My First Menards Box Car

I've always admired Allen McCelland's Virginian and Ohio RR.  Now thanks to Menards, the V&O is well represented on my layout.

I have a number of the boxcars. Cool liveries and no problems for me.

There have been issues with Menards rolling stock lately. The more recent box cars seem to have the most problems. Nothing major and easily repairable for the most part. Can't beat them for the price.

This thread has more details.

Not so fast; bought 3 more cars.  One car has a truck with a very stiff coupler to close; another car had a truck whose wheels would not turn.

No worries with the stiff coupler - will add some lube but I don't uncouple them anyway.

On the one whose wheels would not turn, I found that the axle was not seated in the side rail and forced the side rail outward - gently moved the axle to its hole and that allowed the side rail to align and the wheels turned freely.  In all, not bad for the price.

Some of the cars on the shelf had thumb tack couplers but I didn't buy those.

Read the thread above.  One more observation; compared a Lionel VL Reefer to a Menards box car: the lengths are identical; the Lionel is about 1/16 inch wider; barely noticeable.

One of the most amazing aspects of Menards rolling stock, in addition to its very low price and variety of product, is that complaints about the trucks have been fed back to the company for many years without any substantive correction in the manufacturing process. Menards customer service has been excellent. But one of the fundamental tenets of quality control is that there should be a feedback mechanism--based on returns, repairs and customer complaints--to reduce manufacturing errors and defects. That obviously, and strangely, is not happening. My only wild guess is that an executive decision was made not to exceed a certain unit price point and any (truck) improvement resulting in a higher cost is not acceptable.

Are the couplers on these cars fully compatible with the Lionel couplers?  Or, are they lower and smaller.

I have only one Menard's car, a caboose with flashing end lights.  It is a great looking car, but the coupler doesn't match up with my Lionel stuff.  It is lower, and smaller, so it derails on curves.   I have one really old Lionel car with a very large, loose, messed-up coupler, and that is the only car that can tow the Menards car without derailing it.

Mannyrock

I have two of the Menards caboose with flashing lights and never had a problem with them derailing with any cars I have used with them.

It seems as if very little of any type of product rolling out of China has any quality control so to knock the Menard's train offerings for that seems arbitrary.

@coach joe posted:

It seems as if very little of any type of product rolling out of China has any quality control so to knock the Menard's train offerings for that seems arbitrary.

But the other O importers don’t seem to have the same known problems with freight car trucks. Also, it could be said that with different price levels and different prototypes, MTH and Lionel as examples have a variety of trucks made in China without the same reports of consistent problems as Menards. Does Atlas have different trucks too?

@Bruce Brown posted:

One of the most amazing aspects of Menards rolling stock, in addition to its very low price and variety of product, is that complaints about the trucks have been fed back to the company for many years without any substantive correction in the manufacturing process. Menards customer service has been excellent. But one of the fundamental tenets of quality control is that there should be a feedback mechanism--based on returns, repairs and customer complaints--to reduce manufacturing errors and defects. That obviously, and strangely, is not happening. My only wild guess is that an executive decision was made not to exceed a certain unit price point and any (truck) improvement resulting in a higher cost is not acceptable.

Agreed. I stopped buying Menards rolling stock several years ago and will buy no more. I had some scattered issues with the trucks (well documented in these pages), but the kicker for me was a purchase of a 4-pack of Western Pacific box cars. Every one had defective trucks.

I like Menards entry into the O gauge market and have several of their accessories. Have simply made a decision to forego any new rolling stock. Voting with my wallet.

I bought a 4 pack of Western Pacifics and with a couple drops of oil they run perfectly. I for one love what Menards has brought to the table. The price point is perfect and the variety can’t be beat. I think I have about 20 boxcars now. I enjoy weathering them and not feeling guilty. Some needed a little fiddling, but none needed to be sent back.

@RickM46 posted:

Was wandering around Menards (Angola, In) this AM and happened by an end cap full of Menard's O gauge freight cars - on sale for $19.99.   Bought one as a test; for that price, why not?   I am impressed by its construction; had some weight to it; couplers operated smooth - not thumb tack; wheels turned freely; trucks swivel easily. Did a few turns around the O36 track with no issues.

