TT gauge . . . dead, or moribund?

Just curious. From my perspective, 1:120 scale is an ideal size, but I came up short recently when I tried to locate information about it. I was denied admission to the Yahoo TT group (I have no idea why, my request to join was not acted upon in the required period of time), so that avenue to information is closed to me.

Is the scale alive today? Or, is it dying a slow death? I was curious about whether or not TT practitioners use such items as N scale track (for handlaying) and N scale couplers, and so on.

Any information about the gauge would be welcome. Thanks much.

Brian

Brian Chapman / Evansdale, Iowa

The TT scale is alive, but with very few MFGs. Very, very limited choices for products. Nothing near what is available in O, HO and N.

David B

For a long time it looked like S and TT were dead. S has revived very nicely in the last several years, both S and Sn3. But TT does seem to be pretty much inactive in the USA. My recollection is that most TT these days is European and that European and American (NMRA) TT are not compatible, so that the Rokal TT you sometimes see for sale is not compatible with the HP products TT that was fairly common at one time.

There is track: http://rrtrack.com/html/pilz_tt.html

and structures http://www.internationalmodels.net/acatalog/Main_Catalogue_Index_Plastic_kits__TT_Gauge_7.html

And a list of dealers and manufacturers that was said to be outdated even when it was publsihed in 2000 http://www.ttscale.com/w-dealers.htm

Dave Nelson

TT Scale is now primarily centered around European prototypes and manufacturers.

This web site http://www.ttscale.com/ has infornation. One of the main suppliers is out for a year building a new house. Even though it was invented here, it’s most popular in Eastern Europe. The scale is really a nice size for someone who wants a 4x8 layout but with the trains bigger than N scale.

B.T.S. also has some structures [url]http://www.btsrr.com/btstt.htm[url]

Enjoy

Paul

As others have noted, TT still has a following and commercial support in Europe, but there are also modellers in the UK who are active in the scale. They have a society that produces parts, standards, etc.

http://www.3mmsociety.org.uk/

TT is also popular in New Zealand, where it is known as TT120, IIRC the Kiwis use N scale track and mechanisms to represent 3’6" gauge track.

I’m assuming that you are interested in NA prototype, in which case you’d need to be a craftsman/modelbuilder, if you want to use TT scale.

All the best,

Mark.

I agree - a nice scale.

There are a few TT ready-to-run models out there, mostly European prototype. A few other kits and models around, but not a lot. A few structure kits, but mostly European prototype. Preiser does some figures. I haven’t found too many vehicles.

I model New Zealand railways in 1:120 TT scale. The prototype here is 3’6" (1067mm) narrow gauge, so we use N-scale track components, loco meccanisms, couplers etc. Technically our scale/ guage combinations is called TTn3.5, but we also call it NZ120.

Regards
Wes
Auckland, New Zealand.

Thank you all, lots of great information leads on which to follow-up.

What is the quality of locomotives and rolling stock in the scale (NA prototypes)? On a level with Athearn, or LifeLike, or Kato, or Atlas? . . .