Category Archives: Customizing Locos and Rolling Stock

Z Gauge Pullman Coaches Before AZL

Hallmark/Lionel Observation Coach from “FREEDOM TRAIN” Christmas Ornament Series repainted Cornell Red with Lehigh Valley Railroad Decals

Z scale railroaders 25 years ago interested in modeling passenger trains comprising Heavyweight Pullman Coaches were faced with few options, that is until AZL. Old timers in the hobby will remember as few of us do today a limited number of American prototypes from the manufacturers, there were few coach options compared with today.

Casting includes solid deck railing and pronounced rivets.

AZL has boldly provided a well thought out program of heavyweights which interests me with today’s post, but I will be following up at a later date with a much researched train customized with AZL Heavyweight Pullmans, so stay tuned.

One idea that sprung up years ago were Christmas ornaments manufactured by Hallmark with Lionel branding, those ornaments complemented the scale of Z gauge quite well thus they became the only working option before AZL’s heavyweights hit the market. It should be noted Lionel produced their version of heavyweight coaches albeit with compression when the prototypes were on the rails (1930’s).

Original Box for FREEDOM TRAIN Coaches which were sold individually as Christmas ornaments. Note: Lionel branding whose famous 1930’s pressed steel heavyweight coaches were produced in a number of versions including the “Blue Comet” in Standard and O Scale.

Of course these coaches by today’s standard are a bit primitive with heavily pronounced rivets and soft details with no filigree parts modeled, but they provided an experienced modeler with a project for a Saturday afternoon.

Each FREEDOM TRAIN coach was delivered with added lettering and eye hook for hanging on the Tree.

To describe these coaches as they compare with AZL, one would start with weight: both are similarly weighted which is impressive. Plastic is much thicker with Hallmark cars and their casting is less detailed with rather toothy rivets. Hallmarks also came with unique couplers not suitable with MicroTrains or Marklin thus modelers had to change out the trucks for those with suitable couplings at additional expense. A friend told me a pair of suitable wheel sets with Marklin couplers cost $39.00 which was a large added expense.

Well made and designed with 4 machine screws holding top and bottom together and plugs holding wheel sets in place.

The Hallmark coaches I was given were themed based: “FREEDOM TRAIN.” I am not sure if a locomotive was designated for the set, but I would assume yes. The signage is pushed onto to the sides of the cars presenting a difficult problem removing as they were partly glued on with plastic cement. After removal rough surfaces had to be smoothed and holes filled in, but the rest of the disassembly was easy as all parts were screwed together, even window glazing is unglued within the interior. All in all taking the coaches apart was without issue: less than 5 minutes. I left the hole in the roof which supported an eye hook for hanging on Christmas trees as I plan to return these to their original intended purpose.

A couple versions of wheel sets were once available with Marklin or Micro-Trains couplers.

Painting and decals followed starting with stripping paint, I started with 70% rubbing alcohol which was adequate: paint came off after scrubbing with toothbrush in 1/2 hour. Note: stripping paint off plastic models is completely safe with rubbing alcohol, but model has to be submerged in solution when scrubbing otherwise rubbing alcohol stops doing its work quite quickly. Paint used on the Hallmark ornaments isn’t as thick as Marklin (by a long shot!) thus your results with other manufacturers will vary. Note: I found repainting AZL followed in much the same time (15-30 minutes) with 70% rubbing alcohol, but I have more to say concerning AZL so come back later to read that post.

Toothy high relief rivets impeded application of decals

Due to the heavily pronounced rivets decals do not sit anywhere close to flat, I used Walthers SOLVASET after setting decals with Microscale MICRO SET both solutions do the same job, but Walthers is a stronger solution for flattening those decals on rough surfaces. Note: decal setting solutions must completely dry between applications. I also used decals that were older perhaps 25 years old, some did not separate from backing paper thus I used Microscale Liquid Decal Film which is applied to the full sheet of decals and allowed to fully dry before cutting to size and submerging in water. Microscale Liquid Decal Film is a thick liquid when applied, but it completely smooths out and disappears.

Overall length of coaches are close to prototype.

Good undercarriage equipment and frame work.

In conclusion: Z Gauge Enthusiasts are living with many choices these days, the hobby has never been more robust with new releases everyday it seems. Sadly MicroTrains is no longer producing their detail rich rolling stock, but modelers of American railroads across many eras have more options. As for this project I was happy to experiment with what others pursued many years ago, but today I don’t see any reason to make your own Pullmans from modified Hallmark Christmas ornaments: BUY AZL!!!!

