Scales and Gauges Part 19 - Z, T, and Nano Scales

How small can you go? 1:220 scale? 1:450? 1:1000 scale??? How about a locomotive that can fit in a red blood cell? The BIG question is, why so SMALL? Just because you can doesn't mean you should.
Z scale was introduced by Märklin in 1972 and is one of the smallest commercially available model railway scales (1:220), with a track gauge of 6.5 mm. That's small... and is also used as Nn3, N scale three-foot prototype. Nn3 has become quite popular with several great American prototypes as well as European prototypes available. Surprisingly it runs well!!
BUT there is also T scale. T gauge track is 3mm and the scales are 1:450 or 1:480 depending on the prototype. Also known as "Third of N scale". It was introduced at the Tokyo Toy Show in 2006 by KK Eishindo of Japan and went on sale in 2007. It is the smallest commercial model train scale in the world.
The models use a battery-powered throttle with a maximum output voltage of 4.5 V DC. To improve power pickup and tractive effort, the powered cars are fitted with neodymium magnetic wheels.
BUT, there are even smaller scales all the way down to 1:1000 scale!!! These odd-ball scales are generally lumped together as Nano Scales. In this case, the motor can't be fitted into the train, so magnetic fields pull the trains along a computer-controlled track.
#modelrailroad #zscaletrain #nmra

[@ottotalldrink]

Someone send Toyman some Z and T scale trains so he doesn’t have to constantly hold up an N scale boxcar for no particular reason.

[@marshabradcoe417]

I love you folks....your full of fun and a passion for play, I'm 70 ...:)

[@Cjx0r]

im less than half that age and share the same sentiment

[@kenshores9900]

Micro trains use to sell z scale train sets. A friend gave me his father in laws Marklin Z scale trains. I am just not a fan of European trains. Fortunately I bought a DRG set from micro trains, and I was glad I did because Micro trains stopped carrying them shortly afterward. Of course I bought another set on EBay. Just have to lay the track on some modules I have and start running trains. Good and interesting video. Looking forward to seeing more on your garden railroad. That short window of fall weather is upon us. So you and Karyn go outside a play and record it for us to watch. Keep her on the rails!

[@ToyManTelevision]

Hi Ken! Yup I like seeing the Nn3 stuff. But I don’t have an interest in bagging one. Well.. I guess I’d put one in the cabinet. Just for fun… but I prefer big. Not too big, but garden and I get along pretty well.

[@thomascanady1967]

Micro-Trains is releasing a Z scale set for their "MEDFORD TALENT & LAKECREEK" line of trains. Pre-orders start shipping in January 2024. I got my order in. Just going to run a oval of track for it. My primary scales are HO and N. Will be building a N scale layout soon, but no room for the HO yet.

[@kenshores9900]

@@thomascanady1967 I have O and N mostly N. Thanks for the information.

[@ThatBIGTRAINGuy]

Great fun 😂. Though I'd agree N is probably the smallest "proper" scale, I'd say there is a place for Z. I remember seeing at Pecorama (the home of Peco model railways that I told you about when we met, where I first saw G Scale) they had a Z Scale layout built into a fish tank. It had two running loops on separate levels, and was American! For anyone who really has no space, that would suit. 👍

[@ToyManTelevision]

They are amazing to see. We have a problem that when we see something great we want to collect it. Sigh. If you owned everything where would you keep it?

[@ThatBIGTRAINGuy]

@@ToyManTelevision In my home, I feel like I own everything already 😂

[@loispadgett6306]

I want to get Z scale and T gauge trains and that is as small as I want to go. Any smaller and would need micro scoop to see it. I enjoy this series learned alot from it. See you Sunday and have fun running trains. GOD BLESS 🚂💖🚂💖🚂💖🚂💖

[@ToyManTelevision]

Hi and bless back!

[@benhancock1408]

Another interesting tidbit about Z scale is that if you measure the track with a 20.3 scale ruler, it comes out almost exactly 7.5". Soooo, on the Central Iowa Garden Railway's G-scale modular railroad layout we have a Z-scale ride on train loop. The Z-scale train has flat cars fitted with wooden crates for seating and several passengers riding along enjoying themselves immensely.

[@ToyManTelevision]

I’m getting that for N gauge. Z comes out to 5”. Which is also a great live steam gauge.

