I recently became interested in HOn3 modeling. After a little bit of searching I did not get great results for HOn3 engines. Does anyone have a good link for where I can find some? I don’t care if it is brass or not, as long as it is a good preformer. Thanks for all the input.
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The market for HOn3 locomotives isn´t really big. Blackstone´s K-27´s are factory sold out, and their C-19 is not yet out. Caboose Hobbies usually carries some interesting offers on brass locos - you may try their web site here and here (for brass locos)
Blackstone Models (a division of Soundtraxx) made an exquisite DRGW K27 (2-8-2), and is coming out with a C19 (2-8-0). They also make highly detailed but expensive rio grande freight cars. MDC Roundhouse made some kits back in the 80’s. A generic 2-8-0 and 2-6-0 I think. They’re more or less average quality. Other than that, your only option is brass. At least Microengineering makes nice flextrack and switches in HOn3, in a variety of codes.
http://narrowgaugecolorado.com/?name=Home
http://www.i-sng.com/HOn3/HOn3_Locomotives/hon3_locomotives.html
The Blackstone are good runner. With brass engines you might have some work to get a good runner.
Railway Engineering has also turnouts.
Wolfgang
It generally takes a little effort to find HOn3 motive power. As an example, of my HOn3 locomotives:
Keystone Shays are still in production, and can be ordered direct or from Walters. NWSL is again making the motorizing kits. I got one from Caboose Hobbies and one from eBay.
FED 2-6-0 was bought in a private sale when it was offered in a Yahoo group I belong to. I also bought a remotor kit for it from Roundbell (LocoDoc). Additional details will be ordered eventually from PSC and Cal-Scale; I bought a PSC catalog for reference.
Ken Kidder 0-4-0T bought on eBay. In the queue for bashing, remotoring, and possibly new drivers.
Roundhouse inside frame 2-8-0. Kit bought on eBay. Future plans uncertain, may become parts box for scratch effort, may assemble pretty much as is, or may bash into something smaller with new and lowered boiler.
Notice all mine are low end. If you are willing to buy Blackstone, MMI, or used or new brass there are a lot more models out there.
There are still some Blackstone K-27s out there at hobby shops. You have to call around. Typically, the Colorado, Arizona, and California hobby shops have the largest selection of HOn3 motive power, including used brass. Blackstone is importing a second run of K-27s; the C-19s are due at the end of the year. MMI K-27s are still available for $199 at one dealer. PSC has a new Shay in production. David Hoffman has some customized Roundhouse Shays available as semi-kits for $200. These include NWSL gears and specific prototype details. Keith Wiseman still has parts sets for the NPC cab forward 4-4-0 (known as the Freak). Grandt makes their tiny 25T switchers in HOn3.
As you can see from my list, eBay is a also good place to find out of production and used brass locomotives, too. Just use HOn3 as a search in the HO section, and you will find most of the items.
In
It also depends what you want to model, logging, western narrow gauge, or be the oddball and model eastern narrow gauge. Train and Trooper did a run of ET&WNC ten wheelers that are just beautifull. I just bought one for my small layout I am building. Not cheap by any means, but no new brass is. Just depends which route you want to take and what line you want to model. Blackstone engines are nice, but they are on a sole D&RGW/RGS kick right now, no C&S or eastern stuff. If you want to go eastern narrow gauge such as ET&WNC, EBT ect, then brass is your only decent option. Let us know what route you decide to take. Mike