Coffee Table Train Layout III; Z - Scale

I finally went back to working on my Coffee table layout. I had taken time off to build Artesania Latina’s “HMS Surprise” and OcCre’s “Rocket”.
New! Coffee Table Train Layout IV; • Coffee Table Train Lay...
First I replaced the paper buildings with Wily E Coyote’s ACME Factory. (Quality suppliers of anvils, catapults, and earthquake pills). Found some vehicles on Ebay including a transport. The load is a scratch built rocket and catapult for the Arizona coyote market. Signs were made on my printer for the roads and crossings by shrinking real pictures. Next I installed the signals and street lights. Finally found a railway station I liked. (www.ebay.ca/usr/custom_z_scales) The tire garage was also an Ebay find. The buildings and such came from (www.ebay.ca/usr/outland_model.... I added details to the buildings, 1/16 panzer parts, tank barrel for smokestack, then painted them to add a soot covered industrial look. My tug boat, barge and coal crane are scratch built. The water tower, docks and piers are scratch built in real wood as is the swing bridge, tunnel entrance. Finally I added a forest in the hiking trail park area as well as greening a few other spots.
At the end of the film I added some stills to show the construction. The table is made with Douglas fir and Western Red Cedar. The outside fir is laminated with recycled cedar fence rails cut to an 1/8th inch and glued to the fir. If you look carefully I left some of the screw holes for a bit of wabi sabi. The cedar top is full size 2 x 8’ as are the ends. The inside was stained dark walnut to match my floors. The entire unit was coated with oil based urethane. The layout is built on foam insulation.
The tracks and controller are Rokuhan; www.rokuhan.com/english/
Filmed with a iPhone 13 pro. Music from KZbin.
Now it’s time to get some trains.

[@billmorris2613]

Very nice. The first time I saw a Z scale layout it was in the two end tables of a retired pharmacy owner who never married. Those two layouts were about 2 feet square with glass tops. Those were the smallest gauge layouts he had. He also had N, HO, S, and O, inside, all in separate rooms. Outside he had a nice G scale and the ride on that had a track gauge of 7 inches. The two outside layouts went all around his house and covered most of his almost 3 acre lot. All of the 7 inch rolling stock he built from scratch including the live steam engines. He had 3 live Steam Engines, an 0-6-0 switcher, a 4-6-2 Passenger Engine and a 2-10-4 Freight Engine. All were models of Texas and Pacific Railway engines, the railroad I went to work on in the early 70s. They were all oil burners and he ran them on used motor oil for their fuel. We fired up the big Freight engine with 10 cars and a caboose and we got to ride around his layout. It was a very fun day.

[@AustinApologue]

Incredible and an inspiration for me on just what is possible with Z scale (for those of us without giant rooms to donate to model railroading). Even my spouse can appreciate a nice coffee table ... that happens to have an entire miniature world within!!!

[@derz-crackmodellbahnvideosinsp]

"Just as I can"...Then until then✌...."DER Z-CRACK" ....Pimped 💤

[@miketheredleg9821]

Very cool setup. Very nice detail even an old track across water that fell into disrepair

[@JohnKMc117]

Very nice! Please slow the camera down so we can appreciate the detail; it's too fast and shaky.

[@GlennMale]

Then the mistakes can be seen.

[@C21L01]

@@GlennMale The only ones able to spot “mistakes” are you and the perfectionists who think they can tell everybody else how they can/can’t have their own layouts. Ignore the perfectionists/rivet counters because it’s YOUR layout. Anyone who truly appreciates the artwork of creation that goes into designing, building, maintaining a layout wouldn’t care about any “mistakes”. 😊

[@phillipwalling7470]

Pause and Playback Speed: So, we don't exist?

[@socal1ohya]

Masterpiece Absolutely beautiful Everyone needs one in the living room

[@user-rs3jn1sg9z]

This is awesome! I also like the fact that you didn´t just make it a boring oval, but added switches and smaller routes in-between. Its something alot of coffee-table layouts lack.

