2024 On30 ANNUAL: What a time to be a modeler, especially in On30! We’ve added even more value to the On30 Annual, delivering amazing models, layouts, and building projects in O scale for 2024. Now in its 19th year of providing modeling fun and accessible narrow gauge for everyone, the On30 Annual is your definitive guide to O scale narrow gauge modeling. Order your copy today!
Adjustments to the Annuals’ Schedule
With the introduction of the new Garden Trains Annual, the print schedule for the On30 Annual gets shuffled around a bit.
Scratchbuild a Country Depot in Six Steps
While planning the town of Bayfield on my new Texas Creek & Southern railroad, I located the site for my depot. I wanted it to be a small, branchline-type structure. After looking around to see what was available, I decided to scratchbuild my own.
Speeder Shed Plans
Now that I’m concentrating mostly on On30, I thought it would be neat to duplicate the speeder shed in O scale and see what photos I could take of its interior using my current digital SLR camera. I drew full-sized O scale plans with a small CAD program on my computer and printed them off to use as templates for the model.
Ditching the Dummy
The dummy coupler at the front of my Broadway Limited On30 C-16 steam locomotive drove me to distraction. It made impossible any realistic narrow gauge operations, where front couplers were used nearly as much as those on the tender. I wanted a functioning coupler up there.
AMS On3/On30 D&RGW Short Caboose
The short caboose was once the mainstay office and living quarters for train crews throughout the Rio Grande’s narrow gauge operations. Decoration and minor detail miscues aside, this a very good O scale model of a numerous, well-known and well-preserved class of narrow gauge cars.
AMS D&RGW 6000-Series Flat Car
AMS has made the rounds at the shows for the last few years showing narrow gauge sample cars for the On30/On3 modeler. These cars are now hitting the market and that is good news for modelers looking to expand their rosters with sturdy, good-preforming cars of familiar prototypes.
San Juan Car Co. O Scale Parts
After getting a few pairs of the excellent On3/On30 passenger car trucks, I was pretty excited when San Juan announced they would be doing a Jackson & Sharp coach. I was equally disappointed when they announced late in 2012 that the coach project was suspended indefinitely.