Happy Railroading!

Siding: paint used for this project is Tru-Color which are solvent based paints based on accurate railroad colors. Advantages to using these paints include quick drying and accurate color, but they are premixed air-brush paints only, they are not brush-on paints. Delivered in 1 and 2 ounce bottles, paint level can sometimes be low from drying in the bottle after manufacture thus adding a little acetone takes care of that.

FR: Swedish L5 Steam Locomotive for the SJ

SJ L5 Steam Locomotive (note: jack-shaft and no cylinders)

FR L5 locomotive and tender pulling SJ coach produced in FR’s regular production schedule

The basis for FR’s steam locomotive L5 for the SJ is a build kit, it is further a kit reliant on using one of Marklin’s class 74’s for the frame and drive mechanism. What is included in the kit are all parts to for building the locomotive body and tender thus installed on a Marklin class 74 chassis.

FR Item #46.140.91 Build Kit for SJ’s L5 loco

I started this project a while ago, but it and this blog went fishing due in part to the upsets in 2020 we all shared. I include this post as the finished follow-up to my earlier post about this kit. The “Do’s and Don’ts” are important for other build kits of this nature, I hope to track some of the key areas which may in kind translate from this rather obscure kit to other kits likewise designed: cast metal parts, nickel silver parts, cast plastic parts and wiring modifications. Hope this helps my friends in Z.

Step 1 (purchase): the kit arrives with parts and instructions in a hard plastic shell, it costs about $100, maybe more since it is out of production as most FR items quickly gain that status. Building the kit requires bending metal parts, soldering metal parts, gluing, painting and wiring. In all the project took a day which spilled over to another thus it took me approximately 12 hours. Although the instructions help they do not substitute for one’s own practical evaluation of what needs to be done.

Step 2 (painful): choosing the Marklin class 74 loco to sacrifice. The prototype L5 had black wheels thus there are just two Marklin’s which can be used without painting the wheel sets, I chose 88956 with black wheels.

Marklin Class 74 chassis and shell framing FR’s L5 in center of photo

Marklin Class 74 with characteristic red wheels most often found on this class loco in Mini-Club

Marklin Class 74’s shell is entirely cast whereas the FR kit features a cast boiler only

Step 3: building the loco cabin and tender comprise nickel silver parts which readily solder, but add-on parts including railings and steps are stainless steel which normally require special solder in this case I glued on the stainless steel add-on’s with 5 minute epoxy using care in only applying small drops as needed. Curved cabin roof is another challenge here, I found the thick metal hard to bend around a small dowel, but it eventually ceded with the help of a pliant hard foam surface. “The Bug” bending tool worked great for producing the cap on the cabin as well as the bend on the smoke deflectors.

FR L5 shell before application of decals

Step 4: tender frame and wheel sets is one of the more easy procedures this far, it includes bending a nickel silver frame to hold 3 pairs of wheels. Plastic cast truck details are glued onto the frame after using a Dremel tool to smooth the edges. Note: I used 5 minute epoxy sparingly and not near to axle holes for the wheels: don’t want to glue the wheels in place, they need to spin freely (double check). A circuit board with pick-ups secures to a weight inside the tender which is also secured to the frame with a screw. Pick-ups must engage with inner sides of wheels as they will carry electricity to the motor in the loco. Finally wires are soldered to each side of circuit board as they will eventually be soldered to brushes in the loco.

FR L5 Tender with wires protruding later soldered to motor pick-ups in loco

Step 5: assembly of locomotive includes attaching cabin, boiler and smoke deflectors. Note: cast boiler is the main part and cannot be soldered!!!!!! Don’t melt the boiler instead glue on the cabin, smoke deflectors and ladder with 5 minute epoxy.

Cabin with add-on parts including ladders and railings. Note: stainless steel add-on parts can be glued with 5 minute epoxy otherwise solder formulated for stainless steel is required. Cabin includes a rounded roof which is molded around a small dowel. Note: solder is only applied to cabin with remaining cabin parts glued with 5 minute epoxy.