[@SaintCoemgen]

My first exposure to model railroading was when I was 12 years old when I discovered Z scale. I had no space for any larger scale. But the basic starter set was then $100 (4 to 10 times more in today's money) which I could not afford and my parents could not afford. A year later I learned about LGB G scale, and fell in love again. My parent's house did have a lawn, some land, where I could build a railroad. But the starter set was $250, which was 2.5 times beyond fiscal reality. We were poor. So I grew up, when to college, graduate school, etc. Finally in my 30's I remembered my childhood and bought a LGB train set as I finally could afford one (it was a bit more than the 1970's price of $250). I have never considered since then any small scales. I have simply loved larger scales. Bigger is better. Today I have quite a lot of land. But again, not as much money. If I had the money I would consider a 7.5 inch gauge railroad. 🙂

[@ToyManTelevision]

And again, just because you can… friends have 7 and a half. Wow. But it’s not really model railroading. Fun. But I like to build a layout. Even in the yard it’s sort of the same.

[@garyacker7388]

Cool guys, but HO is still the one that I favor and of course your garden railroad is my favorite! Thanks again guys I look forward to seeing Sunday's and Tuesday ❤😊

[@ToyManTelevision]

Yup. Still challenging to fit even outside, but a 1:20 scale freight train crossing a 5 foot tall trestle, well… just because it’s hard doesn’t mean you shouldn’t.

[@vincenthuying98]

Dear Dale and Karyn, saw a Geep in T scale. Still looking its part. Nevertheless, I agree on the ‘should we’ point! Cheerio

[@Conn653]

Dale, try using 'forced perspective'. An N scale city park could have a train ride but to simulate the smaller scale, use 'T' for the "Ride The Park Train". Same concept for HO, would be using a Z scale park train. For a Garden Train, use HO scale. No matter what scale, HAVE FUN! 🙂

[@ToyManTelevision]

The plan in Alamosa. 1:24 scale buildings with 1:20.3 scale trains. Outside the windows of the 1:24 buildings 1:48 scale. And beyond? Ho? Perhaps.

[@MZTrainsChannel]

Hi thanks very good idea for this small scales video

[@ToyManTelevision]

Thank you for watching!

[@drgwnut]

I built a Z scale layout inside a coffee table. I found they tracked only ok. I added some tungsten weights to the cars and that helped. But if you bump the table, it's like a 9 on the Richter scale. I wonder if a patient in the future might be complaining of pain, and the doctors locate a mixed-merchandise freight train coursing through their arteries....

[@ToyManTelevision]

So that’s what’s happened to me I guess! Thought it was a bug bite. But not. Some infection. Probably a T-- train. Anyway all good now.

[@Santafefrank]

Thanks 😊

[@ToyManTelevision]

Thank you!

[@lillywho]

8:14 Yer man's right there. You're going to save a lot of fuel and emissions. It's a "fun" car, not a utility car, I know. But still. Plus, nowadays you can convert classic cars to electric and get a lot of relatively green oomph out of them. They're doing everything from Muscle Cars to wee beetles now, and they say a beetle takes off like there's no tomorrow compared to the petrol engine.

[@ToyManTelevision]

Well we only put like two tanks of gas in it per year. Which takes us about 300 miles!

[@stevemellin5806]

Thank you very interesting.looks fun . Yes the older I get the bigger the trains.

[@ToyManTelevision]

Yup. But the smaller the details. So your right back with the magnifiers and tweezers.

[@caseyvillemodelrailroad3877]

Great vidio, got a big layout of them there nano trains inside the bar on my Yard layout, gota have a couple of beers before they appear's . N scale is as small as you can go and play with them. Thanks for the morning coffee...

[@ToyManTelevision]

Love n. Well.. and HO. TT. And F!!!

[@Balkongodlaren]

My downwards limit is two foot gauge in H0 scale, on Z gauge track, commonly known as H0f or H0z.

[@historybuff7491]

I love minitures -- the smaller the better. I, too, get to a point where certain smallness is too small. I saw a few KZbin sites that show hats with moving trains on them. Yes, it is cute, and would be fun to see it worn at a train show, but after a few go-rounds, it gets boring. I have a very small house, so a big train layout it not possible. Hmmm, maybe the N scale is the right scale for me. Thank you for all the scale and guage info.

