Menards O Gauge Catalog

OK Friend and neighbors.  I have purchased twelve Menards flats with tanks (I used to be in the Wisconsin National Guard and saw tons of military equipment shipped on flat cars).  I love them, and yeah, anybody involved in having one of them fire live rounds while on a railroad flat car would have been ignominiously cashiered out,  but, what the heck on a model railroad it has an element of being "neat."   My question, how does one change the batteries when that become necessary?  Trainman45

Just saw a Menard's commercial on TV tonight, showing a quick glimpse of a train with a  steam locomotive,  which might have been postwar Lionel, and a three dome tankcar, which also looked like Lionel, which quickly faded to home improvment offerings.  I am not taking that as a hint that Menards is ginning up those pieces of rolling stock.

The cars are not for sale, I like them way too much.  I have heard that Menards is planning on a steam locomotive for the military trains (could be US Army Transportation Corps).  No problem on the flats with tanks and the noise and the lights.  I just think they are neat.  Trainman45

Menards posted:

Originally Posted by Russell:

Mark;

Someone probably already asked this, but do you plan on re-running any of the sold out items?

The Santa Fe boxcar I might go for, but not the Tank on flatcar, the tank doesn't fit my timeframe / motif.

Russell,

 

That’s a tough question. I think it is a good thing to make people aware that our train cars are unique and have short production runs. This establishes a certain amount of collectability. However, I wouldn’t see any harm in rereleasing a small number of cars if the interest is great enough.

 

What does everyone else think?

 

Thank you,

Mark the Menards Train Guy

I THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA.  Keep production #s low and pre release the info...

I think there is a mistake in the catalog for the dimensions for the track.  The catalog says the outside of the rails are 1.75" apart.  I just measured a piece of O-72 that measures 1.516 " across the outside of the rails.  The ties are close to 2.25" at 2.258" (close enough).  The O-72 piece I measured has Lionel and N.Y. stamped on the ties.

BTW 11% rebate is on again.  Runs till Jan 2.

How does one replace the batteries in the Menard's flat with operating thank?  Trainman45

Trainman : mine came with spare batteries.just unscrew the tank and the battery goes underneath the tank.

Menards posted:

Originally Posted by Russell:

Mark;

Someone probably already asked this, but do you plan on re-running any of the sold out items?

The Santa Fe boxcar I might go for, but not the Tank on flatcar, the tank doesn't fit my timeframe / motif.

Russell,

 

That’s a tough question. I think it is a good thing to make people aware that our train cars are unique and have short production runs. This establishes a certain amount of collectability. However, I wouldn’t see any harm in rereleasing a small number of cars if the interest is great enough.

 

What does everyone else think?

 

Thank you,

Mark the Menards Train Guy

I think it would be a good idea to re-release the most popular rolling stock because they sell the most. Many of us just run trains and don't buy for the sake of collecting. Meaning no offence to the collectors out there, but it seems to me that collecting is one of the things that raises prices and makes it hard for the average person to enter the hobby is because the big mfgs. limit their runs. A couple of years ago when I started looking at getting in the hobby, I was shock at the prices of used locos and rolling stock, not to mention the new stuff that I considered toys. There is a guy on E-bay buying new Menards O gauge stuff and reselling it for more than twice the price he gave for it. It would be sad if the only place you get these things were from people like this. It's the price and availability of Menards that I would hate to see go away. Just my thoughts everyone so don't come down on me too hard.

There are no Memard's in Houston (yet.).  I do have a question.  What's with the German Shepherd posing behind the bridge?

The catalog has the "feel" to me, of the old Weaver ones.

The Menard trains reminds me of the "Allstate" braned Marx trains for Sears.

Your items seem to have the proper balance between price and detail.

Keep it up.

cabinet Bob posted:

Trainman : mine came with spare batteries.just unscrew the tank and the battery goes underneath the tank.

Yep, I got the spare batteries with each one.   When you say "unscrew the tank" do you mean taking the tank off the flatcar and then I will see the battery compartment at the bottom of the tank?  If so, that should be easy, and thanks.  Trainman45

I would spring for a good old conventional steamer any day, Mark. But if y'all decide to make one, please do us a favor and don't delve into the upper end (read command control). Old Postwar and Marx styling is what I am interested in seeing, especially mechanically.

