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Any TT scalers out there?

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Posted by benscaro on Tuesday, February 18, 2014 6:27 AM

The Shapeways products by Bone Valley are ACL and SCL prototypes and are very good quality, requiring little clean up beyond sanding.  But they are for a very specific area, phosphate traffic around Tampa, and getting decals for them is an issue.

Ben

Ars
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Posted by Ars on Friday, January 24, 2014 4:05 AM

Chessie cat
there is a Ukrainian company RailTT that's making all sorts of American automobiles in TT scale. You can find them on Ebay somewhat regularly. I believe that's what's in Arseny's pictures.

You are right - the 1952 Ford and Scenicruiser bus are from RailTT. 1947 Chevrolet is from Mini-Things (American company).

RailTT produces not only automobiles, but American railroad cars too.

Ars
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Posted by Ars on Friday, January 24, 2014 3:59 AM

Steven S
Very few photos of actual models.

I have one covered PS2 hopper made by Shapeways.

If I am not mistaken, it depends on chosen material. If you choose "WSF", the car will need some smoothing...

My friend polished and painted it for me:

The decals are self-made; I've got the painting and lettering scheme for the SOO Line hoppers from the Soo Line historical society. Gold Coast's trucks and Micro-Trains couplers were used.

The only thing that I am worrying about - it seems to me that it is too dark...

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Posted by Steven S on Friday, January 24, 2014 12:25 AM

Go to Shapeways and type TT Scale into the search box and you'll get 22 pages of stuff.   It's tough to tell how good it is because nearly all the pics are just 3DCG renderings.  Very few photos of actual models.

 

Steve S

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Posted by Chessie cat on Thursday, January 23, 2014 11:38 PM
Speaking of Russians (or at least former ones) - there is a Ukrainian company RailTT that's making all sorts of American automobiles in TT scale. You can find them on Ebay somewhat regularly. I believe that's what's in Arseny's pictures.
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Posted by benscaro on Thursday, January 23, 2014 7:15 AM

Chessie cat
There are some rumors that MTB's next US loco will be a geep 38 (maybe a dash 2).
 

 

Not an MTB loco, so far as I know, but a state of the art GP38 or GP38-2 shell has just been released by the TT Scale Society. 

There had been a previous spartan cab GP from the German group but suffice to say it was generic rather than conforming to any particular loco.

I model TT as I like the size and the potential for getting something a bit more finescale looking that is at least visible.

It has also stimulated my research of the prototype.  If you are going to have to make your own stuff, it may as well be accurate. Have done masters for Viking and Hutchins roofs.

Wheels are an issue, I use what you'd call code 80 British wheels and NWSL code 88 for locos.  Code 72 would be preferable, but NWSL (and others) don't make them in TT diameters.

 

 

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Posted by "JaBear" on Thursday, January 23, 2014 4:53 AM

Ars
Look at this ferry - it is 1:120 (TT-scale)! It was made by some Russian modeller.....

Great looking ferry, CoolThumbs UpBow

Cheers, the Bear.

"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."

Ars
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Posted by Ars on Thursday, January 23, 2014 12:42 AM

Hello, guys!

I am Rusian and I am TT scaler :)  And I am collecting models of the American prototypes in TT. Not too easy! :)

But I nevertheless have some American models on my shelf:

   

 

Here in Russia TT scale is quite popular, much more popular than N. And I think we could help our overseas Allies ;)  with the TT-scale models of Russian Decapod, S160 or ALCO RSD-1 locomotives... if they would be available in TT. Unfortunately for today they are not available...

But some Russian cars and trucks look like American ones - I have kitbashed ZiS-150 truck model as International Harvester K-serie truck of the 1940s and ZiS-110 limousine as Packard, for example.

Look at this ferry - it is 1:120 (TT-scale)! It was made by some Russian modeller and was exposed on the railroad show in Saint-Petersburg, Russia. All cars on the deck are mine.

 

And I have some locomotives - modern SW1200 model from Canadian Sazmodel/Czech MTB, motorized Lionel's EMD F3 (there are some Lionel models in 1:120 available on Ebay, made in early 2000s; they are non-motorized, but I've got power unit for it also); also I have some old steamers from 1950s (Consolidation, Pacific and Mountain) - they are rough but I love them, and also non-motorized Hudson steamer made by Lionel - I hope it's possible to motorize it using German BR23/BR35 steam locomotive as power unit/chassis. Also I have ALCO FA resin cast kit in TT and I want to use it on the German power unit from BR218 locomotive - it fits almost ideal!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHskpZ_70o8

For today the biggest problem for me is lack of the American-style people figures in TT. I need policemen and firemen for my TTown. I have the German ones, but they do not look like Americans... :(

  

Tags: TT
CSD
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Posted by CSD on Friday, January 17, 2014 7:35 PM

bigpianoguy
... was that the one showing 3 different scales of the same engine?

