Z Club 92 showed a scale model (guess what scale) of a portion of Cologne featuring a beatiful railroad bridge and the Messe itself. Märklin hosted a wonderful layout that formed a huge 'U' shape. Z Club International had at least three layouts.

We managed to pick up the Köln Messe White Box. This year it was an 8639 with the Ford Motor Company emblem and a Ford stick pin.

We added a link to download RAILWAYS model railroad design software based on the recommendation of a Z-friend who has added z track to it.

And ... Uh... Remember Small Scale Works? We got this email the other day:

To: z@z-world.com
From: smlscale@cdsnet.net (Don Bouchard)

   To whom it may concern,
Small scale Works has terminated operations. A new corporation,
Rogue Locomotive Works,inc has leased the equipment and facilities
with the intention of producing the GP38 locomotive by Feb.97 or sooner.
    We would greatly appreciate that your web site remove all references to
Small Scale Works inc. and as soon as we have new info. on the GP I will be
happy to share it with you.
    Any additional information I can give you can be directed to me at
(541)858-9377 or to Rouge Locomotive Work 
                    1100 N. Central ave.
                    Medford  OR.
                          97501
                                            thank you,
                                           Don Bouchard
                                         (general manager) 
 
 
Steam's Supreme....Chris Croissant

August 18 1996 - We attended the Märklin Club Day at King of Prussia, PA yesterday. It was excellent. There was a Z presentation track. A lot of basic stuff. The locomotive maintenance seminar was the the best. It was a 6 hour class for dealers condensed to 1 hour. We wish it had been 12 hours, it was that informative. Perhaps the best part of the best part was that it was authoritative. It was given by Ken Brzenk, Märklin, Inc.'s Distribution and Service Manager. When a guy who has taken apart thousands of 8800s gives you service advice, you can feel pretty confident he knows what he's talking about.

Märklin, Inc. also presented some American Z structures. Unfortunately we can't remember the details (call Brenda) but there were about 9 structures displayed and questionaires asking which would you buy, and if you wanted them assembled and painted, unassembled and painted, or unsassembled and unpainted. Feeling confident we represent all Z interests not in attendance we filled out serveral thousands of these on their behalf. Our guess would be there were about 40 or 50 Z scalers there.

As is true with all conferences, there are interesting sessions you want to attend. But the most important part is always talking with people and making new friends and contacts (schmoozing). It was rewarding. Our hats are off to Märklin, Inc., the team of organizers and presenters, and the excellent program they put together.

The new A4 brass loco kit is now available through Z Club(G.B.) at 69.00 + P & P