor of a kids room surrounded by micro playmobil . Or there are ready made layouts that could be set in the family room of a house.

I personally would like to (if it looks right to scale and all) have a few displays in a warehouse where kids and parents are gathered , a sort of train convention , and older grandpas waving sticks at the kids not to touch . Similar to what actually happens at conventions, but slightly exaggerated of course

playmofire:
I've discussed this with another PF  member, though more N scale if I remember right.
 
The problem with these very small scale layouts is that getting good electrical connectivity is so often hard to achieve.

Junker Jörg:
Nachdem ich eine "kleine" Z-Anlage habe: Das Problem liegt wohl weniger in der Stromsicherheit (ein Kreis ist leicht zu reinigen) als in der Größe. Z zu Playmobil ist ca. 1:10 in ech. Das heißt, eine Z-Bahn ist für einen Klicky doppelt so groß wie eine Playmobilbahn für uns. Ein normaler Playmobilgleiskreis braucht 1,2m, ein 1:10 Kreis bräuchte also ca. 2,4m in echt. In Playmobil (1:22) wären das gut 10cm. Der kleinste Z-Kreis braucht 30cm... Weichen haben eine vieeeeeel größeren Radius und sind für so ein Dio völlig überdimensioniert: eine Playmolbilweiche + Gegenkurve ist ca. 2 Füße lang (60cm). Eine Z-Weiche + Gegenkurve 22cm, das sind ca. 40 Klickyfüße!



As I do own a wee Z gauge layout I would say: It's not even so much a problem of safe power supply. A simple circle can easily be kept kleen. It's a matter of size and space. Z to Playmobil is 1:10. So Z to a Klicky is twice as big as is Playmobil to us. A real Playmobil circle is 1.2m in diameter so a 1:10 circle would be 2.4m. Reduced to Playmobil size that's about 10cm. Z scale's weest circle's 30cm diameter, so it's thrice as big as it ought to be to match. And as a set of points requires a muuuuuuuch greater radius: In Playmobil a set of points plus a counter curve (wonder if one can say so?) equals two feet (60cm). In Z that's 22cm, about 40 Klickys' feet... That's simply not practicable

jj:

Rasputin:
As a kid I collected a lot of N scale and it was great, just seems a bit too large. I had a few z scale but mainly to look at so I am not familiar with the “connectivity” issues you mention . I would like to know more before I invest in any

Junker Jörg:
Well, just compare the size of a LGB or Playmobil engine to a Z one. Event though supplied with extra current collectors garden trains tend to fail due to dirty tracks. Considering how much less contact a wee Z engine can have to track and power you'll see, even a bit of dust may make it stop. But as I said if it's just a circle track maintenance is no problem so connectivity shouldn't be either.

Vergleich eine Z Lok mit einer LGB oder Playmobil Lok. Obwohl sie viel größer ist, eine viel größere Auflagefläche auf der Schiene hat UND mit Schleifern ausgestattet ist, bleiben Loks auf Gartenanlagen gern hängen, weil die Gleise verschmutzt sind. Bei den kleinen Z-Loks genügt Staub. Weil aber ein einfacher Kreis auch einfach zu säubern ist, würde ich hier trotzdem kein Problem sehen.

jj:

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