I just received two cases of Menards O-36 tubular track. I haven't run anything on it yet, but I do have some initial observations. First, THIS STUFF IS HEAVY! It probably weighs three times what similar sized piece of Lionel tubular weighs. It has the appearance of poorly done galvanized steel. It is grey and spotty, not the shiny stuff we are used to seeing in brand new track. The pins are not tight and the receiving (female) ends will need to be crimped to insure any type of pin grabbing. I plan to splay the outside rails which should help getting a good tight connection. The track is oily and will need to be wiped clean prior to use.
I bought this track because I thought it would be a good fit between an O-42 and an O-31 line. I am pretty sure it will do the job I expect it to do.
I think if you are looking for nice, new and shiny track, you may be disappointed. I think you could run some pretty heavy equipment on it with a good support at each track joint and not anything else. It is very strong, that is for sure. I ordered it on Wednesday, and it arrived today. Pretty fast shipping.
Well, that's it. I can't say anything for performance. I am just beginning to get the track laid out for initial placement.