Rich:  you are hooked.  Welcome to Menard-mania!   Unfortunately, positive posts like yours repeatedly bring out the complainers & ranters.  BTW, your boxcar wasn't on sale for $19.99..... that was the regular price!  Check Menards.com -  train stuff for their full selection.  Enjoy!

I have about 40 Menards cars and 99% have been problem free. The ones that had issues were mostly a easy fix. The paint schemes are well executed and although many are not prototypical to that exact car, they look great. These are not for everyone but if you like freight cars for a reasonable price then they are for you.

Dave

RickM46, what's that steam loco you have pulling your Menards car?

I got some Menards box cars for Christmas and I like them! I would like to upgrade the trucks just because some of mine don't roll true, some don't roll easily after lubing (all but two did), and the under carriage uncoupler is tricky business. I can't poke it with my finger and I don't have any uncoupler tracks on the test layout. While the full layout has some included, I would rather be able to uncouple where ever I please.

I'm quite happy with these box cars. I like their size and most of my problems were easily fixed. Plus, I don't feel bad about painting a cheap boxcar. The only other issue I had was that the wheel flanges don't seem to fit through my temporary Atlas switches. They're temporary so I don't care but it's minor anyway. It could be fixed with a Dremel or a truck upgrade.

@RickM46 posted:

Not so fast; bought 3 more cars.  One car has a truck with a very stiff coupler to close; another car had a truck whose wheels would not turn.

No worries with the stiff coupler - will add some lube but I don't uncouple them anyway.

On the one whose wheels would not turn, I found that the axle was not seated in the side rail and forced the side rail outward - gently moved the axle to its hole and that allowed the side rail to align and the wheels turned freely.  In all, not bad for the price.

Some of the cars on the shelf had thumb tack couplers but I didn't buy those.

Great price, but . . .  I bought my first four online this summer.  3 out of 4 had problems with the truck.  All problems with axles being out of the truck frames,, some wheel spacing different on the axles.  In addition one coupler never really got staked to the bar.  No damage to the boxes at all and they were well packed.

No more for me.  Too much trouble to repair or send back.

OK, they are not bad.  Bit I started in about 1973/4 with early MPC Lionel.

Lionel and Menards could become the last two standing.

I have to say, what bugs me more than the truck issues are the road numbers being applied crooked. A little harder to fix that. Yes, they are a good deal. I have several.

Jeff

@Jerry Nolan posted:

RickM46, what's that steam loco you have pulling your Menards car?

Jerry, that locomotive is a Lionel USRA Pacific 290 6-85170 from the 2018 Big Book catalog; so far, no issues but less than 10 hours of run time; it has the same whistle as the Lionel Big Boys.

I like the fantasy scheme cars but I wish they would stop painting the ladders yellow on the "real" cars.

Brendan  

It was mentioned that the couplers on the Menards cars do not mate up well with other couplers; took a look at the coupler on a Menards tank car to the tender on the Lionel USRA Pacific and, just eyeballing it, the Menards coupler is about 1/32 to 1/16 higher than the Lionel coupler; same with a coupler to a Lionel caboose - for the price - no worries.

I got three cars from Menards for Christmas: Lifesavers tank car, Tide tank car and the red M & Ma's boxcar.

The two tank cars roll fine but the trucks are plastic. The M & M boxcar has really nice diecast trucks, but unfortunately, one truck fell off when I lifted it from its plastic cradle. Looks like the rivet wasn't fully formed.

Anyone know how to reattach the truck? Looking at it from the bottom, it looks like the truck blocks access to the rivet.

@Sean007 posted:

I got three cars from Menards for Christmas: Lifesavers tank car, Tide tank car & a red M & M's boxcar.  The tank cars roll fine but, the trucks are plastic. The M & M boxcar has really nice diecast trucks, but unfortunately, one truck fell off when I lifted it from its plastic cradle. Looks like the rivet wasn't fully formed.   Anyone know how to reattach the truck?  Looking at it from the bottom, it looks like the truck blocks access to the rivet.

