YouTuber Kitbashes Wichita Falls World's Littlest Skyscraper; Local Radio Covers Video

YouTuber Ron’s Trains N Things posted a kitbash that reproduces the Newby–McMahon Building, the so‑called "World’s Littlest Skyscraper," for a home model railroad layout, and local radio site 106.3 The Buzz ran a feature about the video on Feb. 25, 2026. The post spotlighted the tiny downtown Wichita Falls landmark and the video renewed attention in the model‑railroading community.

Ron’s channel was described in the radio writeup as aimed at newcomers: "His page is dedicated to those who are thinking of getting into model trains as a hobby. He will show you what it takes to get it going." The piece noted Ron’s technique on this build as kitbashing, explaining, "Apparently this is called 'kitbashing' using another kit to turn it into something else." The writeup also reminded readers that Ron had modeled Wichita Falls before, posting a Holt Hotel build eight years earlier.

The Newby–McMahon Building sits at 701 La Salle in downtown Wichita Falls and has a long online presence because of its backstory. The radio feature called it "One of the most iconic buildings in Wichita Falls" and said it "has gained fame worldwide because of videos like the one above." The item invoked the well‑known anecdote involving J.D. McMahon, noting that "J.D. McMahon is the one accused of scamming investors in Wichita Falls, but technically he didn't lie to them."

The historical framing in the piece repeated the inch‑vs‑foot story that produced the building’s unusual size: "His plans for a building were laid out, but nobody noticed they were in inches instead of feet. So the 480 inch building was built to the specifications and he got his money." The story also cited the contemporary value tied to the original purchase: "$200,000 (equivalent to $3.7 million today)." The feature used the phrase "infamous Wichita Falls 'scam'" and observed that "Several YouTubers have videos with millions of views talking about" that episode of local history.

The radio piece paired local enthusiasm with a fan note: "What should Ron do next? The Falls, Big Blue, honestly I could watch these all day. So Ron, keep them coming!" The Buzz also contrasted Wichita Falls landmarks, writing that while Big Blue stands out on the skyline, "nationally, it's without a doubt the World's Littlest Skyscraper."

Details not supplied in the radio writeup and the original fragment include the kitbash video’s publish date on Ron’s channel, the model scale, what kit was used as the donor, and any on‑camera comments from Ron himself. The kitbash nonetheless returned the Newby–McMahon Building to hobby conversation, linking a compact 701 La Salle landmark and a decades‑old construction anecdote to the practical craft of model railroading.