I picked up two of the UP flatcars this morning, as the only western roadname available,  I did not see any ATSF boxcars, which I understand are sold out.  I wanted one flat for a project platform in case I have to scratch build something that is not cheap enough on the Bay.  They have different numbers, which gave me pause, as in: Are people going to be trying to get every number Menards made, for these and other pieces of rolling stock?  (I am not jumping in that lake)

El Classico posted:

I would spring for a good old conventional steamer any day, Mark. But if y'all decide to make one, please do us a favor and don't delve into the upper end (read command control). Old Postwar and Marx styling is what I am interested in seeing, especially mechanically.

I agree.  A "MARX" 333, "Lionel" 675, PRR switcher,and a berk and Hudson based on the 726/736 bodies would be nice in conv.

Thanks again to Menards for supporting this hobby. Its the only big box store that I am aware of that I can walk into and buy anything O gauge. I picked up one of their Lionel Penn Flyers for $150 a few weeks back, and I recently ordered some O72 curves and straights. The price of the track is way cheaper than anything else I could find new or used. I still want to pick up a couple of those nice boxcars and I'm hoping the Marion, OH store still has some left when I get there next.

Dominic Mazoch posted:

El Classico posted:

I would spring for a good old conventional steamer any day, Mark. But if y'all decide to make one, please do us a favor and don't delve into the upper end (read command control). Old Postwar and Marx styling is what I am interested in seeing, especially mechanically.

I agree.  A "MARX" 333, "Lionel" 675, PRR switcher,and a berk and Hudson based on the 726/736 bodies would be nice in conv.

Heck, I'd rather see a berk and/or Hudson based on the body of the original 726, a proper 4-6-2 version of the 675, and a new engine or 2. There seem to be a LOT of engines based on the postwar designs, mebe add a new one to the gene pool?

Anybody who wants "re-do's" in conventional, should pull up older Williams on eBay (but you will want to avoid his brass USRA stuff, which I would pounce on).  You won't have to wait for Menards to produce any, either.  I can promise you I will avoid any pre-war deja vu all over again stuff, maybe as much as  I do the original bad models.  Nor will I want certain done-to-death eastern roadnames.  However, with new and different prototypes and wheel arrangements,  roadname selection errors can be corrected here.  I do agree that they should be conventional, to keep the price down, like the cars.  Let those who want to pay for that, pay to get it installed, or DIY, and not curse all of us with it.  That, too, would be different from the large manufacturers.

The Menards products look really cool and I will keep an eye on them for gift ideas next year. For those with Menards cars, how do they compare with Lionel and MTH from a size and quality standpoint?  Are they about the same?  They look to have more detail for the price point from the pictures.  Especially curious on the boxcar sizes.  If anyone had a picture of a Menards boxcar next to Lionel/MTH/both, that would be greatly appreciated. 

Alex

servoguy posted:

I think there is a mistake in the catalog for the dimensions for the track.  The catalog says the outside of the rails are 1.75" apart.  I just measured a piece of O-72 that measures 1.516 " across the outside of the rails.  The ties are close to 2.25" at 2.258" (close enough).  The O-72 piece I measured has Lionel and N.Y. stamped on the ties.

servoguy,

Your measurements are correct. I believe the track was measured incorrectly from the outer edge of the steel and not the rail itself. Thanks for your help!

-Mark The Menards Train Guy

Prospector posted:

The Menards products look really cool and I will keep an eye on them for gift ideas next year. For those with Menards cars, how do they compare with Lionel and MTH from a size and quality standpoint?  Are they about the same?  They look to have more detail for the price point from the pictures.  Especially curious on the boxcar sizes.  If anyone had a picture of a Menards boxcar next to Lionel/MTH/both, that would be greatly appreciated. 

Alex

Here's my new Menards B&O boxcar compared to a Lionel 027 6014, Lionel 6464 and a Weaver scale.