My very first TT scale set was this Berliner TT-Bahnen U.S.A. Starter. I'm told it was imported from East Germany in the 1980s, before German reunification. Apparently these were imported by an American entrepreneur who decided to re-introduce TT scale to America. When this individual passed away, their heirs sold off the sets in small lots and abandoned the project.
In my opinion the venture was destined to fail anyway. Not because TT scale doesn't have a place in America anymore, but because Americans want American Trains and not European ones.
In my opinion the venture was destined to fail anyway. Not because TT scale doesn't have a place in America anymore, but because Americans want American Trains and not European ones.
Contents of the TT Scale BTTB U.S.A Set
Author's photo.
Packaged in an unusual "T" shaped box, this TT scale set contains a German BR 81 steam switcher locomotive, one boxcar, one "enclosed goods" car, one reefer, and a flatcar with a shipping container load. The doors on the shipping container open. You know, I shouldn't be calling them "cars"; Europeans have railway "wagons", not railroad cars.
The set included an oval of 12mm gauge brass rail standard track measuring 65 x 82 cm. It didn't come with a transformer, but I don't think this was how it was originally marketed. I suspect the transformer had been removed and a cardboard insert took its place. Still, the price was right, and another transformer is usually the last thing a model train collector needs anyway.
The set included an oval of 12mm gauge brass rail standard track measuring 65 x 82 cm. It didn't come with a transformer, but I don't think this was how it was originally marketed. I suspect the transformer had been removed and a cardboard insert took its place. Still, the price was right, and another transformer is usually the last thing a model train collector needs anyway.
The BR 81 Locomotive
Author's photo.
As I said, the locomotive in this TT scale set is a German BR 81 0-8-0 switcher. Tillig, who took over BTTB still offers this locomotive in TT scale today. TT scale is 25% larger than N scale. The photo at the left shows the BTTB BR 81 (top) next to an Athearn N scale American prototype Mogul class locomotive. In real life locomotives the two cabs would be about the same size.
The BR 81 0-8-0 switcher was built in 1927 by Hannoversche Maschinebau-Aktien-Gesellschaft (HANOMAG). Only ten BR 81s were produced. They were designed for heavy switching, capable of pulling 1,100 tons, and had a maximum speed of 45 km/hour (28 mph). All ten BR 81 locomotives survived World War II, and at least one remained in service until 1963.
The BR 81 0-8-0 switcher was built in 1927 by Hannoversche Maschinebau-Aktien-Gesellschaft (HANOMAG). Only ten BR 81s were produced. They were designed for heavy switching, capable of pulling 1,100 tons, and had a maximum speed of 45 km/hour (28 mph). All ten BR 81 locomotives survived World War II, and at least one remained in service until 1963.
Laying Out The Track
As you may have gleaned from some of my other writings, I don't much care for standard track anymore. It's far too easy to misalign the rails and joiners, and the jagged edges of the ties aren't comfortable to hold tightly while you're trying to get the rails into the joiners. It took me two or three times as long to get the oval layout together as it would have if I'd had an integrated roadbed track.Once the track was together I hooked up my old Bachmann brick power pack. This is the kind of power pack with the zero throttle position in the middle of the dial, so you don't have to flip a switch to reverse the train. It just happened to be the first power pack I could find that wasn't already hooked up to something.
Setting Up and Running in TT Scale
Author's photo.
Railing the locomotive by hand wasn't too difficult, but wearing my train-geek magnifying glasses helped. Still, I'm going to pick up a Tillig railer when I get around to ordering some TT scale accessories.
With the "lok" properly railed, I slowly turned up the throttle on the old Bachmann brick, and the BR 81 took off. It had a little wobble to it, and it sounded kind of like an electric razor, but it ran just fine in both forward and reverse. And it got better as it was broken in.
Next I hooked up the cars... er, wagons. The European ring-and-hook couplers took some figuring out. But it didn't take me too long to get it all together. And once it was all connected the wagons ran as smooth as glass.
With the "lok" properly railed, I slowly turned up the throttle on the old Bachmann brick, and the BR 81 took off. It had a little wobble to it, and it sounded kind of like an electric razor, but it ran just fine in both forward and reverse. And it got better as it was broken in.
Next I hooked up the cars... er, wagons. The European ring-and-hook couplers took some figuring out. But it didn't take me too long to get it all together. And once it was all connected the wagons ran as smooth as glass.
A Minor Snag or Two
When I put the BR 81 in reverse, it ran equally well. But the wagons kept derailing. At first I thought perhaps they were too light. But a friend came to have a look at my new train, and he noticed that I had misaligned the track in three joiners. (I've definitely been spoiled by my Kato Unitrack). Once the rails were fit into the joiners properly everything ran fine both forward and reverse.With the BTTB TT scale set I also bought three additional wagons. When I added them to the train, the BR 81 could no longer pull the train. I then discovered that the wheels on all three of the add-on cars were frozen. I reseated the axles and the wheels spun freely. My TT scale freight train was soon making its rounds again.
A Collector's Item From a Marketing Faux Paus
I learned from the seller that the BTTB U.S.A. TT scale set I got was the last of a lot he'd bought years ago. Someone had them made in the 80s to try re-introducing TT scale to America. What this entrepreneur didn't realize is that as a general rule Americans buy American prototype trains and Europeans buy European prototypes. There are exceptions of course, but not mass market ones.As I said earlier, the BTTB U.S.A. set is out of production. BTTB itself was acquired by Tillig in the 1990s. This set is a collector's item, though not a high-dollar one. They turn up occasionally on eBay. If you're interested in adding unusual items to your collection, how many other American collectors have a TT scale train?