[@markgouthro7375]

Love the ACME reference.!

[@cchavezjr7]

the ACME truck is freaking brilliant. Love it!

[@Eric-1983]

Incredible quality and design.

[@trainadventure7170]

Oh this amazing layout in a coffee table. Very creative. Thanks for sharing this.

[@charlesballard5251]

"IN".... in a coffee table. But understood and I agree.

[@trainadventure7170]

@@charlesballard5251 oops

[@DavesTrainsAndAutomobiles]

From G to Z I love it.. thanks for sharing 👍

[@scenariomckinney]

The water is absolutely amazing!!

[@ingomoba1001]

Nice Idea and a good Job🛠🤩👍👍👍

[@madhugn]

For a z scale, that's lot of details... ❤️❤️ Amazing

[@dingobird1039]

👏 Amazing. I've been wanting to make this exact thing for a few years now. Wonderful job, how fun!

[@leewilson1368]

Fabulous work!

[@billywilds1779]

This is so brilliant. Z-Scale is so need and compact.

[@derz-crackmodellbahnvideosinsp]

"Yes it is!" ...Greetings from the german alps mate...Olli, the crazy optically and technically z-scale rolling stock pimper by selfmade parts 💤💯💥✌

[@rdiehl7809]

You are the Man !!! Very Talented !!!

[@glenaleksis4589]

Incredible!!

[@Archtops]

Wow! I wish I had your energy and artistic skill. Liked and Subbed.

[@MultiPetercool]

We need a “New Yankee Workshop” episode where Norm Abram builds that table! 😉

[@Mini-Club-Center-Siegen]

Nice Layout!

[@gordonyork6638]

Love the WB reference!

[@mikeglevy]

Killer layout.... SO cool!!

[@onkelmichl3300]

Der Tisch ist ein hervorragendes Bauwerk. Danke für's Zeigen. TIPTOP

[@richardyule3853]

That is pretty neat and nice.

[@superbmediacontentcreator]

I love the density of your layout plan. There is so much you can play with not just watch a train for go round and round. I would like to build this into some small format such as a briefcase or suitcase size but I need some help in Central NJ.

[@robertmartinez1228]

I can dig it bro. i can dig it.

[@railway187]

Wow 🤩 great idea - beautiful layout 😍

[@Craigola]

Excellent.

[@eveg4737]

Beautiful ❤

[@thomaskane6351]

Breathtaking!

[@SuperMarano]

Very nice! Built with love.

[@derz-crackmodellbahnvideosinsp]

Hi Frank "Hopefully have some fun in Portugal"..."Z-scale is also cute and play🤗able in an MOBILHOME or an smaller CAMPER, man!" :-)))...Olli alias "DER Z-CRACK"

[@aerofpv2109]

Simply Zuperb Sir. Also your editing skills are spot on.

[@allanegleston4931]

lovely layout.l, a subject dear to my own heart. meep meep. now that's komedy. dont forget the tornado pills !!!

[@GlennMale]

Thank you. The pills are in the trucks glove box.

[@plixplop]

Dang, so many little details! I love the derilict rail pier falling into the water.

[@rdiehl7809]

Nice !!!

[@Naz98504]

I would like to build something like this, looks fabulous!

[@gowsif_dnb]

My dad runs g scale. Went to a show with him this weekend and decided I really wanna get into the hobby. Z is way more appealing to me. I stayed up late last night sketching out a rough layout for a coffee table build. Today, this shows up on my feed.

[@GlennMale]

Karma

[@GlennMale]

Z Scale FB Group facebook.com/groups/201876583970176

[@dlsimes]

Awesome layout!

[@j0hnnykn0xv1lle]

Cool layout fam.

[@Rapman21]

So cool

[@8BitPasta]

Masterful

[@genova2006]

Thanks for the idea!

