HOn3

nkp174

Active Member
jon6516 said:
Has the MDC hon3 engine kits been re-isued yet?
Not yet, but I did see one of those on ebay a week or so ago. Also one of their shays. I hope they re-release the outside frame version, but I wouldn't be surprised if they don't. I have one of the inside frame models, and I don't like it 1/2 as much as the outside frame models (I was the other way around before assembling the model).

Btw, nice engine jon!
 

sumpter250

multiscale modelbuilder
The Model Die Casting, / Roundhouse product line, is now manufactured by Athearn. The last time I talked with their reps, the answer was RTR, no kits. The outside frame 2-8-0 was one of my favorite kits.
 

jon6516

New Member
I want it as a kit

So no more kit-bashing? That sucks. After seeing your 2-4-4-? @ Kenosha last year, I have been trying to justify an additional engine. Now I need an engine to work the Harbor/port area on my layout, my 0-4-0T is not large enough a for DCC/sound setup. The port area engine house can just squish a Roundhouse 2-8-0 engine less the tender inside it, fit on a 56’ TT and (your engine) should not derail on the 6.25”R single point switches on the dock. In your Conversation with the persons at Horizon\Atheran\MDC, did they mention changes to the works on the engine?
Would the 3 in 1 kit still work?
 

sumpter250

multiscale modelbuilder
Would the 3 in 1 kit still work?
If you mean the "Battle Mountain" 0-8-0T / 0-4-4-0T kit, it would work, but that kit is unpowered, and I believe there were no idler gears with it. (wasn't required for my 2-4-4-2, because I used NWSL gearboxes)
 

Glen Haasdyk

Active Member
I have two or three of those engines in boxes, waiting for that project somewhere done the line. I think Railroad model craftsman did a two-part article on the powering of the little beastie
 

nkp174

Active Member
jon, there's currently a 3-1, an inside frame 2-8-0, and outside frame 2-8-0 on ebay. I'd go after the outside frame, but the starting bid is $75. The inside is currently at $9.99. There's also a 2-truck shay...I periodically check for On3...and HOn3.
 

jon6516

New Member
I have to wait on acquiring new motive power, the CFO just approved a new developer’s workstation for my .NET developer training, the port will have to be worked by the "hand of GOD" or a plastic Triceratops “ala John Allen”
But just to get this right, if I can acquire a "Battle Mountain" 0-8-0T / 0-4-4-0T kit, I need NWSL gearboxes? That’s all you needed to get your 2-4-4-2, running? There is still room for a SoundTraxx DCC/Sound setup?
 

Glen Haasdyk

Active Member
But just to get this right, if I can acquire a "Battle Mountain" 0-8-0T / 0-4-4-0T kit, I need NWSL gearboxes? That’s all you needed to get your 2-4-4-2, running?

Sort of, there is no motor either in the Battle moutain kit. NWSL makes a MDC narrow gauge regearing kit that replaces all the gears in the original. I used it on my outside frame engine. But that's also only is you were not going to make the 0-4-4-0
You can also find a small can motor for the engine there or on ebay.

I have looked at Ebay for the Narrow gauge engines and they all tend to end in the 60-80 dollar mark.
 

dave1949

New Member
My first wish list....
To do 3 Seperate lines that were active in the late 1800 mining days in Southern Colorado.

I am looking for these HOn3 Locos and cars... non brass
from D&RG from around 1887

class 60 2-8-0 steam engine
class 56 2-8-0 steam engine
37-2 2 Truck Shay 0-44-0 T
24 foot 10 ton box cars
4 wheeler Bobber caboose
combination baggage-chair car
Baggage car
1 coach car

or as close as you can come to them

any help will be appreciated...

Dave
 

nkp174

Active Member
Welcome Dave!

Check out Labella woodworking for passenger cars.

Clear Creek Models used to make appropriate freight cars. I don't know if Bill's Train Shop is still producing them.

Your not going to find the locomotives unless you look into brass, and then you might need to modify stuff...HOn3 brass locomotives aren't that expensive. You can probably nab a consolidation for $200-300. Frequently T-12s show up on ebay.

Good to hear of other 1880s modellers. I have plans for an 1884 DSP&P railroad. I've prepared materials for 4-4-0 #2 and currently have the pay car under construction. I'll probably have a litle D&RG stuff eventually too...but I'm doing that in On3.
 

pgandw

Active Member
Dave

Welcome to the world of HOn3! And the never-ending chase to find cars and locomotives from very small suppliers.

