No More New Menards Rolling Stock Releases?

Maybe it is just a lull in product coming in. They are offering a free Kubota flat car with a purchase. Maybe Mark got a promotion and is doing something else or he is on vacation again. I think there were weeks when nothing new was offered. Or maybe some big announcement is forth coming...............Paul

We just got through a multi-month span of so many releases.  Most of them did seem to be buildings, but there were rolling stock releases as well.  I have no doubt that this is just a short lull that can likely be explained by manufacturing and shipping cycles by their manufacturers.

This may not have anything to do with this but I thought Lionel owned the term Plug And Play. 

I assumed Menards was trying to get new releases out in the summer and early fall (when possible due to shipping) so that items would be available for the holidays. They have shipped certain items to their physical stores for the holidays, and probably wanted to get many of their new releases released before they set up their displays/shelving. My Menards has a number of buildings and rolling stock that were released earlier this year. 

I have thought the same thing. Maybe next week. I believe the flatcar with the Kubota piece of equipment was previous offer as a throw in.  This is no time for putting the brakes on.

Gotta breath at some point!!!!

When was the last release of a new rolling stock car from Lionel or MTH, something with new tooling and not just a rerelease of a prior cataloged item? Has it been 5 or 10 years?  

Guess they must be winding down their train business too. 

Wouldn't call most of Menards tooling "new"...

Trust me, Mark is alive and doing well ! Stay tuned for more exciting  news soon.

Thank you CABINETBOB for the update. Thanks to you, I will sleep better tonight. Glad to know Mark is ok and new product is on its way.

brr posted:

Wouldn't call most of Menards tooling "new"...

Fair enough, Menards uses tooling of an unknown origin to produce cars similar to those produced by another manufacturer at some point in the past. 

romiller49 posted:

This may not have anything to do with this but I thought Lionel owned the term Plug And Play. 

Well, PnP has been around for long before Lionel used the term, so it's hard to imagine they could own the term.  Then again, in today's absurd patent environment, I guess nothing is off limits.

cabinet Bob posted:

Trust me, Mark is alive and doing well ! Stay tuned for more exciting  news soon.

Sure that's what they all say! LOL I am sure they have something very special coming up that is going to make me open the the wallet even though the wife says not too!

gunrunnerjohn posted:

romiller49 posted:

This may not have anything to do with this but I thought Lionel owned the term Plug And Play. 

Well, PnP has been around for long before Lionel used the term, so it's hard to imagine they could own the term.  Then again, in today's absurd patent environment, I guess nothing is off limits.

 Several different entities own trademarks on different variations of plug-n-play, but Lionel does not appear to be one of them.

https://trademarks.justia.com/search?q=plug+and+play

https://trademarks.justia.com/866/63/plug-n-86663210.html

What, me worry?

I'm actually happy to have a break.  These past few months have been painful not only from so many great Menard's buildings, but so many of my MTH pre-orders are now coming in all at once.  It's too much at one time!  The good thing is that unlike in the past, I don't feel like I have to rush out and get Menard's stuff right away for fear they will sell out.  They seem to be ordering enough now from the manufacturer to prevent that and when it does happen, a second run isn't too far away.

I have been involved in product development in a different hobby......and the amount of items Menard's has turned out is AMAZING......the only downside is customers get use to that rate.......Mark ad Co are making it look easy. 

I think he has been kidnapped until he decides to offer a brewery.

tstark.

Probably a lull due to Christmas season.  The manufacturers are full tilt on that stuff?

gunrunnerjohn posted:

romiller49 posted:

This may not have anything to do with this but I thought Lionel owned the term Plug And Play. 

Well, PnP has been around for long before Lionel used the term, so it's hard to imagine they could own the term.  Then again, in today's absurd patent environment, I guess nothing is off limits.

The first use of PnP I can recall is Microsoft with the introduction of Windows 95. The operating system allowed external devices connected to the PC to be automatically recognized and configured without additional intervention.

I wonder if RMT didn’t make a better deal with the manufacturer, and took the freight car business from Menards.

I don't know about y'all- but I'm broke. I mentioned to my wife this morning about needing to get to menards for some acrylic clear coat in a rattle can. She was like YEAH RIGHT.

Craignor posted:

I wonder if RMT didn’t make a better deal with the manufacturer, and took the freight car business from Menards.

Since there is no basis for that speculation, given that RMT and Menards have different manufacturing partners and Menards has a far more extensive product line with rolling stock products RMT doesn’t make and hasn’t announced, I think you haven’t thought very hard about that idea.

CINCINNATIWESTERN wrote.....When was the last release of a new rolling stock car from Lionel or MTH, something with new tooling and not just a rerelease of a prior cataloged item? Has it been 5 or 10 years? 

