Product Code Database
TT scale (from "table top") is a model railroading scale at 1:120 scale with a track gauge of 12mm between the rails. It is placed between HO scale (1:87) and N scale (1:160). Its original purpose, as the name suggests, was to make a train set small enough to assemble and operate on a tabletop.
The scale originated in the USA, but is today widespread mainly in Central Europe, thanks to Rokal and " Tillig", defunct German manufacturers of train sets in TT. It is the second-most popular scale in Central Europe and Russia, after HO, with several manufacturers based in countries such as Germany and the Czech Republic, and was reintroduced to the United Kingdom in 2022. Adherents to the scale maintain it is the smallest practical scale, especially for those who like to build models from scratch.
In wargaming, TT scale equals the 15 mm scale where the height of "standard" soldier height is . For British 3mm TT scale, see 3 mm scale.
In Europe, Rokal and Zeuke (which became Berliner-TT-Bahnen and ultimately Tillig) began production in West Germany and East Germany respectively towards the end of the 1950s. British Tri-ang Railways also introduced the scale to the UK, but due to the smaller British loading gauge, the trains were scaled up to 1:101.6 (or 3mm scale) to have room for motors and other electric equipment. For a while the scale enjoyed considerable success, but it was not meant to last.
By the early 1960s, TT had been eclipsed in popularity by N scale, which is even smaller. Tri-ang quit the scale in 1967, and H. P. Products discontinued manufacturing their TT line in 1968. In West Germany, Rokal was sold to competitor Wesa (which marketed their own 13mm-track, 1:100 scale), and production ended in 1969.
In East Germany, then on the other side of the Iron Curtain, production continued. Berliner-TT-Bahnen, which had superseded Zeuke, widened its offerings and exported trains and tracks over most of the Eastern Bloc. As the range became more and more comprehensive, offering not only trains and tracks but also accessories such as signals, lights and working catenaries, it became a serious contender to HO. During the 1980s, train sets were also exported to Western Bloc, offered as simple and cheap entry-models to the hobby and earning East Germany much-needed hard currency.
With the end of the Cold War, the East German economy was liberalised. Berliner-TT-Bahnen started to update their offerings, but soon ran into financial hardship. The company eventually ended up in the hands of Tillig, still today the largest provider of TT equipment. The products were improved, with better technology and more details, to bring them up to date with the offer in other scales.
In the 1990s and 2000s, several other companies started to offer models in TT, including major brands such as Piko and Roco, but these decades also saw the emergence of brands such as Kuehn, Beckmann and Kres, which all have made their mark in the scale. Since then, interest in the scale has grown, and more models are now available than in Z scale, and TT has come close to rivaling N (at least for European models), not the least with the 2022 entry of British Hornby and their new TT:120 range.
There is also a number of Russian manufacturers such as Peresvet (Пересвет) and TT-Model (ТТ-Модель) which produce TT scale locomotives and wagons of various prototypes in many liveries and schemes. With the emergence of 3D modeling software and 3D printing, many modelists in Russia have started to produce a vast variety of rolling stock and locomotives of their own in TT scale. TT is currently the second most popular scale after HO in Russia with a 40.9% market share behind HO with 46.9%.
The "Three Millimetre Society" is a British-based society which caters for railway modellers of 3 mm scale. This society was formed in 1965, eight years after Tri-ang Railways, a British railway manufacturer, had introduced their TT locomotives and rolling stock. The aims of the society are to encourage modellers working in this scale, and it produces a quarterly magazine and assists with the production of locomotive and rolling stock kits, components and the supply of secondhand items and spares.
To explain: rather than perpetuating the hybrid combination of 3mm:1ft scale and 12mm gauge track that was adopted by Tri-ang for its TT range during the 1950s and '60s, Peco has instead chosen the accurate scale and gauge combination of 2.54mm:1ft on 12mm track. This equates to a ratio of 1:120 (hence the term TT:120) which represents a brand new scale for commercial items in British outline.
