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Sunday, June 28, 2009
Paralysis By Analysis Or, How's Your Zen?

According to the good folks over at Wikipedia, analysis paralysis is a phrase that describes a situation where the sheer quantity of analysis overwhelms the decision making process itself, thus preventing a decision.


I'd venture a guess that every single model railroader has experienced this situation at some point... likely more than once or twice. More track here... maybe there... what about the spur line... is this scene going to look too bare or will it look like a bowl of spaghetti? There goes another month with nothing built except for a good case of frustration.

Micro-Trains Line

Click for MTL June Releases

STOP! There are more than enough things in today's world to be frustrated about... the economy or politics or that really annoying neighbor... your trains shouldn't be lumped in with these offenders to your Zen.

Zen, Zen you say... sure, why not? I'm not overly well versed in Zen by any means but I like some of the concepts often associated with Zen. To do something without thinking it to death, without worrying about your decision, without analyzing it... just do it. Ok, so I think an old Nike sneaker ad may have been hip to Zen as well.

Here's a Zen moment I had last year and I think it illustrates this point well. I was working on a diorama and I was getting really antsy about all the little decisions. It got to the point where I wasn't having any fun at all. Just at this point I was on the phone with Rob Kluz over at Ztrack Magazine. I was about to break this scene, actually smash the piece so I wouldn't have to deal with it anymore I was so frustrated. Well after talking with Rob I decided to forget about each little decision as if it were life or death and just work on the scene. No overly complex plan of completion, no second guessing every decision... just do it.

The photo above (click to see a larger version) is part of this finished diorama. When I look at photographs of this piece now it makes me happy.... isn't that what model railroading should do? So don't stress, don't make your train time a dreaded chore... relax a bit, enjoy the process and
create something that makes you happy.


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Z Scale Basics


May, 2009
Now Online... The Three Notch Railroad Layout


Z Scale Basics
Click to read this new article
We've got a new track plan now online for you in our
Z Scale Basics section for May. The Three Notch Railroad layout. This is again a 2' x 3' layout with an added twist... we'll have you custom cutting lengths of Micro-Trains® 110mm straight track sections to complete this layout... cool!

Yes you'll be slicing and dicing with the best of them after you go through our photo tutorial on shortening sections of Micro-Track® sectional track.

Modifying sectional track is a great skill to have for finishing up those plans you have kicking around on paper. Micro-Trains® has plans for releasing many new sections of track in the near future but you can get a jump on things now with this tutorial!Let's Go... Three Notch Railroad Track Plan



Trainini Magazine
Visit the Trainini Magazine website
June 21, 2009
Three Full Issues Of Trainini!

The June 2009 issue of Trainini Magazine is now available for you to download along with the April 2009 and May 2009 issues!

These issues don't have an English translastion but as always with Trainini... there's still a lot to see!

Holger just recently moved in to a new house and is getting all set up and as a result he's been working overtime to get these Trainini issues released. We sincerely appreciate his work in Z scale producing such a beautiful PDF magazine. Clicking on the links below will open a new window and begin your downloads. Enjoy these wonderful issues of Trainini Magazine!!

Trainini Magazine

June 2009 Issue
3.3 MB Click Here To Download
Trainini Magazine

May 2009 Issue
3.7 MB Click Here To Download
Trainini Magazine

April 2009 Issue
3.7 MB Click Here To Download


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Sunday, June 28 2009
Quick Tips From Woodland Scenics

Our next
Z Scale Basics article will show you how to really make Micro-Trains® Line, Micro-Track "pop" visually with a few quick and surprisingly easy tips. In the meantime have a look at one of the "How-To" videos from Scene-A-Rama, a division ofWoodland Scenics and our newest sponsor here at Ztrains.com.





Woodland Scenics

Fast Tracks

Fast Tracks

Z coffee break

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Coffee Break

Getting Unstuck

This week's Coffee Break is a short side trip to getting you a bit unstuck.

Our Z scale projects can get overwhelming at times (yes, I'm aware of the irony given the size of our Z scale worlds) but they should, I contend, always be fun!

If you're procrastinating or getting frustrated by a particular aspect of one of your Z scale projects maybe you could use a good read.

Previous Coffee Break Topics
Z scale articles

Beginning in Z scale

Introduction to Z scale (1:220)
Z scale, Z gauge: The smallest model trains offer up some very big possibilities.

What's available in Z scale?
Z scale North American (NA) locomotive roundup.

Beginner's Q&A
A few Z scale questions (and answers!) to help get you up and running.


First Look

New book: Weathering by Tom Mann
Learn the secrets of making your new locos and rolling stock look like they've been working for a living.

Paw of a Bear, ranch house kit
Paw of a Bear releases a new ranch house kit to make your own provate suburbia.

Micro-Trains smoothside passenger cars
MTL adds four smoothside lightweight passenger cars to their line.


Design workshop

The Ztrains Scratchbuilder calculator
Here is a handy online calculator to help you with all your scratchbuilding projects.

Static grass application tools
A look at two unique products from the Noch company of Germany designed to help you apply static grass.

Timber trestle diorama
Build a Z scale diorama to test out new techniques and materials. Foreward by MMR Gerry Leone.


Technical tips

The Ztrains Grassinator
For right around $35 you can build your own static grass applicator... the Ztrains Grassinator.

Cleaning your motors and brushes
Some basic Z scale locomotive cleaning techniques.

Track cleaning techniques
Tips for keeping your tracks clean.

Power pickup installation
Jim Hinds of Richmond Controls produces Z scale power pickup wipers.


Z scale close-up

Micro-Trains new turnouts, pre-production
Micro-Trains prepares a line of turnouts for their Micro-Track sectional Z scale track.

Z-Panzer introduces a WWII armoured locomotive
The BR57 armoured locomotive makes its debut in Z scale.

The Marklin GG1: An American icon in Z scale
Marklin recreates the most famous North American electric locomotive from the 1930s.


Z scale guest

December 2008
Our new Ztrains Guest for December 2008 is weathering expert Tom Mann

In my view Tom has done as much to push the boundaries of what can be achieved in Z scale as anyone in the scale today.

Read this new interview now

Z Scale Guest Archive

Ruminations in Z

Z scale as art
Can a Z scale model train layout be looked at as a legitimate work of art?

Z scale and artistic license
Exactly how big should a Z scale brick be?

Interview with Rob Kluz of Ztrack
As Ztrack magazine celebrates their 15th year of publication, editor Rob Kluz talks about the state of Z scale.


Ancillary Z goodies

2005 Z scale convention car
See what goes into the design of a Micro-Trains special run box car.

Organize your workspace
Keeping your workspace organized and productive.

Designing a Marklin car set
Ztrains designs Ztrack magazine's 15th Anniversary 2 car set.


1:1 Ralroad photos

The PRR GG1: Black Jack's origins
Join Ztrains as we visit the GG1 in Strasburg, Pennsylvania.

Inside a Presidential Pullman
From the birth of N.O.R.A.D. to the funeral of FDR, this Arizona Pullman car has seen it all.



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