Lionel MPC reefers.

Why?  There’s already a huge amount of them out there at great prices.  I’ve picked these up over the past couple of years and have more of them sitting on the shelf.

Nice idea, but the main hinderance to this idea would be all of the licensing agreements required.. for EACH car involved.  While Menards has done this on a limited basis with M&Ms, LifeSavers & Pepsi, doing literally dozens of agreements would be costly, & make it hard for them to meet a $20 price point.

Menards is most likely immune to the cost of licensing agreements. They are a huge retailer and sell a lot of the products that were advertised on those MPC reefers which gives them leverage during negotiations.  Not everyone scans eBay or goes to train shows, so these billboard reefers would be new to those folks, plus have you seen the price of the more desirable pieces lately.  Those MPC cars represented a fun time in Lionel’s history and I wouldn’t mind seeing a few of them brand new on the shelves at my local store.

I thought those billboard reefers were wonderful.  Very colorful and not road specific.  Lionel marketing hit the jackpot by coming up with different series; beer, liquor, candy, restaurants, even the first factory weathered cars.  I myself fell prey to collecting two of the series.  I believe many of those licensing agreements were made possible because of the advertising appeal to the brands.  I don't know if that appeal exists today making those agreements more costly.  If anyone would do it it would be Menards they have shown a penchant for traditional size rolling stock.  I would like to see them brought back, however, with my current roster I don't know if I would be in the market for more.

I don't know all the ins and outs of using a company's name such as Bazooka, Oreo, Gerber, Hills Brothers And etc. but Menards could contact the different companies for their approval. I would think some of the companies wouldn't want anything. Those are the companies they would make. It doesn't cost anything to ask. To me having your name on a model railroad freight car is a all win situation. When my wife and I had our store we had Weaver make custom run cars. The cars we made with companies names were more than glad to have us do them. The only thing they asked of us to was to give them a couple of the cars.

The above three cars were ones we made were the companies asked for a couple.

@jim sutter posted:

When my wife and I had our store we had Weaver make custom run cars. The cars we made with companies names were more than glad to have us do them. The only thing they asked of us to was to give them a couple of the cars.

Was that before or after MTH's lawyers slapped UP's lawyers into line?

I will never forgive UP for trying to extort money from toy train manufacturers. Greedy lawyers.

RoyBoy,

I can't say for sure. It's been to long for me to remember. I believe it was sometime in the early 90's

@RoyBoy posted:

Was that before or after MTH's lawyers slapped UP's lawyers into line?

I will never forgive UP for trying to extort money from toy train manufacturers. Greedy lawyers.

Chessie System tried the same thing during the mid 1970's.

Rusty

Radio Ron,

Sorry you didn't get one. I can tell you there were only (300) made.

I think that by the time I found our about them, they had sold out & people who had any were asking a lot more for them.

RadioRon,

I just saw one on that auction site that people don't talk about. Also, you should have your e-mail address in your profile. That way I could of e-mailed you the information. If you like, you may reach me at 724-549-2672.

@RoyBoy posted:

Was that before or after MTH's lawyers slapped UP's lawyers into line?

I will never forgive UP for trying to extort money from toy train manufacturers. Greedy lawyers.

The UP's lawyers had absolutely nothing to do with the decision to bring an action against the toy train manufacturers! They couldn't have cared less. The decision would have been made entirely by UP management as a busness decision. The lawyers, probably all in-house, were just directed to do what UP management told them to do.

The MPC billboard reefers were (and remain) wonderful cars. I still have a bunch of them. Fantastic graphics. Real attention grabbers for visitors, too.

As Coach Joe intimated above, the licensing these days is significantly more problematic than it was 40 plus years ago. Companies seem less willing to let their names be used on other company's products, and if they do, it isn't cheap.

Also, referring to someone else's post, just because Menards may be selling Hershey chocolate bars in their stores (as an example) doesn't mean Hershey's is going to give them a license discount, let alone let them use the Hershey's name on Menard's products at all.

I have - probably - a complete set with known variations of the Lionel 9800 reefers.  Certainly one of my all-time fav. cars.  I pursued them as they were produced and as the odd-balls appeared.

I'm probably going to sell most of them while keeping 6 or so (to me) memorable ones ... not sure when, where, or how just yet.

I have them all from the MPC era, and they are still readily available for low prices. Some do command a higher premium, Like the Cheerios car....I am sure if they were reissued they would sell.

Just before he retired Allison Cox one largest Lionel dealers on the west coast sold me a case of (12) Cheerios reefers. At the time, I was buying everything I could from him. He was a wonderful man.

Jim I picked up one of the Genny Light cars off eBay.  I didn't know you had Weaver make them.

@ZWPOWER13 posted:

I have them all from the MPC era, and they are still readily available for low prices. Some do command a higher premium, Like the Cheerios car....I am sure if they were reissued they would sell.

Those Cheerios cars still command pretty high prices. The cheapest on the Bay now is $79 plus shipping, on to well north of $100 in new condition. That case of Cheerios cars Jim got was quite a find. These were high dollar back in those days, too.

