New Ore Cars from Menards!

The C&O Chessie System ore cars are what I like.

The SOO LINE ore cars would match some box cars I have.

Andrew

Thanks Menards!!  it’s on my Christmas list looks like my ore train is gonna get longer!! ill have to look it I have a video

Just looking at the photos, these look comparable in size to the Lionel ore cars. Does anyone have any yet for a comparison?

@rail posted:

Just looking at the photos, these look comparable in size to the Lionel ore cars. Does anyone have any yet for a comparison?

I have the CN cars from an earlier run (279-8557), and they match the Lionel cars dimension-wise.

---PCJ

@RailRide posted:

I have the CN cars from an earlier run (279-8557), and they match the Lionel cars dimension-wise.

---PCJ

Do the loads fit? Several years ago, Menards had its version of the Lionel quad hopper, and the inside dimensions were slightly different, just enough that the coal loads I made for the original had to be modified to fit the Menards car.

Are the trucks on these cars die-cast? Do these ore cars roll free? Also, how are the couplers on these cars?

@rail posted:

Do the loads fit? Several years ago, Menards had its version of the Lionel quad hopper, and the inside dimensions were slightly different, just enough that the coal loads I made for the original had to be modified to fit the Menards car.

Never thought to test them since both my Lionel and Menards cars came with loads. I'll have to look into that upon returning from work, unless someone else has an answer before I do.

---PCJ

@rail Finally found my examples of both companies' ore cars. Results follow:

--Lionel and Menards ore cars are virtually identical, even down to the details in the ore loads. The key word here is "virtually" though. Swapping them looks like it is possible, but is slightly thwarted by a 2mm pinch in the sides of my example Menards cars (the 279-8557 Canadian National). I don't have my BN cars unsealed yet so I don't know if this anomaly persists across multiple production runs.

--I measured the loads out of the cars, while the Lionel load measures 52mm wide across its outermost edges, the Menards load is 50mm. So you can easily drop a Menards ore load in a Lionel ore car, but the reverse almost-but-not-quite works.

--My Lionel example is the 6-19307 Bessemer & Lake Erie from 1989. Comparing the details reveals a 1 to 1 match, the Menards detailing being slightly softened (almost like a worn die or a slightly heavy-handed spray-paint job) compared to the Lionel, this is most noticeable in the chain/sprocket details on the sides of the car, but it only stands out if you put the two side-by-side and stare at them. Looking inside the car shows a single large mold gate on the Menards car whereas the Lionel has four small ones. Rivet detail on the underframe (the separate piece that the trucks are attached to) is as sharp as the Lionel.

---PCJ

Here's a screen grab of a video I took a few years ago featuring both Lionel (left) and Menards (right) ore cars. They are pretty much identical. Obviously,  color being the noticeable difference.  I personally like the ore color better on the Menards version.

Rob

@jim sutter posted:

Are the trucks on these cars die-cast? Do these ore cars roll free? Also, how are the couplers on these cars?

It says "metal wheels".  I would assume that means plastic trucks with metal wheels.  Pretty sure both the MTH and Lionel have die cast trucks.

John

Some of the Lionel cars have die-cast trucks. When they first came out they had the same Symington, then ASF trucks the rest of the traditional line had, with examples here and there getting the die-cast Bettendorf trucks. If any of the Lionel cars have plastic trucks nowadays the most likely candidates are the ones in the six-packs, but not having any of those (I have about 82 ore cars at last count, so not trying very hard to buy more ), I won't bet money on that.

---PCJ

@RailRide posted:

Some of the Lionel cars have die-cast trucks. When they first came out they had the same Symington, then ASF trucks the rest of the traditional line had, with examples here and there getting the die-cast Bettendorf trucks. If any of the Lionel cars have plastic trucks nowadays the most likely candidates are the ones in the six-packs, but not having any of those (I have about 82 ore cars at last count, so not trying very hard to buy more ), I won't bet money on that.

---PCJ

Lionel DMR Ore Car 6-Pack #1

John

I did say I wouldn't bet money on the Lionel cars not having DC trucks, just that the sixpacks would be the most likely exception if any existed. The MTH Premier+Railking cars were never in doubt--the entire line had metal trucks from Day One.

---PCJ