Step 6: time to paint is best done with airbrush and water soluble airbrush paints, but first gently wash all parts in a dilute solution of blue Dawn and allow to dry. I chose Vallejo #70.950 Black which is a deep black. I would recommend priming first which I did not do thus my paint may not be as strong as it should be primarily on the boiler other parts the paint is strong without primer. Paper loco plaques are cut out and glued to the oval indents on cabin housing while SJ logo is dry transfer. A clear lacquer is finally applied to protect the finish.

I rendered the headlamps only, but there is the possibility drilling out the headlamps and utilizing LED module. The downside to lighting the loco is difficulty masking this shell.

Step 7: FR’s kit installed on Marklin chassis is fairly uncomplicated, but this step may rely on the use of a Dremel tool with grinding wheel. First: modifying the chassis for better prototypical appearance: remove cylinders which are clipped onto frame. Note: L5 prototype utilized a jackshaft attached to the side rods thus simplifying the appearance includes removing the cylinders and side rods formerly engaged with cylinders. Note: instructions show a 2 armed jackshaft leading from the center wheel, I opted to not install a jackshaft because I could not grasp how it attached to frame, it also appeared to be problematic for running the loco. With a razor blade carefully cut away leading heat point on front coupler and remove coupler and spring. You will notice much less room within the FR loco shell compared with the former Marklin shell thus some modification of the shell is needed to allow the two to come together. After locating the included brass bushing install it within the Marklin chassis which coincides with the steam dome, it will turn into place leaving 1/8th – 3/16’s of an inch protruding to make contact with screw thru steam dome securing loco shell to chassis.

Marklin unmodified chassis for #88956 showing cylinders which will be removed.

Completed FR L5 kit without installation of jack-shaft. Note: wiring includes pick-ups in tender with wires soldered to motor brushes in loco thereby adding 6 additional wheels to pick-up electricity for the motor.

Royal Wurttemberg (K.W.St.E) T 9 tank locomotive: Marklin 88952

The 2005 release of the Marklin T 9 tank locomotive painted and lettered for the Royal Wurttemberg State Railroad (K.W.St.E) featured a 5 pole motor and it was the first of its type for this railway produced in the mini-club line-up.

The 88952 produced in 2005 as a “one time series” celebrated “200 Years of the Kingdom of Wurttemberg.”

The Era I locomotive is appropriately coupled with Wurttemberg coaches: 80105, 8700, 8701, and 8739. Marklin’s recent release 5 coach set is also a very good choice: 87009.

Coach 8739 trails the T 9 with destination boards for Boll-Goppingen, its operating number E4 2733 was produced by Marklin from 1989-1998. Eleven years in production does not make this coach particularly rare, but this open corridor coach has been popular with modelers of early trains. Check out the next section detailing the relationship between this coach and locomotive.

Following years of innovation by modelers of Z one such development proved invaluable: marrying coaches with short locomotives. Locomotives of short length and weight have proven to be less than rewarding to operate on the mini-club layouts with turnouts and crossovers with their slight dip in power, short locos are challenged to pass freely through these track features, but one creative minded individual came up with a solution: wiring the axles of a coach to the leads of the locomotive thereby extending the length of the locomotive. In this case the 88952 with 3 powered axles has been extended with 2 additional axles. Wiring the coach involves some soldering and drilling with micro bits, but it is overall a fairly straightforward and easy repair the second time around, the first time should be counted as a learning curve. Adding an LED light panel at the same time is just a little more work. In this example a draw-bar was installed thus permanently coupling the loco and coach together. Performance for this type of locomotive is improved greatly.

Here are photos of the electrical upgrade:

FR’s SJ L5 steam locomotive build kit: 46.140.91

Sweden’s early L5 steam locomotive featured a jack-shaft similarly found on other early locomotives including the Bavarian electric locomotive EP 3/6. Following up with a follow-up to another follow-up is the progress report on the FR build kit 46.140.91: SJ’s L5 locomotive.

Out of production again this build kit is very challenging, it took me two kits to get good results, but never having built an FR loco kit before I chalked up the first as a learning curve for this and other FR kits. Note: kit has not been available twice thus far, but it is still featured on FR’s website: if you are interested let Harald know, he maybe planning a third release.

The kit comes with everything except the chassis and motor assembly, that is found by buying a second hand Marklin version 8895 tank loco, I will be using the SNCB or SNCF version due to the black spoke wheels. Adapting the Marklin chassis to the finished shell will take some pre-planning, and I will be covering this topic in a future post. For now I will be giving details on the project from the standpoint of completing the shell and tender.

