2026 HOn3 ANNUAL: Now in its 18th year, the HOn3 Annual returns with 116 pages devoted to narrow gauge modeling and inspiration. Tour John R. Short’s Rio Grande Southern from Durango to Ridgway and explore Johnny Graybeal’s modeling of the East Tennessee & Western North Carolina during its golden age At the workbench, follow along as Paul Buhrke reconstructs a brass locomotive, Andrew MacRossie revives a classic C&S B3-C Mogul, and Thomas Engstrand builds a D&RGW-style turret depot. You’ll also find practical projects covering realistic rock scenery, easy drop-in gondola loads, small-space modeling, freight cars, trackside details, and troubleshooting Blackstone C-19s. Plus, explore HOn30 modeling, narrow gauge prototype information, new products, and much more. All this and more in the 2026 HOn3 Annual!
Growing Together
In addition to editing the HOn3, On30, and Garden Train Annuals, Chris Lane is now the new editor of Narrow Gauge & Short Line Gazette.
HOn3 Mini Layout: Blue Ridge Brick
Build an HOn30 mini layout inspired by the narrow gauge industrial railroad at the Palmetto Brick Company in South Carolina.
Easy Techniques for Turning Styrene into Wood
The character of the Westcliff & Alton I am trying to create, that of very well used and aged equipment and structures, is not the normal state of styrene as a material. With that in mind, I began to explore techniques to transform the styrene surface into a reasonable representation of the material often associated with narrow gauge steam railroading, aged and weathered wood.
Introduction to HO Scale Narrow Gauge
HOn3 uses HO scale models that operate on 10.5mm gauge track to replicate true three foot gauge. Hobbyists going this route often build their own track, but HOn3 has always enjoyed the largest selection of pre-built turnouts and flextrack.
More Up Clear Creek on the Narrow Gauge
More Up Clear Creek on the Narrow Gauge picks up at Part 55, and runs through Part 120, the last article in the series. The book also includes the 22 other Gazette articles that Harry wrote following the series’ conclusion. The book chronicles the final of 5 moves into the 12′ by 65′ mobile home that Harry calls “Little Colorado” and ends with the layout in its final (current) form.
Blackstone Models UTLX narrow gauge tank cars
Blackstone Models has recently released two HOn3 versions of the UTLX narrow gauge tank car. Once used to haul petroleum products on the D&RGW and RGS lines, some of these cars made it as far west as Hawaii and as far north as Alaska and British Columbia. These ready-to-run cars are beautifully detailed and will help you build a tank train fleet for your HOn3 layout.
Rio Grande 30′ Refrigerator Car from Blackstone Models
Blackstone has introduced the latest in their line of true-to-prototype HO narrow gauge rolling stock; the Denver & Rio Grande Western 30-foot “Short” reefer. A perennially popular prototype for narrow gauge modelers, this new car provides both variety and a bit of color to freight train consists.
Explore the world of White River Productions
