Menards Lionel set

If they were allowed to "bust the budget" on a custom run Lionel train set I would ask them to offer the Soo Line F7 A-Unit Diesel in Red & White, a Minneapolis & St. Louis PS-2 2-Bay Covered Hopper, a Chessie System Three-Bay, Open-Top Hopper, a Detroit, Toledo & Ironton PS-5 Gondola with Covers, a 1976-1977 ILLINOIS CENTRAL GULF ACF Center Flow 3560 Cu. Ft. 3-Bay Covered Hopper, an Elgin, Joliet & Eastern 50' Double-Door Boxcar, and Soo Line Extended-Vision Caboose #3.

 

Andrew

Terrance, I'm from Tipton and work in CR (ADM contractor). I agree with Andrew about the F7 Soo Line in Red and White, had one in HO as a kid and would love one in O. Also Had a F3 Chessie, that would be neat.

the last starter set i got from Menards was about three years ago..it was a sooline gp9 i think anyway...what a piece of crap!!!! the engine at slow speed would waddle down the track like my old dog when was let out to do his job....i have bought 2 stater set that was the Great Northern set which without going out to look i think the engines where also gp9 both of them run great...but the horn sucks big time on them..can hardly hear them..oh well at lest both still run great...think i will stick with my favorite.... good old Williams engine...hard to beat Williams..

toysjust4me

As a Milwaukee Road collector, I purchased Menard's Milwaukee Road starter set two years ago and would love to see them sell either a different Milwaukee Road starter set or a set of "add-on" Milwaukee Road freight cars for their first Milwaukee set.

 

Bob

There are a few Milwaukee Road freight cars that Lionel has not made for the Traditional O Gauge line.

 

Here are some of the last unmade Traditional freight cars:

 

MILW/KTTX open-frame 3-Tier Auto Carrier

 

MILW Waffle Side Boxcar

 

MILW #6672 style Steel 50' Mechanical Refrigerator Car 

 

MILW High-Cube Boxcar

 

If you can decide on a Locomotive and Caboose scheme that have not been made by Lionel, then it can be a complete train set.

 

Andrew

 

How about a Minneapolis & St. Louis EMD FT A-B-A diesel set from Lionel for Menards.

 

 

This has not been made by Lionel. It can be a Menards exclusive set.

 

Andrew

At approx $900 for an Lionel ABA set, I doubt that you will see it on a Menards shelf.

The Lionel FT A-A Conventional TrainSounds pair would be priced at the most $300 and the B-Unit would be priced no more than $150.

 

An O Scale F3/F7 A-B-A set with Legacy would cost $900.

 

Menards would be selling the Conventional FT diesels.

 

Andrew

Any news on what Menards may have for their exclusive Lionel train set?

the last starter set i got from Menards was about three years ago..it was a sooline gp9 i think anyway...what a piece of crap!!!!

 

It would be great if Menards hooked up with Williams for their Holiday trains. Williams with out a doubt manufactures the best conventional trains for your buck.

This is what they listed on their website a few weeks back: http://www.menards.com/main/c-13318.htm

The link above contains a set that might be new for this year...not really sure but the description says will be in stores soon. Click here.

 The set in the link is the regular production 30155 starter set that first appeared in the 2011 RTR catalog.

Wait until November 1st to see if the Menards employees have cleared away the Halloween items and have the Christmas Season items rolled out.

 

Andrew

I was in the local Menard's on Friday and they are already setting up the Christmas sales areas. The Halloween items, still on the sales floor, are pretty picked over already.

The seasonal sales areas look a lot like a Michael's Craft store display with lots of Lemax items for sale.

I've never seen a Menard's Christmas display (they are new to this area this year) but from what is already out I'm guessing it will be very extensive. The train items will be a welcome addition as no other big box store locally carried any train related items with the exception of Lemax and Carole Towne (Lowes) items often seen on a Christmas themed train layout.

Mark

So as of late I see Menard's has selection Lionel limited edition flatcars and the buildings, so will there even be a Menard's exclusive train set this year?

I was on the Menards sight tonight looking at the various 3-rail cars.

http://www.menards.com/main/ho.../c-13318.htm?ipp=100

If you look at any of the 3-rail car items, you might notice a video link, i.e., View Video, just below the pictures of the item.  Click on it.  It shows a U-Boat pulling all of the new cars. I don't know if this engine will be offered but I found it interesting. Plus in was in C&NW colors.  Which really ought to get the rumors going.  I noticed that some of the flat cars listed were cars that were supposed to be for sale during the 2012 season.  If anyone does look at the videos let me know if the sound plays for you. I couldn't get it to work for me.

the u-boat is a older tmcc release that lionel did. 

The sound worked for me!

They were using a Chicago & North Western U30C diesel that was most likely purchased on sale for use in the Video.

 

 

 

Andrew

I think Menards will just have limited edition cars this year vs an exculsive train set.

Yeah, I don't know what to think.  Menards doesn't usually display any of this stuff until around Thanksgiving.  They are already showing the cars and no set. But, I'm inclined to agree with you, I don't think there is going to be a Menards set this year.  

Terrance, the $20 flat cars are NOT made by Lionel.  They are pretty cheaply made.  Bulky couplers, & the "deco" on each flatcar is actually done by stickers.  I imagine they will turn brown and fall off in time.  They are good for what they are, though.... something to let kids use & play with without worrying that they are going to damage a $50-60 Lionel item.  Plus, it is always a good thing when a major retailers supports O gauge!

 

I just looked at my Menards at the flatcars and they say Lionel is a registered trade mark.

The registered trademark acknowledgement is there because menards are advertizing the cars compatible with Lionel trains.

 

The horn thing was probably for the safety and welfare of the child.  Do you know how annoying it is to constantly hear those horns when you're trying to watch TV or take a knap?

I bought the Soo Line RS3 set from a few years ago. The engine is what it is - very basic, only one motor, etc. Requires a little more power to get going, and of course it won't pull as much as other engines but it's still a pretty robust starter set engine, IMHO. This was probably the best Menards exclusive set and, as far as I know, the only diesel one. I think other diesel sets would be huge sellers. Paint a GP38/SD38 in Milwaukee Road, SOO, Chicago & North Western, or DM&E, and I'd buy one in a snap. Though the focus now seems to be the 0-8-0 that Lionel offers in practically every steam starter set now. There's really not much difference in any of them.

The list of railroads for the GP38-2 would have to be like this based on previous sets.

Wisconsin Central

Milwaukee Road

SOO - 1970's scheme

Chicago & North Western with a different color scheme or road number than the one Lionel made in 1992.

DM&E

 

Andrew

 

 

I was at Menards today and saw several train items.

 

*Penn Flyer set

*Lionel Lines Polar Express wooden set

*Lionel Lines battery powered set that kind of looked like slightly larger than HO?  Didn't have time to take a closer look.

*Lionel battery powered G gauge set (cheap)

 

But what was also new this year is a Bachmann HO set, Bachmann scenery cover (3 shades in the shaker cans), Bachmann scenery trees.  So even though it's not O guage, I'm really happy to see the train selection expand every year.

 

I also saw the Camaraderie Bar & Grill there.  With the Halloween stuff still taking up two aisles, they obviously do not have all of the Christmas stuff out so I would not be surprised to see more train items and Lionel sets showing up in the next few weeks.  I know last year I believe I saw I think four different Lionel RTR sets at my local Menard's.