Photos include Marklin 88951 tank loco chassis (top) and shell (bottom) with assembled FR L5 shell in middle of picture.

The materials include laser cut nickel silver, stainless steel, cast plastic and cast pot metal for boiler.

The tender is designed with pick-ups to add 6 additional conductive wheels which are essential with short steam locomotive types. Metal sheet parts were soldered while handrails and buffers were epoxied in place. Plastic castings are epoxied on side of truck frame after customizing their shape to fit with top shell of tender, I found the Dremel tool handy for this task.

Note: wires sticking out of tender are attached to mini circuit board that connects to wheel pick-ups. These same wires will be soldered to pick-ups on motor during the final assembly stage.

The locomotive is made of up cast metal boiler, nickel silver parts and stainless steel. Cabin: roof is rounded around a very small wood dowel, soldered along with the other parts and ground to make a perfect round shape with Dremel tool. Small roof cap is added at the end of assembly. Stainless steel add-on parts are epoxied in place. Boiler: smooth out underside of casting as needed, pre-drill buffer holes and mounting screw (shell to chassis screw) as per included instructions and epoxy latter in place. Note: all parts attached to boiler should be epoxied, solder will melt the pot metal casting! Ladders and handrails are stainless steel and resist soldering thus epoxy these parts in place. Note: a variation of the 1st batch of boilers and this one includes new placement of the smoke deflector brackets which in this version is much better.

Finishing: best painting results are with airbrush (15-20psi) using water based paints starting with primer followed by two light coats of top coat followed by protective coat of water based primer. Headlamps are painted last with tiny drops of white paint applied with pin. Some touch-up with a fine brush maybe needed so add a brush to the tool kit for this project.

Putting the finished shell and tender with Marklin ready made chassis and motor will require some disassembly of the side rods and riveting a jack shaft in place as is found with the prototype, but knowing the most difficult task is yet to be I am finishing another project before tackling the final stage of constructing the L5.

Essential equipment: -Dremel tool with grinding and drill bits -fine paint brush -airbrush -soldering iron with fine point tip -5 minute epoxy -water based paints

Siding: old Kodak plastic 35mm film canisters work great for paint mixing and storage

Lighting Unit for SJ Talsvagn: FR accessory upgrade

Scandinavian railroads are almost exclusively represented in Z by Freudenreich Feinwerktechnik (FR) which also includes Swiss and German prototypes. And less frequently PKP (Poland) and FS (Italy). Almost a year ago after many years in the plan and design stage the 1960 Talsvagn coach was released by FR in its first version with 2 “two car” sets with 1990’s paint scheme (blue with red stripe). Since this release there has been 6 more releases with early brown paint scheme (1960’s-90) and current NetRail paint scheme. Built into the design of each 1960 Talsvagn coach is the ability to retrofit a custom light panel manufactured in Germany by Passmann (Unna, Germany) and sold by FR as an accessory for this coach type. First a list of Talsvagn coaches thus far released.

FR’s releases are sometimes limited to a stated number while others are open editions, but all FR items should be considered rare as each is produced in small batches. The following is a list of 1960 Talsvagn coaches thus far:

46.220.02: open release (available to order)

46.220.12: open release (available to order)

46.220.42: limited to 25 total

46.220.52: limited to 25 total

46.221.02: open release (available to order)

46.221.11: open release (available to order)

46.221.42: limited to 25 total

46.221.52: limited to 25 total

Accessory lighting panel FR article #FR-TV #PA-512 is an LED light panel designed specifically for the 1960 Talsvagn coach, it is a flicker free lighting panel comprised of numerous LED’s which evenly illuminate in realistic terms. It is another outstanding accessory available from FR. Installation is easy (3/5) for those that have decent soldering skills. Instructions are included but lack English text which is not an issue at all because there are nearly 20 very good photographic illustrations.

I have a few notes to add to the included instructions that might be helpful for others retrofitting their coaches:

1. wheel sets pick-up the electricity from the track to power the light panel, each truck is connected with a wire to soldering points at each end of LED circuit board, insulated wheels should be located to one side of truck and this orientation should be carried out in the opposite position for other truck thus each truck’s pair of insulated wheel sets connect with different rails

2. whisker pick-ups should be carefully bent at 30 degree angle, 1.3mm brass bolt (kit includes 2) secures brass electrical pick-up to truck (FR accessory socket wrench 46.221.91 is designed for this bolt size), carefully reinstall wheel sets in aforementioned orientation. NOTE: before screwing bolt in place double check the pre-drilled hole goes all the way through truck housing otherwise the bolt will snap off!!!!!