Yeah. That model is from MTB, not Rapido. Jason just put it up as a solid because he thought it was cool.

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Posted by Chessie cat on Thursday, January 16, 2014 4:29 PM
^^^ I believe it is.
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Posted by bigpianoguy on Thursday, January 16, 2014 2:11 PM

Maybe it was the newsletter that I was thinking about; was that the one showing 3 different scales of the same engine?

CSD
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Posted by CSD on Sunday, January 12, 2014 11:44 AM

bigpianoguy
Jason Schron at Rapido Trains mentioned TT in his last blog & even had a preproduction model illustrated...

Jason did put the MTB SW1200 in Rapido Newsletter #49. I haven't seen anything TT since. Could you post a link to the blog you mentioned? Thanks.

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Posted by bigpianoguy on Friday, January 10, 2014 9:06 PM

Jason Schron at Rapido Trains mentioned TT in his last blog & even had a preproduction model illustrated...

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Posted by Chessie cat on Friday, January 10, 2014 8:27 PM
Has anyone bought the SW1200 (I have several)? If so, what do you think about it?
CSD
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Posted by CSD on Tuesday, January 7, 2014 9:58 AM

narrow gauge nuclear
... Is there such a thing as TTn3?...

Actually it is the prefered scale in New Zealand, except they call it NZ120. Using relatively affordable N scale mechanisms they are able to model Kiwi railways.

http://www.nz120.org/

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Posted by Chessie cat on Monday, January 6, 2014 11:37 PM
There are some rumors that MTB's next US loco will be a geep 38 (maybe a dash 2).
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Posted by Chessie cat on Sunday, January 5, 2014 4:06 PM
There is a bit of TT narrow gauge in Germany but I think that's all (as far as RTR).
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Posted by narrow gauge nuclear on Tuesday, December 31, 2013 9:50 AM

I am a narrow gauge guy, of course.  TTn3 would be a bit of a stretch for these old eyes and hands.  I find that Nn3 exists, but is for much younger and more stable hands only.  I find working on HOn3 rolling stock and kits an extreme challenge at my age.

Besides, how many K-27 or K-28 D&RGW locos are in TTn3?  Is there such a thing as TTn3?

TT should have had more of a chance than it got.

 

Richard

If I can't fix it, I can fix it so it can't be fixed

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Posted by Chessie cat on Monday, December 30, 2013 10:37 PM
Hey Bob, what do you model out of curiosity?
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Posted by subman on Monday, December 30, 2013 5:53 PM

If there was the support structure fot TT like there is for HO, i`d dump HO in a heartbeat just to get more layout in a given space with a scale I could work with. N is too small for my eyes & dexterity.

 

Bob D

Bob D As long as you surface as many times as you dive you`ll be alive to read these posts.

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Posted by Chessie cat on Saturday, December 28, 2013 2:04 AM
TT is exactly 72.5% of HO. N is 54.3%...so yeah just about half.
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Posted by tgindy on Friday, December 27, 2013 5:15 PM

narrow gauge nuclear

Early N was little better than early TT and I thought for sure, back then, that N might be the new TT failure mode gauge, but the technology and detail did come around, albeit slowly.

Just a thought -- HO Scale is half of O Scale -- TT Scale is not quite enough to be half of HO Scale -- Whereas N Scale is close to half of HO Scale.

Conemaugh Road & Traction circa 1956

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Posted by IRONROOSTER on Friday, December 27, 2013 4:58 PM

Chessie cat
Out of curiosity, what's the #1 thing keeping you from modeling in TT? Is it track, rolling stock, you're too invested in another scale, something else?
 

Well, I find HO to be a little too small, so TT isn't much of an improvement for me.  OTOH if I were limited to a 4x8 or smaller I would give it a try.

Enjoy

Paul

If you're having fun, you're doing it the right way.
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Posted by Chessie cat on Thursday, December 26, 2013 8:58 PM
Out of curiosity, what's the #1 thing keeping you from modeling in TT? Is it track, rolling stock, you're too invested in another scale, something else?
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Posted by Chessie cat on Wednesday, December 25, 2013 5:39 PM
Merry ChrisTTmas all!
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Posted by narrow gauge nuclear on Thursday, December 19, 2013 9:29 AM

I think my Sept 46 copy of MR that has a sidebar in it refers to TT as meaning "Tiny Trains".  Not combative on this, just reporting.  I personally refered to TT as a "failed gauge" since it did indeed have a brief flurry of activity around it in the US, and in the MR mags of the 50's you could almost always find someone advertising some TT loco or car kit.

