I don't think TT was enough smaller than HO for it to have become popular. When N scale appeared, it was much more appealing. Doug
I never purchased the "Glass top" for my coffee table. To be honest even though I put a really nice Minwax stain on the table with a nice gloss finish, there was no way my Mom was ever going to have that thing in her living room But yes I agree, I always liked the play on words as well.
I have a serious case of the N variant. A few years ago I was bitten by the Z variant which has progressed over the last three years. I also have a mild case of the rare Nn3 variant, and, a mild case of the HOn3 variant which is also rare and costly. Thankfully neither the L or G variants have stricken me
A number of years ago I also came down with a mild case of the HOn3 variant. Luckily for me, building the MDC HOn3 Two Truck Shay has kept that variant in check. From time to time I do have the occasional side effect from the variant, but it seems just holding that MDC Two Truck Shay and running it on my small HOn3 Test track helps