3. one wire is included which should be cut in half or cut to length, before proceeding tin each end of wire (use of a little water soluble flux is advised), solder end of each wire to bolt protruding from truck with a little flux (touching soldering iron to bolt is better than wire to prevent melting of insulation (solder follows heat thus it is advisable to touch the thing you want to solder versus the wire, tinning the wire expedites the joining making it faster and easier)

4. reattach trucks into chassis with wire through pre-drilled hole, solder wires to solder points on circuit board, test LED panel before affixing to roof! Note: before soldering check orientation of circuit board with interior detailing, capacitors should fit snugly within compartment at end of car

5. roof attaches to circuit board with preinstalled double stick tape, but before installing double check middle clip on roof aligns with panel between window panes versus window otherwise the clip will be seen through the window and it will look terrible. Note: if a mistake is made with roof misalignment after LED panel is installed it will be very difficult to correct so double check/double check!!!! before gluing LED panel to roof!

Special Note: FR’s accessory light panel for the 1960 Talsvagn is easy to install with excellent instructions provided in a step by step format. Please do not deviate from the step by step instructions: all soldering should be quick and take place away from contact with plastic parts that melt thus do not install circuit board to roof panel before soldering wires to circuit board. And do not attempt to solder wire onto truck’s bolt after truck is reinstalled in coach body. All soldering takes place when trucks are separated from coach and circuit board is unattached to roof panel. Tinning wire before soldering makes things a lot easier as it allows for the wire to instantly grab the thing being soldered with minimal heat exchange.

Marklin Insider 81352: “DB Freight Train for Coal Transport”

“Remarkable things come in small packages!” An often used expression with new and veteran Marklin Z enthusiasts, but never as true as with model 81352. Here is a class 80 tank locomotive one of the smallest German steam locomotives used for shunting and general regional freight traffic exquisitely realized as a smooth running Marklin Z gauge locomotive heading 5 cars loaded with coal.

Note: photos only show 4 of the 5 coal cars!

What can be said of this locomotive referred to as “Little Bull” in the Marklin literature is all positive, it features glazed window openings, very detailed running gear with side rods of great complexity, superb weathering, LED headlamps, and brushless motor. And it looks great! Cars too!

Type 0 10 and 0 11 wagons loaded with removable coal inserts complete the Era III set.

Much care and attention to detail went into the production of this latest Insider release that will add a high level of realism to a prototypical mid century layout. Weathering was presumably applied with airbrush, but the level of quality maybe difficult to match even for the more experienced modeler.

*MBZ cardstock building #16058 (weathered) available exclusively in the United States from Reynaulds

As a bonus the train set included an unfinished brass casting of the locomotive shell, it is remarkable to see the unpainted and unfinished casting next to the finished loco which suggests the massive amount of handwork that takes place before these sets reach the collector.

A real stunner of a train set!

Siding: tucked nicely inside the small cockpit of this loco is a new brushless motor described as maintenance free, but other aspects of the loco require the usual maintenance including periodic oiling of wheels (as little as necessary which is not much) and wheel cleaning.

SBB CFF FFS L2 Freight Car

Released as a kit, this type L2 freight car for SBB CFF FFS was produced by FR. It was delivered with nickel silver parts and dry transfer lettering, this one I purchased assembled from an Ebay seller.

The kit is another early example that used some Marklin parts with FR add-on parts as well as design. The chassis and wheel sets are Marklin and all other parts are FR. Nickel silver parts arrived on a sheet that required separation of parts followed by painting and lettering. The modeler who put this one together did a pretty good job, it appears 5 minute epoxy was used as the cement. Note: a final coat of semi-gloss water based lacquer is sprayed over the decals for protection.

The L2 freight car is used on the Swiss Federal Railways to haul scrap metal. The open grate design on top half of car versus solid sides maybe used to cut down on car weight.

Assembling FR kits is for experienced modelers, instructions are always printed in German and knowledge bending and cementing thin metal parts is a further requirement. Best painting is carried out with water based paints and airbrushing.