On the same date as PECO's unveiling of their range, UK-based manufacturer Gaugemaster announced plans to introduce a new range of products for TT:120 scale, which could have included Class 66 locomotives, subject to demand. In their October 2022 newsletter Gaugemaster stated, "Following Hornby’s news that they have developed an expansive range of TT:120 products which they intend to supply exclusively via their own website, it makes little or no commercial sense for us to develop a complimentary range of products in this scale."
In October 2022, British brand Hornby released its new range of TT:120. Two train sets are being offered, with four series of locomotives and rolling stock available. This range was only available from Hornby's own website and it was not available from other retailers in the UK. In Australia it is sold via a third party distributor. Starting in October 2023 TT:120 became available via a number of retail outlets.
Russian Peresvet is another manufacturer who produces TT scale models of mostly Russian prototypes. German large scale manufacturer PIKO has also started with a TT line, focusing mainly on German stock, and offer locomotives, wagons and several EMUs. Arnold launched their first new TT models since being bought by Hornby in 2014, and has a small but growing offer. In 2022 Hornby also announced their new TT programme with British trains, offering a wide range of locomotives, carriages and accessories, reintroducing the scale in Britain.
There is greater variety in the accessories market, where some companies have a long-time involvement with the scale and others recently started to support it as well. Prototypes are mainly German and Central European, with a wide offering of models from Czech, Slovak, Polish, Swiss and Austrian environments. Suppliers of accessories include Auhagen, Noch and Viessmann. British Triang produced a Continental/French range but it was only made for a very short while.
The scale is uncommon outside Central Europe, with a few manufacturers in other parts of the world. One current producer of British TT is 3 mm Scale Model Railways 3mm Scale Model Railways. who supply updated GEM and BEC TT kits as well as a large range of Brass Etch and Resin body kits. American manufacturers include Possum Valley Models (kits), Sleepy Hollow/Gold Coast (ready to run and kits, Costal Engineering (kits) DnS TT Track and others.
TT manufacturers (incomplete):
German manufacturer Kuehn offered a track system which is now marketed by Roco. The geometry differs slightly from Tillig's system, but the two are compatible although with some minor differences.
With Hornby's entry into the scale in 2022, a completely new track system was launched. While having its own distinct appearance, the geometry is in most aspects the same as Tillig's track.
There are several other track systems on the market, although with smaller choice of track pieces. German TTFiligran offers very delicate fine-scale track, and the old, u-shaped track of Berliner TT Bahnen is still available used in large quantities. Czech manufacturer DK-Model also offers a limited range of TTe narrow gauge track, consisting of points and flexible track. Moreover, the British manufacturer PECO introduced Streamline Flexible Track and Medium Radius Turn-Outs with code 55 rail in June 2022.
TT scale locomotives are powered by Direct current motors which accept a maximum of 12 V DC. In traditional DC control, the speed of the train is determined by the amount of voltage supplied to the rails. The direction of the train is determined by the polarity of the power to the rails, where the positive rail is on the right, in direction of movement. Digital train control systems have, just as in other scale, become more and more common. The most popular digital control systems used in TT scale model railways is NMRA-DCC, most commonly using systems from Roco, Uhlenbrock, Kuehn, Piko or Tillig.
There are several coupler systems used in TT. Rokal and Zeuke had simple hook-and-ring systems for their model, but these are rarely used anymore. Berliner TT Bahnen introduced a modernized coupler in the 70s, and this is still today the standard coupler on models from some manufacturers. The most common today, however, is the Tillig close-coupler system, and most ready-to-run models are equipped with this. There are also different systems for magnetic couplers, permanent couplers and so on, and some modellers also use Kadee-style couplers.
Most TT scale rolling stock made today is equipped with coupling pockets according to the standard NEM358, so all models have interchangeable couplings.
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| from 850 mm to < 1250 mm |
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In New Zealand TTm is known as NZ120, and is growing in popularity as a means of modelling the nation's gauge railway network. In Japan TTm is also used to represent gauge railways under the name "TT-9", and has had limited commercial support from manufacturers such as Tenshodo.
Several scales also use TT gauge but with a larger scale to represent narrow gauge railways. The most common are HOn3½ gauge (which represents 1067mm gauge in 1/87 HO scale) and H0m gauge (representing metre gauge track also for 1/87 HO scale).
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