[@ToyManTelevision]

We love seeing things like this. But too interested in building anything like that. But karyn loves to build small. Very small sometimes. So who knows!

[@hawk5250]

It sounds like you haven't been to a N.M.R.A. National Train Show since 2001. There are modular Z scale groups around the country who have displayed large modular Z scale layouts at these shows. I have been displaying Z scale at train shows since 2001. I had my Z scale modules at the NTS in Grapevine, Texas this year (2023). I also had a 20'"X 16" North American prototype T scale layout. I have been running and building Z scale layouts and modules since it came out in 1972. I started with T scale in 2006. There have been improvements in T scale locomotives and availability. I recently scratch-built 2 T scale cabooses. Building in these smaller scales can be challenging. That's one of the reasons I like them. A Z scale locomotive built by Robert Ray won a "Best of Show" award and a "Gold Circle" award at this year's N.M.R.A. convention and train show. One member of our group uses Z scale trains as a garden layout for dollhouse scale (1:12).

[@ToyManTelevision]

Ed at one in 2018? Anyway the only Z we have seen was Nn3. But he couldn’t get it to run. Sure looked great though. Wow!

[@andrewjackson9417]

Imagine trying to do a Shinkansen in even HO. N is about the limit, an 8 car N700 is about 7 feet long. Also an N scale Thomas is the cutest train you've ever seen.

[@growclipbonsaiforseniors1951]

Wow! How small can you go.

[@blainemilliron3870]

I have Z up to G Z has some nice U.S. porotype building a layout in a thick attaché case could be good if you are into building the sincere and Struthers

[@pathvalleyrailroad9277]

There are a couple of T scale American prototype starter sets that have what is called a GP8, one in black and one in green. The freight cars appear to be European prototypes, but at that size who can tell? The smallest I go is Z, and that mostly because I am an Nn3'er.

[@ToyManTelevision]

It’s really cool. We love seeing it even if we don’t model it. But dang!!

[@reddog-ex4dx]

I just thought that with Z or T scale one could do a whole subdivision or railroad in their living room! Complete with yards and wye's and whatever else! Of course you would need binoculers to play with it.

[@ToyManTelevision]

Yup. And I guess that’s an advantage?? Depends on your goals. And likes. I think the novelty of small. Very very small. But I like to build stuff. And I sorta hate when I’m working with magnifiers to place a tiny screw or something. But the tiny details on a large model.. I like that more.

[@growclipbonsaiforseniors1951]

Great info. Z is smallest for me.

[@ToyManTelevision]

Fair enough! Because I love all scales. But I’ve adopted F. But still have…. Geeezzz.

[@matsv201]

I´m sort of planing a garden railroad, but it will be L-gauge. (i got loads of L-gauge track already). L scale is pretty close to I scale. But i thinking of a twist , with a tiny house in the garden, that in turn have there own garden railway... so.. T-scale.

[@ToyManTelevision]

L is certainly on unique thing! I’ve never seen that used outdoors, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work!

[@matsv201]

@@ToyManTelevision well.. with the fully plastic rail it should be no problem. I would not use the metalic once out doors. I have 2 moving boxes full of rail, that should be a good start point. Most of the rail will be built in a greenhouse. This is mostly to extended the season but also keep the absolut worse of the weather of the rails.

[@robertemmons2260]

"Just because you can", doesn't mean you should." This can apply to building houses in lower valleys and flood plains too.

[@finlayfraser9952]

I can't imagine there is very much fine speed control in Z scale!

[@ToyManTelevision]

Really. I’ve never. T is a 12 volt battery powered system. Even more difficult.

[@markdeschane4467]

Dale, Did you say that N and OOO are the same scale?

[@ToyManTelevision]

Nope. Almost. Same gauge. But like HO vs 00 the scale is a tiny bit larger. 000 is just a bit larger than the 1:160 used in n

[@simonalexandercritchley439]

I think I will stay with HO. Have worn glasses since I was 5,nearly 60 years later it's not getting easier. I remember Marklin ZED coming out in 1972 which was amazing at the time but already started with Marklin HO 2 years before,still going today with a few from 1950s.

[@ToyManTelevision]

Well about 60% of model railroaders agree with you.

