TT scale?

It's 1/12 of a foot or 1/36 of a yard or 1/63,360 of a mile. Don't you just love are system? It's so much easier to understand then a Base 10 system like metric that most of the rest of the world uses.

 

I'd rather fight than switch. N Scale has been around for all these years and still lacks quite a bit. Starting from scratch in TT would take more years to catch up than I have to offer. If you are unhappy with N Scale switching to HO Scale would be more sensible. There is even a forum for HO. Go there! Today!


Ben

 

Or maybe MTL will make that Genset in TT scale and I can start a modern era TT switching district!! I wonder how many europeans would buy one if they did? Might be worth their trouble......dave

 

Let me know what the odds are that TT will have even a quarter of NA prototype products that n-scale has now before I retire. (~25 years) I'll likely bet my 401K on it.

This is like saying which is better, an ape or Bigfoot. Bigfoot doesn't exist. Neither does TT-scale for all practical purposes.

And another... Microsoft isn't successful because they have technically superior products. They are successful because of a ridiculously well thought out marketing plan.

 

I’ve always wondered why when N was being developed it wasn’t made 1/144th a common plastic model scale for planes, tanks etc.

This would make the track 10mm gauged so it might have been named T Gauge.

 

Whoa Ben!! Who said anything about being unhappy with N-scale??? :tb-err:

And who wants to go to HO?? That's why we (most of us anyway) are in n-scale in the first place. HOWEVER - if TT scale were available now, I'd go with it.
BUT like I said earlier "I ain't givin' up my n-scale either!!" :tb-cool:

 

Ben; I understand where you are coming from. I'm not an evangelist and I'm not trying to convert anyone from N to TT. I have a lot of N scale, and I'm not planning on getting rid of it. If I had a permanent layout I don't think I'd be looking to tear it down and replace it with TT. But I love my new TT trains, and I'm planning on bashing some American prototype TT and doing some TT modules. I have do have some HO in my collection but I don't want to "go there"... it's too big. What I thought we were discussing here was giving Americans an option currently available in Europe but not readily available in the USA; not trying to gain converts from the N scale faith.

Best!

 

Not really. TT scale is 1.33 times N scale while HO is 1.84 times. That makes a significant difference in the space needed. For instance I'm drawing a plan of the old SP yard here that I'd like to model. It is about 300 feet wide by 1600 feet long. In N scale that would take 1.87 feet wide by 10 feet long, In TT 2.5 feet wide by 13.33 long, and in HO 3.5 wide by 18.39 long. The difference in space between N scale and TT scale is not a lot considering the improvement in handling and detailing ease of the 33% larger models but the difference in space required for HO is quite a jump up....dave

 

Doug;

In the 1770s many people were saying that America had no chance of gaining its independence from England.

In 25 years anything is possible. Why bash people's dreams just because they a) think outside the box, and b) because they aren't your own dreams?

TT scale does exist in Eastern Europe. But many, perhaps most, Americans approach the world from the standpoint that the USA covers 95% of it. This is actually quite sad for us as a people.

And like GNFA310 said, I ain't giving up my N scale either.

 

Admin; We seem to have incurred the displeasure of some of the N Scalers. May we please have a TT forum. I doubt it would be any less used than the S or G scale ones.

Best!

 

As an N-scaler, I've often thought it might be really interesting from a serious challenge perspective to build a TT module or perhaps a shelf layout. Kind of forcing one to really think outside of the box, as Lownen said. Being a North American resident and railfan, I would be proud to build and finish a convincing NA layout.

 

The Inspection Pit is probably the most appropriate until then. Or you can TT in the Cattle Car.


Ben

 

I think its a good thing to probe around what likes/dislikes exist around a particular scale.
For me...I am sticking with N, perhaps my kids or grandkids would be able to enjoy TT once/if it becomes established.
Chuck

 

TT scale is already established. Or maybe disestablished, at least in the US. It has been around as long as N scale, maybe longer depending on who you believe. It didn't have its Jim Conway or others who are responsible for the emergence of N scale.

I have no problem with anything being discussed anywhere. The TrainBoard powers-that-be do that. But to propose a different scale on an N scale specific forum is a slap in the face when N scalers, hungry for products that aren't being produced, see a faction of discontent who may further dilute the effort toward producing N scale products.

A lot of LHS owners, distributors, manufacturers and others on the periphery would just as soon see N scale fade into oblivion. The reestablishment of a failed scale would meet the same resistance.


Ben

 

Give me a freakin' break. First, I'm not bashing anyone's "dreams". TT-scale was here LONG before N-scale, and it FAILED. Shall we bring back the Sony Betamax? Quite honestly I don't think it's N-scale you have to worry about...I think HO is your problem, considering it never yielded, really at all, to TT.

While I've seen plenty of overdramatization on this and other forums, this most definitely takes the cake. Comparing an already failed model railroad category to the US Independence from England, or projecting the latest fad of painting Americans as isolationists? That, by anyone's definition, is bizarre. I would ask you what facts you have to back up your statement about "many, perhaps most" but that would get into a political discussion that is way beyond inappropriate for this forum. You can be passionate about an argument without getting irrational.

If this is truly your "dream", you have a virtually OPEN market for North American prototype TT-scale models. HAVE AT IT!

 

I remember the small TT layout wedged next to the HUGE HO layout at the old East Bay Model Engineer's Society location on Hallek street. I thought it was pretty small (and probably delicate-but then I was 10 years old and "HO centeric").

I think the reason that TT never really caught on, but N did (aside from improved performance and availability over the last 20 years or so) was that TT wasn't different ENOUGH from HO in terms of space utilization.

The ability to run long trains through imposing scenery is one of the tenents of N scale, and although more can be done in this vein with TT than with HO, the difference is not enough to tip the scale.

Given the quality (and variety) of N scale equipment available today, I don't see TT making a resurgence anytime soon. No real advantages.

 

Hmmm... wasn't that what we were talking about?

 

How to make millions just by making TT

So, you are interested in actually manufacturing TT items? I did not realize that. If so, you should closely follow what N and Z did with bringing the GP7's, FA's, 50's to 70's freight cars, etc. Then, I would look at steam since that will probably draw the most n-scalers. A Consolidated and a few steam switchers should be a slam dunk...along with another segment of 30's/40's freight cars. I wouldn't mess with a typical track line...do a Unitrack variant only and let the handlayers take it from there. Couple dozen structures should be enough to get by and suppliment the thousands available in Europe. At that point you probably have close to a million bucks in tooling, but the money should be ROLLING in by then.

Oh, since you asked, here is the original topic at hand:

My answer is zero. You yourself said you would not "switch" but instead model both scales.

 

Thanks Doug. I appreciate this input.

The original question was how many N scalers would switch if RTR TT products were available, yes. I lost sight of the context; my apologies. You were answering for all N scalers everywhere. I'd ask that you think about that please.