Check your LifeSavers tank car... the trucks are diecast.  It's the only one in the newly-released batch of tank cars w/ die-cast trucks.

Sean,

If you take off the boxcar shell, the trucks are held on by an E clip. If your stud on the truck is deformed you may need a new truck. I usually move the washer to the underside of the frame to help the coupler arm from scraping the botton edge of the boxcar.

Good Luck!

Jeff

@Postwarman posted:

I have to say, what bugs me more than the truck issues are the road numbers being applied crooked.  A little harder to fix that.  Yes, they are a good deal.  I have several.

Jeff

Yeah, I've said before, I'd rather that Menards give up on the "individual number" thing.  They are applied on shiny tape, which as you note, is often crooked.   Since the numbers add no value to the Menards cars (to me) & I think they should just stamp the same number on any given car & get on with it.   

@Sean007 posted:

I got three cars from Menards for Christmas: Lifesavers tank car, Tide tank car and the red M & Ma's boxcar.

The two tank cars roll fine but the trucks are plastic. The M & M boxcar has really nice diecast trucks, but unfortunately, one truck fell off when I lifted it from its plastic cradle. Looks like the rivet wasn't fully formed.

Anyone know how to reattach the truck? Looking at it from the bottom, it looks like the truck blocks access to the rivet.

Sean,

Coincidentally I also recently got the Lifesavers tank car, Tide tank car and M&M's hopper car. We must have the same Santa!

For repairs I keep on-hand the MTH 20-98000 series diecast trucks. They cost about $12.50 each and easily attach by screw and washer to most O-Gauge products not requiring a center-rail roller.

Bruce

@Bruce Brown posted:

Sean,

Coincidentally I also recently got the Lifesavers tank car, Tide tank car and M&M's hopper car. We must have the same Santa!

For repairs I keep on-hand the MTH 20-98000 series diecast trucks. They cost about $12.50 each and easily attach by screw and washer to most O-Gauge products not requiring a center-rail roller.

Bruce

Thanks Bruce - I will look into the MTH trucks. Where do you buy yours?

We probably do have the same Santa, they stick together!

@Postwarman posted:

Sean,

If you take off the boxcar shell, the trucks are held on by an E clip. If your stud on the truck is deformed you may need a new truck. I usually move the washer to the underside of the frame to help the coupler arm from scraping the botton edge of the boxcar.

Good Luck!

Jeff

Thanks Jeff - I will try that too. Mine actually looks like it was attached with a rivet!

@Sean007 posted:

Thanks Bruce - I will look into the MTH trucks. Where do you buy yours?

We probably do have the same Santa, they stick together!

Sean,

I'm sure I bought mine at York but I see that most MTH dealers sell them (e.g. MTH 20-89003 )

The problem is very slow shipping at this time especially USPS. I have mid-December orders from train stores in New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland that have yet to be delivered.

@Bruce Brown posted:

Sean,

I'm sure I bought mine at York but I see that most MTH dealers sell them (e.g. MTH 20-89003 )

The problem is very slow shipping at this time especially USPS. I have mid-December orders from train stores in New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland that have yet to be delivered.

Thanks again Bruce,

I'll check around for a pair or two!

I also am a fan of Menards boxcars and have a bunch of them, all with the “premium” die-cast trucks and (happily) none with problems. But I also find that I can buy many extremely nice Lionel Standard O freight cars for about $20. A good time for getting O gauge rolling stock!

I too have a couple of Menard's rolling stock purchased last year.  All have die cast trucks.  No problems yet. 

I've got a four pack of the 14-1/2" flat cars and were very satisfied with the product.  For the mostpart the problematic trucks seem repairable by the buyer with a minimal effort. Yes some maybe beyond repair however when you compare this to some of the problems reported on high end BTO locos that have to go back to the importer for repair I believe taking them to task for lack of quality control while accepting engines of the wrong color is arbitrary.  I do not buy a lot of new production items because I can't justify the costs so I'm just going by what I read here on the Forum.