[@peterswales2360]

I managed to buy a bachmann Connie brand new never been run everything still sealed up and guess what the gear on the driving axle failed within 30 yds fitted the replacement brass one and found it was so tight it wouldn't run it took a whole day of felting to get it right now I'm looking forward to running it double headed with my 10 wheeler

[@ToyManTelevision]

Fix the gear! It’s not that hard. We have a video on it. The gear is available at Bachmann parts store.

[@ToyManTelevision]

estore.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=69_142

[@peterswales2360]

@@ToyManTelevision watched video thanks most informative the replacement brass gear was not central on the axle which put the coupling rods at a slight angle once I'd reamed the rods to suit all was good thought you might be interested in my findings happy modelling from the UK

[@lillywho]

1:20 "Worse" even, they pronounce it "tssett".

[@ToyManTelevision]

🚀🤔

[@FunAtDisney]

So who choose the shirts you ware for these Tuesday shows?

[@ToyManTelevision]

Hi. We just grab one. Well two.

[@FunAtDisney]

@@ToyManTelevision They always look great!

[@sillywesties]

I attempted to build a mining scene using Z scale on HO narrow gauge chassis of some kind! All kinds of issues cropped up, but I’ll get back to that hopefully….I know, I know, just Becuz you can, doesn’t mean you should! 😂😂

[@ToyManTelevision]

Sounds amazing. Get er done!

[@jeremyjohnson457]

As of 9/29/23 there is A FM trainmaster available T gauge H16-66

[@ToyManTelevision]

Wow!!

[@robertemmons2260]

It's amazing how small that these scales can go. That's getting too small for me. My N scale is about as small as I'll get.

[@ToyManTelevision]

Yup. Sort of the cut off

[@peterswales2360]

I struggle with 00 let alone anything smaller the question remains why🤔😊

[@growclipbonsaiforseniors1951]

How is the detail on Z & T compared to N gauge?

[@pathvalleyrailroad9277]

American Z Lines makes a beautiful Mikado that has as much detail as the Kato, and runs just as well, too. They are probably the best in Z as far as detail goes.

[@ToyManTelevision]

Wow. I’ve never seen a Zn3 running but wow. It’s very impressive. We need to see it running!

[@Phorhesa]

Z-Scale would be good for a park train in HO or Bigger.

[@ToyManTelevision]

Yup! Seen that done in our scale. F scale or 1:20.5. Z is 5” gauge. N gauge in 1:20.5 is 7.25. Perfect for a live steam railroad. In HO n is 30.8 inches and z is 20.5 inches. So both can work for that but Z would look better. Hum. Or better.. Nn3! Z track with N scale trains. On an HO park ride!!! Damn. Now I want to build it!!!! Too many projects.

[@markdeschane4467]

I see you have some WW1 aircraft Engines. Were, are you an R/C Modeler?

[@johnd8892]

Is this the engine you saw : kzbin.info/www/bejne/lX_apXmXrqitgposi=DMTZ2-29cr6o0_Je

[@ToyManTelevision]

Hi. Nope. Well… I flew gliders. And had a hobby shop. And we sold lots of planes. But I’m hopeless. I collect everything.

[@norbertdx]

With the pace of technology, would it be possible to make actual traction motors for HO models? Instead of having the big motor in the body, the model would have a traction motor.

[@ToyManTelevision]

Yup. Doing that in O. And in HO but the motors are a bit large. Most just power one axle. But in O scale you can build power trucks with every axle powered

[@ToyManTelevision]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/hIPSfIKwhcR9Y5Ysi=qwaDCaDVCnxNFrMe

[@growclipbonsaiforseniors1951]

I bet Karyn can make a forced perspective with a Z & N gauge.

[@ToyManTelevision]

We have a plan..

[@growclipbonsaiforseniors1951]

@@ToyManTelevision I can hardly wait to see how you both can do this. This will make one fantastic video.

[@franciscorodriguezsalmoral8416]

Maquetas de forma de u

[@franciscorodriguezsalmoral8416]

Pedido de los trenes de cajas y estuches de los trenes y cajas de la estación de tren de pilas pedido de la cajas de los trenes de pilas y bocetos de trenes de colorear blanco y negro por favor y renfe de los trenes de pilas

[@ToyManTelevision]

The z do run on batteries. From the controller.

[@davidsheriff8989]

English language is pronounced "Zed ".