I like it.... I don't know how prototypical 3'6" is, but I could see that this would be a great narrow gauge. Use N scale track and switches, and if we only had just a little RTR or kits for TT. You could build a lot of railroad in a small room and still be able to pickup the pieces of the train with my old hands. Kent
Kent; 3'6" is standard in New Zealand. Their narrow gauge is TTn3.5 aka NZ120, and does run on N gauge track. One of our TrainBoard members from NZ said he has some NZ120.
They're not very popular prototypes, but 3'-6" was also the gauge of the Newfoundland Railway and the Prince Edward Island Railway. Probably a UK influence. Regards Ed .
Ed; Thanks. I knew there was some 3.5 foot gauge in N. America, but couldn't recall where I'd read it. Ironically, I was just talking with someone this afternoon about how CN acquired the Newfoundland Railway when Newfoundland became a province of Canada. A quick check of Wiki indicates that was in 1949.
Quick answer to the origional- No, but if TT had been alive and well when I started N, i'd have gone TT instead. Btw, I got into N about when it first hit the US; even had some "lone star". But- I'd still largely or entirely drop N for north american TTn3 (or "close enough" on N track). Even enough parts/acessories to kit-bash without too much grief would probably do it. Jim
Hi Jim, Narrow gauge was almost all wooden cars so it seems like scratch building TT scale bodies would be pretty easy? Are there any suitable old time trucks that will run on N scale track ?....dave
I suppose that might depend on one's interpretation of "much". TT is dimensionally 1/3 bigger than N. For example, a 40' boxcar is 3" long in N and 4" long in TT. That yields a car that (volume wise) is about 2.4 times as big. Might be enough to help if ones eyes aren't what they once were. Lots more room inside for motors and decoders. I'll bet they wouldn't have problems coming up with a motor to fit inside a Ten-Wheeler boiler. Seems like a nice intermediate scale to me. But even so, at this stage of my life I won't be looking at changing. Regards Ed .
Jim; There once in a while I come across TTn3 kits that run on N gauge track. If I see any in the near future, I'll let you know.
Hi Guys: Rolling stock-no problem; done that in Nn3 & TTn3 both. Loco mechs are the big deal. Rather use readilly available N scale steam than hard to find, extremely expensive, and IMHO very "squirrely" marklin stuff. And you think spare parts availability is bad in N scale... As for handling- I still don't have a problem with my N. But remember that Nn3 is about the same size as Z scale. That's small enough to give me problems working and viewing these days... In any case, loco and car detail parts, figures, that kind of thing is what I'd like to see. Regards, Jim
Thank you. Probably not in the market right now though, unless you know of parts/conversion kits for early Colorado steam locos? That would be interesting. For the time being, I'm still running N in an "n-track" based club I belong to, and have been fiddling with TTn3 on the side a bit for several years. I've long thought TT is the almost perfect scale for narrow gauge modelling... Regards, Jim
Hi Pete, The slight increase in scale makes quite a bit of difference in the ease of shaping and adding details and in other tasks such as painting, decaling, etc. The parts are a bit larger in relation to the tools so it is easier to work.(even easier to set them on the rails!) . Try a TT scale car and see what you think? I've been an O scale and S scale modelers for many years so maybe it's just me but TT scale seems a lot easier than N scale to do the basic tasks .....dave
Jim; You might want to join the TT_IMS group on Yahoo! That's where the TT kitbashers and scratchbuilders exchange info.
The train club I belong is European Train Enthusists European Train Enthusiasts however, I'm in the Southern California chapter Welcome to ETE Southwern California!. It is a modular layout using Marklin "K" track and it is double wired to that the track can be switched from AC to DC. Most members have Marklin but there is also a company in Switzerland H.A.G. that manufacturers HOac items. When is it is switched to DC, Trix, Fleischmann and a few other European brands are operated. Yes, BEMO is meter guage. It is manufactured in Germany but specializes on Swiss rolling stock like RhB and MOB rail lines. Robert
Robert; Thanks for the info and the links. I'm fascinated by your dual AC/DC HO wiring. I'll have to read up on Marklin's "K" track. Jim; Yes, as Boxcab said, pictures would be awesome! Here is the Mehano lok (I understand that's the German for loco) that will be my next TT purchase, the Bombardier Blue Tiger in Poollok livery: I'm afraid I'll have to buy DC and put in my own decoder. I'm afraid I won't be able to afford it with LokSound included. It comes in N scale as well. If you want one you can email the importer at info@euromodeltrains.com I think I've seen it in HO too, but can't find the web reference.
The track in mounted on cork roadbed on the module. The bottom of the track is sanded and the electrical leads are sodered to the bottom of the track. The two running rails are split underneath but wired so that on AC both ourside rails are (-) and when they switch to DC then it's +/- per rail. The center studs are (+) but only when running AC. I have never build a module but each unit is complete, there are not rail connectors between the units. They are connected with plastic connecting clips. If you are in So Cal, drop me a PM and I'll give you the directions to the meeting that month. Robert
I can see they'd be easier to set on the rails. I believe the diorama at Mystic Seaport in Connecticut is TT scale--it's probably 24 x 72 feet--at least the locos are TT, while the rest is at 1:128. In 2004, I spent 90 minutes chatting with the master modeler there, who's been on the job something like 50 years. He was repairing the work of other modelers, btw. A delightful man probably into his eighties. We talked a lot about the differences in scale, and I could see them in the ship models, where he was doing things with 1890s sailing ships that I simply would not attempt in 1:160. Board by board framing of whaling ships, for example. Now, that was museum-quality work, but I can't approach that, even today, when I am four years more skilled. Still, many of the tricks he showed me, which I have not practiced yet, would scale down to N scale. His technique for making mullioned windows, for example. I just haven't had time to try it, but it's so simple--real artists always make things so simple, don't they? Later.
Hey Pete, Would it be possible for you to share his window technique? I would be most interested in hearing it. Thanks.