Siding: Faller’s laser-cut Bahnhof Huinghausen station provides the backdrop for this post.

Marklin F7 A-B-A sets: improving performance

If you are lucky enough to own one of the Marklin F7 sets “Alaska” or “UP” consider this easy repair. Or if you don’t like the wires running through the locos consider this easy repair.

Removing the wires is step 1: cut the wires before removing the shells and carefully remove the wires leading to each circuit board.

Soldering in place four very short wires is step 2: cut 4 small wires to bypass the 4 diodes on both circuit boards and carefully solder the wires in place.

Result: no wires running through the A-B-A units and much improved running performance thus allowing each locomotive to work independently of each other. Note: headlamps will light in both A units at the same time.

The 1935 NIEMAG GLEISBAUKRAN is monumental!

Crane, maintenance of way railcar, or a crazy thing with lots of hooks? All of the above, but what stands out is its sheer size and without a description who knows what it is?!?!

The railcar with the big boom installed over a million window cabin is for track construction, assembled track sections could be offloaded from a flat car, traverse through the car above the cabin and placed on other side for installation.

Winding drum and machines are modeled inside the cabin. I chose to paint the machine in dark brown with weathering along the lower part of cabin as a disused railway vehicle on a siding.

Constructing the model was relatively easy compared with others by Behnke although I found the cabin to be a tight and difficult fit on the chassis. The mistakes I made with this kit was installing the cabin higher on the frame than it should be, but I found the fitting too difficult, it did not readily slide into place. The second mistake was installing the hooks too low in the boom, they should have been attached higher inside the boom frame to realistically allow track to slide through channel above cabin. One day I will receive buffers for this and maybe then correct the hooks, but in the meantime it is a pretty cool contraption!

New SJ L5 steam locomotive build kit from FR: Part 2

Not long ago I posted about FR’s recent release of the class L5 steam loco for SJ, it is a build kit, and I just received mine today! The kit is a well designed precision kit, it provides a rarity for Z modeling.

The kit comes packaged in a plastic container with numerous parts enclosed along with visual instructions. It is a kit that requires a Marklin 8801, 88956 or 8803 for motive power along with modification of the side rods and painting the wheels black. The cylinders were placed within the locomotive chassis in the prototype thus the cylinders are removed for this model.

Note: Marklin tender is not required for this kit which provides the correct prototypical tender for the loco.

For those experienced with building rolling stock in Z or working with nickel silver this kit is self explanatory, but for the inexperienced modeler this kit should not be the first. Accumulating some experience with building etched metal buildings should probably come first for new modelers: gaining soldering experience with bigger parts first will be invaluable for assembling the small parts in this kit. I am in the process of learning to do these kits starting first with the excellent non powered Behnke kits offered by Scandinavian Galleries Quality Toys. Behnke kits do not provide instructions and careful interpretation is required to fully understand how they go together, but they are excellent kits that combine gluing, soldering and bending of small nickel silver parts; they provide a good place to start before tackling the very interesting L5 kit.

The packaging of the L5 kit separates parts according to their purpose instead of throwing everything together thus taking care of the guesswork. The beautifully cast metal boiler and cast plastic tender trucks are included with etched nickel and add-on parts such as the buffers which are brass. The tender also includes a tiny circuit board to allow it to pick-up power with its three axles.

Note: The age old technique of picking up additional power from the tender’s wheelsets is a very effective way to increase performance of small steam locos through turnouts and the like!

Some of the add-on parts are super tiny so I highly recommend a very fine tip soldering iron as well as 5 minute epoxy which work hand in hand on models. Until I build this kit I won’t exercise a preference for using glue over solder and vice versa for specific steps, suffice to say solder will be used more.

Paint finish will be applied with airbrush and water based paint followed by decals provided. A finish coat of clear water based acrylic is always required otherwise the finish and decals would wear.

The kit is FR Item #46.140.91, it is currently available.

What you need to complete the locomotive: 1. Marklin 8801, 88956, or 8803 2. water based paint best suited for airbrushing 3. patience 4. time 5. soldering iron and/or 5 minute epoxy 6. tweezers 7. Xacto blade for cutting parts from sheet 8. time 9. patience 10. magnifying binoculars

Be the first kid on the block to own an L5 SJ steam locomotive in Z!

Stayed tuned for my future post on the completed L5 along with some tips on building the kit.

Z Trains Weekly

World of Z scale trains!