You should stick to TTn3, any other designation will be too confusing. People know what TT is. I thought about TTn3 back in the mid-80's but there was only the Bachmann 4-4-0. This does look look interesting. Geez, another dark abyss to be drawn into. Harold
The bachmann 4-4-0 could make a small d&rg american, like the Rio Bravo or something. Now there's plenty of steam, with more to come by bachmann (their n 4-6-0). Their upcoming 70-tonner (as mentioned earlier) can make a narrow gauge diesel: SP #1, the "little giant". I think you can even make alco narrow gauge dielels from an rsd-15 or something, too! Maybe an alco pa-1 can be the start of those alaska railroad diesels as well. The only thing I'd see great difficulty making is a k-27 (and other k-mikados, of course) unless you scratchbuild it. Well, TTn3 is fairly inexpensive. $80-100 per engine depending on where you get them, plus $30 or so for parts, paint, decals, etc, etc. Give it a try! It's basically 55n3's younger cousin! Uses about 4 times less space, too! You can try out some TTn3 stuff with a 2x4 foot layout, for it takes up the same space as n scale. Track spacing is 15 scale feet, or 1.5 inches. Conversions are easier than in any other scale!
The Atlas Mogul is actually a TTn3.5 model. It is the same Japanese Porter prototype as the old Ken Kidder HO mogul. The Bachmann 4-4-0 makes a very good TTn3 narrow gauge locomotive. The Atlas Mogul vs the BB&K mogul drawing in TT scale and the Bachmann Mogul vs a Santa Maria Railroad 4-4-0 drawing. 15mm Wargaming figures are also 1/120 scale. Harold
Thanks for the info! I thought the bachmann 4-4-0 and atlas models were too small at first. Your scale drawings proved me wrong. I'm now thinking about the 1930's PC operations (hence my PC 2-8-0), so do you know where I can get 1:120 scale 1930's or 20's cars? or can I modify n scale model A trucks that I have into passable model T's by building a larger driver's compartment?
They Atlas 2-6-0 and Bachmann 4-4-0 fit the pre-mass extinction era of before the 1890's neither would have survived after that period. !930's vehicles are probably non-existent, the nz120 people are generally modern and the American TT guys are transition. I am looking for wagons. Harold
I kitbashed a TT scale Ford Model T today! Started with a GHQ Ford Model A kit and built a larger driver's compartment, old-style headlamps, sloped back, and even added a tiny steering wheel (made from a small screw with the shaft filed down to a tiny diameter. Here are some pictures: BTW here is what the headlight used to look like: UGLY (The PC Railway #106 is coming along quite nicely, though!) If I model the twenties, I can just buy a lot of GHQ kits and make a dozen variations of the model T and have a full assortment of vehicles for a TTn3 layout!
Hmm. Don't get me wrong, but I',m nOT getting headlights from tjpse headlights. Maybe they just meen paint, but it's missing something. No idea what. and what happened to thpse wheelrims?
NOTE: I just pulled this thing off the workbench for a few photos. I still need to touch up paint on a few things and add lenses to the headlights. Plus, on a layout, It'll NEVER be seen up close like this (a couple of these pictures are from only two inches away.)
Here's what I tried to make from those fat circles I called headlights. Guess i missed the mark, huh? Oh well. From regular viewing distance it shouldn't be TOO bad...
Keep in mind that this thing can fit on the head of a dime. Unlike those cars in that huge HO scale, it usually takes multiple tries to get things right. Excellent work there Tom. And I love that steering wheel!!
With that photo for comparison, the headlight size actually looks quite accurate. I think what is throwing it off is just the thickness of the trim you have there. If you figure out how to put lenses in there, that should help to reduce the trim, making them look spot on.
My apolpogies on my last post, the "not" got caught in me fat-fingering the caps lock it seems, imply uninteded emphasis there. Hmm, yep, with the reference photo it's just the thivkened edges throwing it off. Isn't that perfectly sized HO nice though? good working size, parts sizes don;t range from tiny to microscopic,
Methinks I unwronged them circles. Hey, everyone. Those headlights were starting to bug me--excuse the pun, they looked like bug-eyes anyway-- so I got around to fixing them. Made 'em a bit smaller and used solid styrene tubing with a lip around the lense (which is actually just painted bright silver) so they look a bit more like headlights. I kept the brass color, though. Also fixed those splattered wheel rims as best as I could and added a semigloss finish. Looks 10,000% better. Will post pix later...
I'd suggest contacting Paul of woodworks for TT scale sleepers. He supplies the NZ120 people and also has code 55 rail. TT seems to attract derision here, but it is in fact a very good scale particularly if you like handmaking small models. Anything smaller than 1:120 and it just becomes too difficult with 1:1 fingers -you are into the realms of etching and the like - and if you go to N narrow gauge you end up with Z scale-sized engineering woes and have dramatically fewer options for wheels and axles. The future of TT is quite likely as a way of modelling narrow gauge in 'an N kind of size and space', using the wide range of N track and mechs, but utilising a scale that happens to be significantly easier for scratchbuilding. FWIW, there are lots of sizes of Evergreen styrene that scale well to TT, but most of their range scales poorly for N. I have never quite worked out why. I also suggest contacting Possum Valley Models, as Elmer is a TTn3 modeller too. Possum Valley Models Ben
Tom, I seem to have a problem viewing the images. Just displays message "403 Forbidden". Odd as I am a member of Train Board and signed in.