Another of my favorites is the Nabisco Oreo reefer, but there are a lot of great cars in this series.

coach joe,

I'm glad you picked one up. I suppose they are getting hard to fine. Hope you have a wonderful and safe evening.

Thanks Jim.  For the reefer and the well wishes.

I have 15 of the woodside ones.

@Dennis Rempel posted:

I have 15 of the woodside ones.

"What item (s) would you just have to have when you see it?"

yes, I think I may have that bug as well... I just passed on re-painting an engine for the purchase of post war lot of cars..... it's like i just forgot i was going to save $ for paint... oh and a repair manual, oh and another gi-raffe car..... oh, and...... Woodside Cars!!  (oh my! Be still my heart)

@breezinup posted:

The UP's lawyers had absolutely nothing to do with the decision to bring an action against the toy train manufacturers! They couldn't have cared less. The decision would have been made entirely by UP management as a busness decision. The lawyers, probably all in-house, were just directed to do what UP management told them to do.

You are probably right. Still, it was the UP organization.

I would not be in the market for traditional rolling stock reproduced.

One MPC reefer in my rolling stock inventory is the Red Lobster reefer from the Burger King "set". It is one of my favorites. I wouldn't mind seeing a 57 foot mechanical reefer that is decorated for Red Lobster.

I would also like to see 57 foot mechanical reefers decorated for Coca Cola. A Google search for Coca Cola reefers turns up all sorts of fantastic schemes, especially LGB's but others too.

I would also like to see 57' mechanical reefers for PepsiCo, Sprite, Dr Pepper, Tab, Jolt, and many others. A lot of potential fun in that.

In addition to popular soft drinks one could do the fast food chains and other restaurants.

I do not see why these sorts of things have to be solely for traditional under-sized rolling stock.

If Menards would put genuine Lionel MPC trucks on the rolling stock I would be interested.

I wouldn't be interested in anything with Menards trucks.

Nice cars from the chassis up, but I've had problems with the trucks or coupler/drawbar on every Menards car I've bought.  I guess you really do get what you pay for.

Jim, Menards is much more likely to create all new cars with paint schemes never before seen. The Menards train line is not a reproduction line of Lionel products. You’d be better off asking Lionel to revisit those cars, which are highly collectible.

Jim R. That would be wonderful to see Menards produce a line of reefers never produced before. Can you provide us with a approx. date as to when we might see them. Soon I hope. Always enjoy seeing new products from Menards.

While the reefers are great, when someone checks out these trains they invariably mention the Life Savers tanker as their favorite

@jim sutter posted:

Jim R. That would be wonderful to see Menards produce a line of reefers never produced before. Can you provide us with a approx. date as to when we might see them. Soon I hope. Always enjoy seeing new products from Menards.

I suggest emailing Menards with your ideas. Only John Menard and his development team what’s coming down the pike. But the spirit of your idea seems to fit Menards’ preference for colorful cars and commercial names.

I have the MPC Burger King GP20 and the Bonanza reefer, plus numerous other colorful cars, especially ever reefers. Some of us in 3-Rail thrive on those cars.

Jim R., Thank you for suggestion. Do you have a e-mail address for Mr. Menard. If you do, could you please send it to me. My e-mail address is jimstrainshop@comcast.net Please take care and have a wonderful and safe evening.

@jim sutter posted:

Jim R., Thank you for suggestion. Do you have a e-mail address for Mr. Menard. If you do, could you please send it to me. My e-mail address is jimstrainshop@comcast.net Please take care and have a wonderful and safe evening.

Personal email address? We’ll never learn that one. But use guest@menard-inc.com. I know relevant emails regarding train stuff gets to the right staff.

Jim R. Thank you, for your information. You have been a big help.

Nothing against MPC stuff but I prefer the above cars be made in full scale as opposed to semi scale.

Don’t forget the MPC Standard O 9800 series of scale sized cars.  They look good in a train with modern scale sized cars, just not as detailed.

@NYC 428 posted:

Nothing against MPC stuff but I prefer the above cars be made in full scale as opposed to semi scale.

Except this is the 3-rail traditional forum, not the 3-rail scale forum.

@jim sutter posted:

Who here besides myself would like to see Menards reproduce a lot of the old Lionel MPC 9800 series reefers? When my wife and I were in business, those refrigerator cars were great sellers.

To answer your question a year late, Jim, I don't think there is a need for them to do so. The MPC cars are readily available at cheap prices. I've seen some going for $10 each, in boxes, at train shows.

Here are my favs, their liquor reefers:

Lionelski, I too have a full set of those liquor cars and think there great.

Along those same lines, I am hoping one of these days that either Atlas or MTH does a Canadian Club car. It was a real reefer back in the day.

I agree with Mr. Sutter. Any exposure for O gauge is good exposure. I believe Menards putting these colorful reproductions of their progenitors out on their shelves could only help to encourage the average shopper to stop and look at these items, and, potentially, entice another customer into the hobby!

@Jim R. posted:

Except this is the 3-rail traditional forum, not the 3-rail scale forum.

Oh sorry, I didn't realize that any talk of scale items were censored here.

By the way who appointed you as forum censor, did I miss the announcement?