Lionel did come out with new tooling for cars, Auto racks, high cube box cars and recently the 65' gondolas. Wherever or however Menards has made cars is not important, that they did is and the price they did it at. RMT cars look like Menards but are higher priced. But not to get too far off track Mark has been cruising the country looking at older breweries to appease the few of us who are hoping for one as our Christmas present.  LOL "DAD" I sure wish you trusted your sons to remain silent if you told us what you know is coming down the road......Son#?....Paul

Winter, er, Black Friday is coming!

"Plug and play" and "plug-n-play" and other variations on this these are common (American?) English terms, and have been in the language for decades; no more open to copyright than "good morning". 

paul 2 posted:

CINCINNATIWESTERN wrote.....When was the last release of a new rolling stock car from Lionel or MTH, something with new tooling and not just a rerelease of a prior cataloged item? Has it been 5 or 10 years? 

Lionel did come out with new tooling for cars, Auto racks, high cube box cars and recently the 65' gondolas. Wherever or however Menards has made cars is not important, that they did is and the price they did it at. RMT cars look like Menards but are higher priced. But not to get too far off track Mark has been cruising the country looking at older breweries to appease the few of us who are hoping for one as our Christmas present.  LOL "DAD" I sure wish you trusted your sons to remain silent if you told us what you know is coming down the road......Son#?....Paul

Sorry son, I'm have been sworn to secrecy...Hope this helps...Dad

How about they come out with an operating church.  Like let's say:  Lady of the  Miracle of Menard.

It could be patented as "Plug and Pray".

Alan

The best kept secret is Lionel's  Lionscale line, every week a new road name is released and is made in the USA 

paul 2 posted:

CINCINNATIWESTERN wrote.....When was the last release of a new rolling stock car from Lionel or MTH, something with new tooling and not just a rerelease of a prior cataloged item? Has it been 5 or 10 years? 

Lionel did come out with new tooling for cars, Auto racks, high cube box cars and recently the 65' gondolas. Wherever or however Menards has made cars is not important, that they did is and the price they did it at. RMT cars look like Menards but are higher priced. But not to get too far off track Mark has been cruising the country looking at older breweries to appease the few of us who are hoping for one as our Christmas present.  LOL "DAD" I sure wish you trusted your sons to remain silent if you told us what you know is coming down the road......Son#?....Paul

come on Paul, how can Dad trust you when  you show everyone here where you do your laundry! LOL Next you will be showing us where the dishes are done! LOL

paul 2 posted:

CINCINNATIWESTERN wrote.....When was the last release of a new rolling stock car from Lionel or MTH, something with new tooling and not just a rerelease of a prior cataloged item? Has it been 5 or 10 years? 

Lionel did come out with new tooling for cars, Auto racks, high cube box cars and recently the 65' gondolas. Wherever or however Menards has made cars is not important, that they did is and the price they did it at. RMT cars look like Menards but are higher priced. But not to get too far off track Mark has been cruising the country looking at older breweries to appease the few of us who are hoping for one as our Christmas present.  LOL "DAD" I sure wish you trusted your sons to remain silent if you told us what you know is coming down the road......Son#?....Paul

Lionel has also produced new tooling for various 21" passenger cars.

Actually, Lionel has had a steady, albeit measured flow of new tooling. It probably wouldn't make sense to release product made from new tooling too rapidly. Between the development cost on the one side, and the ability of the market to absorb the product on the other, they would be squeezing their ability to make a profit. They need to have, and I assume they do, a long-term plan for releasing product from new tooling that balances development cost and the readiness of the market to absorb it.

Cheers!

Keith

You would eventually need a pole barn or an entire basement of a house to get all of the Menards freight car road names on one track layout.  

Andrew

Right now, I would be more than pleased just hearing from Mark or another representative from Menard's. 

the best is yet to come........

Dad, BOB, Dad, how can you say something like that that leaves us hanging, holding onto the chair with our finger nails on the edge our seats. I have four beers in the back of the fridge that have been in there for a year and a half. Maybe it is time to crack one open to get through this week...........son.....Paul.....son

They were nice enough to rerelease the Santa Fe warbonnet boxcar (with little to no fanfare) ; I'm hoping they'll do the same for the Warbonnet hopper.

paul 2 posted:

Dad, BOB, Dad, how can you say something like that that leaves us hanging, holding onto the chair with our finger nails on the edge our seats. I have four beers in the back of the fridge that have been in there for a year and a half. Maybe it is time to crack one open to get through this week...........son.....Paul.....son

Well son, I gave Mark my oath i wouldn't  say a thing.you know Christmas is just around the corner.  Don't mess with Santa.....LOL..

cabinet Bob posted:

the best is yet to come........

For me Bob the "best yet to come" would be a BREWERY!!!!!!!! 

I'm with you Nick! A Brewery that has special sales around Christmas time! I bet they are working on how to release it now! Just making sure they have plenty of stock!

Thanks Mark and Dad!

Cock-a-doodle-doo, I'm awake!

Here's a link to the teaser for our upcoming o gauge release!

Thank you,
Mark the Menards Train Guy