Can I get a HOn3 loco. for under $200?

[Anonymous]

Is there any non brass HOn3 locos? I'm starting a new layout and am looking for some new locomotives. I'm looking for a K-27 or K-28 from the Denver & Rio Grande or a small 2 or 3 truck shay in HOn3.

[Jetrock]

About the only one that comes to mind is the Roundhouse/MDC HOn3 Shay, and that might not be available due to their recent purchase...for stuff like the K-27 or K-28 you are almost certainly going to have to go brass.

[Anonymous]

Welcome along nodnarb

Your wish has come true - MDC Roundhouse do a (rather generic) 2-8-0, a 2 truck Shay and a class A (vintage) Climax in HOn3. The MDC kits take quite careful assembly to work properly.

The MDC kits availablity is a bit in doubt at the moment as they have recently been taken over by Horizon Hobbies along with Athearn, but you should be able to find them in some hobby stores and they come up regularly on eBay.

[Jetrock]

whoops, scratch that--it's a Keystone kit, non-powered, but somebody (NSWL?) makes a powering kit for it. Other than that about the only HOn3 "locomotives" under $200 in the Walthers catalog are the Grandt Line 23-ton diesel mini-boxcab, or the Con-Cor "Galloping Goose" railbus.

[Anonymous]

Thanks! JamesT1 and jetrock for the help.

[joseph2]

Recently I bought a MDC HOn3 2-8-0 kit from www.caboosehobbies.com of Denver for around $75. A new company called MMI is starting to sell die cast HOn3 steam for $350.

[fec153]

Good luck BRANDON.
pilF

[dinwitty]

from the emails back from asked questions to athearn by me, they seem determined to get the Roundhouse line back going.

[wp8thsub]

If you're looking for a K-27, try the recently announced die-cast model from MMI, which is sold through Precision Scale http://www.precisionscaleco.com . The new model is reportedly due this August and suggested retail was $369.00 last time I checked. MMI also appears headed for a K-28 in HOn3 for next year. Another outfit called Blackstone Models is getting into die cast HOn3 steam, and they have yet another K-27 coming out. If you want brass, new K-class engines can go from $1,200 and up or older ones for $600 plus.

A new manufacturer named Peter Grace is also producing C-16s that are supposed to retail for $199.00, and he's planning a number of other 2-8-0s based on the same mechanism (he said tooling for a C-18 is about done). Some photos are posted on the HOn3 group at Yahoo.

[Anonymous]

Rob is right on..Probably your best bets are the Ks coming out from Precision scale or Blackstone or the Grace C-16. It is possible to pick up older brass Ks for around $300.00 if you shop carefully. Some of the older brass are to be avoided, ask the narrow gauge guys about specific engines and makes. I have not heard good things about the MDC shay kits. Shays in HOn3 can be expensive and in the case of the two truck, hard to come by....good luck,

[orsonroy]

Do you really need to go the HOn3 route? Bachmann's On30 stuff is cheaper than even HO scale, and runs and looks great. For $60 an engine and $15 a freight car (Trainworld) you can assemble a great fleet for little money. Grandt Line and other companies also support On3 with relatively inexpensive prototype-specific plastic kits, and O scale is simple to scratchbuild. And since On30 runs on straight HO scale track, and the engines are small, you can fit just about the same amount of layout on a 4x8 sheet of plywood.

[Anonymous]

There's always HOn30, using N scale power and tracks. There is a lot of N scale stuff out there that can be adapted to this scale, a lot cheaper than HOn3.

Bob Boudreau

[jrbarney]

Nodnarb,
Although not exactly what you're asking for, Mr. David M. Hoffman, d/b/a The Bald One Loco Works is currently offering a brass HOn3 freelance 4-wheel diesel critter for $ 250. Prior to that he offered a kit for a brass HOn3 vertical boiler 4-wheel Class A, similar to a Climax, for $79. Perhaps he still has some in stock. He doesn't yet have a Web site. If you want to check the current price and availability for the Climax, his "snail mail" address is:
David M. Hoffman
8682 U. S. Hwy. 61 N
Woodvile, MS 39669-3502
Hope this helps.
Bob
NMRA Life 0543

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone for the help. I've never heard of MMI and will have to look into it. I had also allways assumed thai On3 was just to big but will look in to it as nothing is set in stone yet. once agian thanks.

[wp8thsub]

I saw a new (to me) announcement today on the HOn3 Yahoo list. It seems that Peter Grace says his people are nearly finished with the drawings for a K-36, that dies for the model should be cut starting within a week, and some test shots may be possible within a month. More (relatively) low-cost HOn3 steam looks to be on the way.

[jfbargmann]

I've reserved a K-27 from MMI thought Caboose Hobbies in Denver. I'll write a report of what I see when it is delivered. It sounds VERY promising for the price (prereserved for abour $250).