I think N gauge was often first refered to as being "coffee table" raliroading.

Again, the motors of the day, when TT was introduced, just weren't up to it.  Postwar trains were pretty much garbage by today's standards, mostly due to the post war lag in transferring manufacturing back to civilian amusements.  Certainly, MRs after WWII were eager to have someothing new to run and model as their ranks swelled with young G.I.s returning home.  The manufacturers rushed a lot of less than stellar stuff to the shelves to get in on the action.

Early N was little better than early TT and I thought for sure, back then, that N might be the new TT failure mode gauge, but the technology and detail did come around, albeit slowly.  The early N cars looked fairly decent, but the loco's, especially steam, were pitiful in look and operation.  I feel that modern high resolution plastic casting help save N from oblivion.  Too bad for TT in the U.S.  N scale got so good, following a rather ugly childhood, that TT, which could have made a real comeback with modern technology, just got aced out.  As I noted, the europeans took to TT, Russia especially.

I have a feeling that another reason TT never made it was few HO gaugers abandoned their HO after the war and the newcomers just didn't see much of TT.  You had to really look for it then.  N was a different story.  it was dirt cheap with  early complete sets that included an oval of track and transfomrer being discounted to under $20.00 at xmas.  So many new comers, especially kids who are now 40 years of age teethed on N gauge and probably stayed with it.  Not so with TT.

I am stunned at Z gauge and how it is rapidly morphing into a decent looking setup if you have the bucks to spare.  What kind of DCC sound cards for Z are there? Speakers?  Just kidding........(for now).  Might have to wipe that smile off my face someday.

 Hoorah for TT modelers!  I always appreciate an up-hill fighter.

Richard

If I can't fix it, I can fix it so it can't be fixed

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Posted by Chessie cat on Wednesday, December 18, 2013 6:13 PM
Interesting how many people actually know about the scale but rarely anyone has even seen it. I got a ton of positive comments on the size at NTS 2013 from both HO and N modelers.
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Posted by sandusky on Tuesday, December 17, 2013 8:56 PM

TT stood (and stands) for Table Top.....

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Posted by areibel on Sunday, December 15, 2013 12:53 PM

OK, I'll admit it, I'm a TT Convert!  We’re not quite as dead as some think?  And I hadn’t heard the term “failed gauge” before, but I don’t think that’s it either.  I think it was (and maybe still is) the ignored gauge.  It publicized itself in the 40’s and 50’s as the smallest practical gauge, but lost that when N came along.  When you look at the fact that probably 95% of the locomotives came from one manufacturer (HP Products) you can see why it was limited.  If Mantua or Athearn or even one of the smaller HO manufacturers would have taken a chance back then I think it might have made a difference. 

I got into it about 15 years ago when I realized I had no space for a moderately sized HO layout.  I could have an overgrown switching layout or do something else.  I bought some N gauge but it just didn't fit me, I enjoy doing more than taking it out of the box and putting it on the track.  So I bought a TT boxcar kit on Ebay.  It wasn't love at first sight (when I opened the box and saw the cardboard and a pile of wood) but I built it and it's not too bad.. I had built a few craftsman style kits in HO and this wasn't a lot different.

Some new technologies have really helped keep TT going.  There were a few individuals making resin kits that made some nice models.  More recently with Shapeways (rapid prototyping) and some different laser cutting companies producing a few TT kits it's better yet.  Diesels have been a problem, but this is getting better too- we started with the old HP models, then got a kit to motorize the Lionel 1:120 diecasts and even a couple brass kits, an earlier SW1200 and an  SD45 kit- you get the etch, and build it yourself. Talk about building some skills!  The SW1200 is the first RTR, but I won’t complain about not having to build it!  The hardest thing about a diesel mechanism in TT isn’t getting the wheels in gauge, it’s getting a gear tower that will fit inside a modern diesel body and have room to swivel.  For example, a “standard” road diesel (A GP, SD, RS, etc) the hood is around 6 feet wide.  That translates to an internal width in TT of about a half an inch, so getting room inside can be tricky.  We use either parts from European prototype  locos or power trucks from Hollywood Foundry, their Bull Ants fit the bill.  Not always easy, but lots of fun if you’re into building anything.

And someone asked how much is imported- well most of it.  But look at the boxes that almost any model railroad product comes in and you’ll see that’s not a big difference.  And with a lot of the recent innovations in North American prototype TT made across the Atlantic it doesn’t matter to me where it comes from!  If you’re interested check out www.TTnut.com.

And one video to check out, this is from a German TT group that follows NA prototypes-  It shows what can be done.                                 http://youtu.be/1yegMUPJccw

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