Best bets from my point of view:

- watch eBay. There's almost always a couple of pages of HOn3 listings, even when you eliminate the non-HOn3-specific structures and scratch-building materials. A lot of out-of-production stuff shows up here.

- pick out a couple of good LHS's to call and purchase from. Some HOn3 suppliers' goods can only be accessed through these outlets. There are less than 10 of these LHSs that carry extensive HOn3 stock and really service nation-wide and even overseas. Caboose Hobbies in Denver, Coronado Scale Models in Phoenix, and Southwest Narrow Gauge in Phoenix are all examples of this type of LHS.

- Subscribe to Narrow Gauge and Shortline Gazette. Most of the small producers try to advertise in the magazine at least periodically. Be aware that not all HOn3 vendors have web sites, and of those that do, not all are complete and thorough - Micro Engineering, a major producer of track products for HOn3, is an example of no web site. You may have to use snail mail and phone calls on occasion.

- In addition to this forum on the Gauge, I have found the HOn3 and the TOCng Yahoo groups to be quite valuable sources of info. There is also a Yahoo group that focuses strictly on Colorado narrow gauge, but I don't know the name of the group.

You may have to do some considerable kit-bashing or scratch building to get what you want. After all, you are in a small niche of a niche gauge/scale. Some period standard gauge cars may be useful - they often just need a little narrowing to get a plausible model. Examples of this have been narrowing of the Roundhouse Overton 34ft passenger cars.

just my thoughts, your choices
 

dave1949

New Member
nah....

I just like the challenge of these 3 lines...which does not really involve the Durango to Silverton route.
 

Mountain Man

Active Member
I'm a newbie very much interested in HOn3, as I am from Colorado which is rich in narrow gauge history and still-working narrow gauge trains.

I am not a rivet counter, although attention to time period and detail seems to be part of the hobby. I believe that you can get just as much detail into HO gauge of any type as into O gauge stuff- I think the real difference is that it is easier for modellers to show off their work in the much larger gauge, and On3 lends itself to the working dioramas such as logging that many seem to favor. If, however, you want a large working layout with several towns, mines and so forth, you are probably looking at HOn3 instead, unless you own an old factory building to put it all in!
 

nkp174

Active Member
Mountain Man said:
I'm a newbie very much interested in HOn3, as I am from Colorado which is rich in narrow gauge history and still-working narrow gauge trains.

I am not a rivet counter, although attention to time period and detail seems to be part of the hobby. I believe that you can get just as much detail into HO gauge of any type as into O gauge stuff- I think the real difference is that it is easier for modellers to show off their work in the much larger gauge, and On3 lends itself to the working dioramas such as logging that many seem to favor. If, however, you want a large working layout with several towns, mines and so forth, you are probably looking at HOn3 instead, unless you own an old factory building to put it all in!

Mountain Man, that's the lure of Sn3. HOn3 is an absolute paradise for finding equipment...but for me, it's just too small. I view it as having to many of the same limitations that n-scale has with the locomotives being too small for me. I've switched to On3 for the bulk of my work...with the intention of eventually having enough basement to do something with it.

To me, the lure to switch to Sn3 is very strong. It's basically HO size trains, and you still can have a huge layout. I'm especially drawn to it because Cimarron Works has come out with all the freight cars a South Park modeller needs as well as the Pullman sleeping cars. Unfortunately, they only offer some of the cars in On3 and none of the trucks. They don't offer anything in HOn3. Sn3 modellers also get some awesome support from Bill's Train Shop...almost everything you need for the East Broad Top! He also has the old Master Creations line of early HOn3 cars...Colorado Central, D&RG, and DSP&P.

But, I think I'll stay with On3. I can get decals from Cimarron for all of the DSP&P cars, and I'll have an easier time building what else I need. Plus I've converted a Bachmann mogul to On3, built a couple Grandt Line cars, and I have my dad's old On3 cars. Further, I love the thought of working Link & Pin couplers as well as hopefully building some working Miller Semi-automatic couplers.

The last thing for On3...Precision Scale is thinking about offering Die-cast DSP&P power in On3!!!! Low cost Mason Boogies, Cooke Moguls, or whatever else they feel like! I'm going to save almost all of my hobby dollars to purchase as many as I can. I hope they offer them...I love their models!
 
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