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.
Switching In/To HOn3
The author builds a detailed HOn3 diorama to help stay active in model railroad construction as his main On30 layout nears completion.
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.
Rico Station Kitbash in HO scale
I have been building a module of the town of Rico on the Rio Grande Southern for our Hon3 Free-Mo group for a few years now. I chose the 1900-1910 era for this, as it would (theoretically) allow the Blackstone K-27’s to be on the line, but still have the original wooden engine house. One of the centerpiece structures is the Rico depot with its unique tower.
MicroLux LaserKnife 2525 Laser Cutter
With only a few hours of practice, an amazing array of precise parts and models can be created in an almost limitless range of materials. Based on these attributes, Micro-Mark’s LaserKnife will allow the hobbyist to reach new levels with their models and may well prove to be “the ultimate tool” in anyone’s workshop.
Blackstone Models Open Platform Coaches in HOn3
It may seem hard to imagine today, but once upon a time, the railroads were firmly in the passenger business. The new HOn3 open platform coach from Blackstone Models replicates the most numerous of the Rio Grande’s narrow gauge fleet with impressive fidelity and attention to detail.
Alpine Scale Models Company Houses in HO
By the late 19th and early 20th century long term housing for workers close to the mines, mills and construction projects in the sparsely settled sections of North America led to the development of “company” towns. Alpine Scale Models “Chilao Flats” offers three small cabins and back yard conveniences representing these basic structures that would have housed either four single men or a single family unit.
Explore the world of White River Productions
