AZL October New Releases

American Z lines is releasing large selection of new sets and singles this month. The following sets and singles are now available:



PC&F Beer Reefers:
90268-1 WP PC&F Beer Reefer 67013, 67053, 67021, 67028 Set 1 - MSRP $120.00
91268-1 WP PC&F Beer Reefer 67037 Single - MSRP $34.00



2420 Cubic Foot Waffle Gondolas:
90247-1 GN 2420 Waffle Gondola 78604, 78605, 78606, 78621 Set 1 - MSRP $117.00
91247-1 GN 2420 Waffle Gondola 78622 Single - MSRP $32.00



53’ NSC Well Cars
90601-8 DTTX 53’ Thrall Well Car 620789A-620789B-620789C Set 8 - MSRP $133.00



RTTX Flatcars:
90151-3 RTTX RTTX 86' Flat 992122, 972887, 973002, 980553 Set 3 - MSRP $169.00



91101-1 RTTX RTTX 86' Flat 972468 Single 1 - MSRP $49.00



40’ PFE R-30-18 Wooden Reefers – First Time Available Individually!
91801-1 PFE 40’ PFE Wooden Reefer 60049 - MSRP $35.00

The Canadian Pacific GP38-2s are going fast! Make sure to order yours today.

See the AZL website for additional information on these and previous releases: www.americanzline.com/

Also make sure to visit the AZL forum! www.azlforum.com/

Rob Kluz

All the cars look great! I bought a few Z-scale Norfolk Southern 4 pk. # 9011 NS set 3. Bethgon II Coalporter. I had alot of trouble with coupling and uncoupling the Cars Has anyone have the same problem? I tried to push them together but they won't couple. I Have to pick up the car and set the coupler down onto the other. Once they are coupled together they won't come apart unless you pick them up. I want to change the couplers to Micro Train any one have any ideals?

Southern, the coal cars use a early version of the AZL couplers, and the dont couple automatically. The only way to couple them is to drop them in.

Yes, the NS versions have the first generation of the AZL couplers. The new version is a 3rd generation. AZL calls them their AutoLatch couplers. They are much better. The couple much easier, but still require a lift to uncouple.

Rob

ztrack wrote: ... AZL calls them their AutoLatch couplers. They are much better. The couple much easier, but still require a lift to uncouple. Rob

It’s funny how the manufacturer of the most intricately detailed of mass produced Z scale cars/locos, has the most toy-like coupling actions of all the big manufacturers. Even Marklins huge lobster claw couplers work, (albeit non-magnetically).

Having to lift a car off another reminds me very much of a Christmas morning long ago when I was a young child playing with a new tin train set by the tree. Each car had a big hook on one end and a big loop on the other end. A kid back then had to be old enough to have the dexterity to hook the couplers together while at the same time get the wheels on the rails before they were considered old enough to play with a train set.

Then we grew up and quit playing with “TOY trains”.

Oh sure, there are still toy trains out there for the kiddies, but today the grown-ups that started on those toy sets now “play” with model railroads, not toy trains. Perhaps somewhere along the line AZL missed the fact that the grown-ups that buy their products want their model railroads to act as realistically as we can get them? Perhaps you Rob, being close to AZL, might pass that information along to them? Perhaps AZL might also consider a complete redesign of a coupler that should never have made it into production, their AutoLatch? Or perhaps they might strongly consider switching to David Smith’s newly designed coupler? Anything… ANYTHING but having to lift a car off the track like with a little kids train set.

At least AZL named the coupler correctly... autoLATCH. They said nothing about it autoUNlatching!

Joe

Joe,

You have confirmed AZL did their research and job correct. They designed on purpose that their couplers would not come undone. The basis was from the need of operators who were getting tired of MTL couplers uncoupling or having to deal with the slinky affect. This was especially true when running long trains.

The idea came in 2001 during the NTS. We watched 100 car trains come apart due to the MTL's couplers unable to handle the strain. We also observed more than one coupler breaking. It was clear a more heavy duty coupler was required if one wanted to pull prototypical length consists.

AZL's design is intended for operators who want reliability when pulling long heavy trains. The design works. I can contest to that as many of the module operators. So this is not a matter of AZL falling short. It is a matter of design for a function.

If you want switching, then hands down, MTL is the best since they are the only coupler with MagneMatic uncoupling.

Look at your needs and make your coupler decision on what you hope to accomplish. Remember, you can also mix and match so no need to start replacing or AZL, MTL or Full Throttle couplers. Mixing and matching allows the best of all worlds.

Rob

Rob, I don’t believe that their research found that the majority of Z scalers wanted a coupler that held ONLY, while disregarding uncoupling properties. How was this research conducted? A one question survey asking if people would rather have cars stay together or cars that would uncouple? Of course cars need to stay connected, but taken to the extreme; a drawbar between cars would accomplish the same feat.

It sounds more as though they took the easy way out and didn’t research design enough…. stopping when they had only half of the equation complete.

We need a coupler that is both strong and reliable... and yet uncouples on command magnetically (otherwise these electromagnetic uncouplers I'm designing for DCC won't have a chance to live up to their full potential).

Joe

Joe, Rob,

Let's hope that Dave's couplers will fill the bill for all concerned. It will be a wonderful day when a Z coupler meets all the demands of both long train operators and the fellows who want to make up trains 'hands free'

Come on Dave!!!

As stated long trains seem to be the reason for the AutoLatch. Once again an example of a manufacturer gasping the fictitious brass ring of the trainshow moduler guys and gals, only to fail in some obligation to the home modeler. How long a train can you pull on the average home layout? Maybe 20 cars. Well in the capabilities of MTL. Smith's coupler appears to be the solution. Shame that companies like AZL and MTL couldn't come up with a solution 5 years ago. If I was trainshow guy I would use the AutoLatch, but I'm quite happy with MTL for my uses. This having three different couplers is confusing and detrimental to new models. When the fourth appears all concerned better hope the economy is back on line. Jim

I have run all 4 types of couplers together in one train at train shows and find that none of them is particularly better than the other. They all have trouble with height, sagging and the occasional broken-while-in-use coupler. MTL is the winner, however, if you want to do realistic switching. I think there's room and reason enough for all the different designs. I run 40 to 50-car trains on my home layout. The only reason I don't run 100-car trains at home is because I don't want to do all the work of setting it up. It would be nice to have a standard coupler that would do everything........but somebody would still complain about it.
Thom