[@Wapitimodels]

Wapiti Rail Shops says "this is great". Thank you for sharing. Come stop by sometime, we have something for everyone

[@rdiehl7809]

I LIKE !!!

[@feetachemail]

Absolutely beautiful! Very impressive!

[@MsMiguel70]

What craftmanship. Attention. Really. Didn't show the secret weed compartment, but it's cool. : )

[@GlennMale]

This is Canada it doesn't have to be secret anymore.

[@MsMiguel70]

@@GlennMale Ha. Same, even in my red state. Still'd be a 'dope' feature.

[@mechticulous8202]

Cool layout and good way to keep it while not in use.❤ Musical selection seems haunted and macabre?😅

[@thomassidor6833]

I’m very impressed - but then again, I’m from a small town.

[@GlennMale]

My town is smaller than my table. Thanks for the comment.

[@nscalefun]

AWESOME, EXCELLENT and PERFECT!!!!! Thank you for sharing and keep up the good work.

[@AlexanderSimic]

amazing setup! what is name of the song?

[@Tipman2OOO]

Sick layout thank you so much for sharing it's inspiring me now

[@smudgey1kenobey]

CLASSY! ELEGANTLY PRODUCED! DRAMATIC! Great sound and music, too. Bravo!

[@garyowen9044]

I’d need more Ritalin.

[@pchts1]

If that were mine I’d have it under glass and probably running 24/7/365

[@KerryWrangle]

Very impressive. Well done. Is there any chance to get an outline diagram of your track layout? Thank you.

[@GlennMale]

Thank you. I tried to attach a diagram to the comment but could not. I would be happy to give you a diagram if you give me an email.

[@KerryWrangle]

@@GlennMale

[@thomaswburnsjr5051]

Be more fun at scale speed, although its super cool.

[@ULYISCES]

Estaría genial que funcionarán las grúas...

[@MsBillysunday]

Music doesn't fit, but really cool!

[@GlennMale]

Thanks! Copywrite restricts the music choices.

[@richardellis69]

Your work looks awesome! My only comment, and please understand I am not some kind of completely purest crackpot, is that when filming, if you were to slow the train down to something even remotely close to realistic speed it would augment all of your excellent efforts on the landscaping all that more. Meaning, yes I am saying your train is running way too fast versus reality. But I am also, more importantly, saying that if you ran it even somewhat slower, then all of your hard work on your scenery would be able to be that much more appreciated. But of course overall, I cannot but give you huge kudos!

[@GlennMale]

Thank-you for the comments; I am not offended by constructive criticism. I have had a few folks point out this issue. I am not a professional film maker by any means but I try. I do this for fun. Having said that, I did film my table again, with a new train, trying to correct some of the issues you pointed out. It can be seen here; kzbin.info/www/bejne/bJbIaJSYmZKFnrM It is difficult to get the camera into the layout as the trains are so small and it's in a depression. Thanks for the pointers though, with out these I would think I was perfect and we can't have that.

[@waltstevens2850]

It is my understanding that Z scale cannot yet be run at scale speeds, something to do with the motor response. If the makers of z scale could find a solution to the motor speed, z scale would explode in the marketplace.

[@HitachiTRQ-225]

How much you want it for?

[@dennisneo1608]

I'm not sure if this is really awesome or really sad.

[@GlennMale]

Life is full of questions.

[@lengalbraith6209]

Lovely details, BUT curves too tight, trains going unrealistically fast, should have opted for different engines, rolling stock , etc., etc.

[@robertcooper6289]

Beautiful scenery, but slow the train down. The scenery is first class real world, but you’re running the train like a toy. Slow it down for more realism and beautiful affect.

[@paulaitix77]

sheesh the editing ruined it with all the odd dizzying shots and long dissolves yikes

[@JoaoDaLindinha]

Really, really, nice layout. Umbelievebly annoying video soundtrack