The new Menards Catalog

Mine didnt...

It is filled with buildings, cars, trucks and more.

What month and issue number of CTT has it?

Is it stapled in, just slid inside, or are both contained in a plastic bag?

The insert catalog from Menards was a fun surprise when my CTT arrived today.  It reminded me of the huge foldouts from Williams years ago but with more artistically done art and photography of the large line of buildings and rolling stock.

Can it be too long before Menards has a Christmas operating train display in its stores to help sell more trains?  

Certainly a major push in advertising for the Christmas Season. Menards is taking away some revenue from the other guys. Some of those other importers probably can not afford to lose revenue from their bread & butter high profit rolling stock line.

   Bill T.

Wonder if those catalogs are available in theirs stores?  And since l and many others have raved about Menards offerings on here, how come it isn't a sexy centerfold in my copy of OGR? (naturally, they are trying to reach a few lost souls who do not subscribe to OGR)

I believe I was told , these will be available in the stores for the cover price of .99 cents

I look at it on line for free! LOL But a paper one would be nice!

I was surprised to get this in the CTT issue. I agree with Bill Menards is becoming a major player adding new items all the time. Plus going through the magizine they have a number of separate adds too...........Paul

mike g. posted:

I look at it on line for free! LOL But a paper one would be nice!

A few of my pictures are to be in this issue I think..

Nice, how do I get my hands on one?

Ok, let's play what if.  What if Menards wants to become a player in the, 'let's have some fun running toy trains market'?  They would need motive power.  Probably at first they would provide diesels because they are less complicated than steam engines.  Probably no high priced electronics.  An approach like Williams before Bachman, horn and maybe smoke and that is it.

Who is going to be the supplier of these engines.  The price point has to compare to others engines as their freight cars do.  Maybe about 50% of the cost of a Lionel or MTH second tier engine.  Does that tooling exist somewhere?  Williams was able to acquire the F7 tooling when he started.  Is there other diesel tooling sitting on a shelf somewhere?

Could be an interesting, what if?

With trains being less than 1% of Menards total revenue I wouldn't consider them being a serious player.  For that reason I can't see them coming out with any motive power and the multitude of headaches that would most likely happen.  

Bill DeBrooke posted:

The new issue of CTT has a sixteen page Menards catalog stuffed inside.  Looks like they want to be a player.

I got one in my car .....yuck....

wild mary posted:

With trains being less than 1% of Menards total revenue I wouldn't consider them being a serious player.  For that reason I can't see them coming out with any motive power and the multitude of headaches that would most likely happen.  

If you assume, as their current inventory suggests, that they want to product fairly simple good play value equipment then their motive power would not have the same problems that dominate this site.  There would be no complex electronics.  It would be as complex as go forward, stand still, go backwards and or smoke, don't smoke.

Most of us grew up with that simplicity.  There still may be enough of a market for easy to operate trains.

wild mary posted:

With trains being less than 1% of Menards total revenue I wouldn't consider them being a serious player.  For that reason I can't see them coming out with any motive power and the multitude of headaches that would most likely happen.  

It might be small potatoes for Menards, but the market share that they taking from Lionel/MTH etc is likely noticeable.  Lionel/MTH likely view Menards as a serious player in the rolling stock market and for their nicely done buildings.  

I actually believe that the "less than 1%  of revenue" factor might actually be an argument toward the viability of an expanded train product line at Menards.  Menards could sell $0 of trains this year and the company would suffer very little consequence because of their diversified product portfolio of lumber, hardware, home goods, etc.  I believe for them that the trains started as a pet project to fill a void in the train marketplace, and by most consumer accounts it has been a success.  I don't know if the company sees it as a financial success - I know they keep the train inventory in stock in my local stores for a year+.  I don't know much about retail, but I know that inventory that doesn't move is not a good thing.  However, it seems that Menards has a soft spot for the trains and their rightful place in Christmas tradition and beyond. 

Another argument that it is feasible for Menards to offer motive power is that it is a private company.  If the chief exec/owner wants to have motive power introduced into the line, he will get it.  If it were publicly traded, much more emphasis would be placed on the quarterly financial results, and in turn, more scrutiny would be placed on low performing product lines.

JD you've certainly made some valid points that I never considered.  Perhaps some day soon they will offer some conventional motive power along the lines of Williams before Bachmann.

On line they are now showing locomotives, by Lionel.

wild mary posted:

JD you've certainly made some valid points that I never considered.  Perhaps some day soon they will offer some conventional motive power along the lines of Williams before Bachmann.

Hopefully not before a nice brewery building  👍

I Think you’re right about potential headaches from motive power.  I’d guess that any problems would just be returned to Menards (or their manufacturer) and you would get a new piece.  Certainly, it would be more complicated than rolling stock. 

My statements are purely observations and I make a lot of assumptions regarding the actual sales performance. It seems that they probably sell a lot (if not a majority) online.

Just Wishful thinking from a guy with no money at risk

I’ll try to make it over to Menards to pick up a catalog this week. 

RJR posted:

On line they are now showing locomotives, by Lionel.

I only saw locomotives as part of the Lion Chief RTR sets.  Not a bad idea for someone just getting into the hobby and wants a Lionel train for around the Christmas tree at a very affordable price.

Menards is selling a brewery....well sort of as it's a Lemax product 

Yulesteiner Brewery

Here it is on my town.

To play with the big boys they will need to put out some engines, hopefully they will put out bluetooth equipped engines.

MTC

JD2035RR posted:

wild mary posted:

With trains being less than 1% of Menards total revenue I wouldn't consider them being a serious player.  For that reason I can't see them coming out with any motive power and the multitude of headaches that would most likely happen.  

It might be small potatoes for Menards, but the market share that they taking from Lionel/MTH etc is likely noticeable.  Lionel/MTH likely view Menards as a serious player in the rolling stock market and for their nicely done buildings.  

I actually believe that the "less than 1%  of revenue" factor might actually be an argument toward the viability of an expanded train product line at Menards.  Menards could sell $0 of trains this year and the company would suffer very little consequence because of their diversified product portfolio of lumber, hardware, home goods, etc.  I believe for them that the trains started as a pet project to fill a void in the train marketplace, and by most consumer accounts it has been a success.  I don't know if the company sees it as a financial success - I know they keep the train inventory in stock in my local stores for a year+.  I don't know much about retail, but I know that inventory that doesn't move is not a good thing.  However, it seems that Menards has a soft spot for the trains and their rightful place in Christmas tradition and beyond. 

Another argument that it is feasible for Menards to offer motive power is that it is a private company.  If the chief exec/owner wants to have motive power introduced into the line, he will get it.  If it were publicly traded, much more emphasis would be placed on the quarterly financial results, and in turn, more scrutiny would be placed on low performing product lines.

 

Well, Menards may actually be cutting into Lionel's and MTH's action a little, but only in the non-scale arena. To date, I only own five pieces from Menards, the Red Owl store and a four pack of their well cars, because it was determined that they were scale. They seem to be the old Right of Way cars.

The CN car on the left is the ROW, the TTX on the right is Menards. The biggest difference is ride height. The Menards car is just too high, but I think I can fix that. The price is certainly right.

As I have said a few times, here on the forum, most of my layout and part of my house came from Menards, just not many of my trains.

John Pignatelli JR. posted:

To play with the big boys they will need to put out some engines, hopefully they will put out bluetooth equipped engines.

MTC

John I really don't think they want or need to play with the model train big boys.  To them the big boys are Lowes and Home Depot.

I really don't believe that Menards wants the headaches associated with locomotives unless their manufacture can get the tooling to some bullet proof conventional locomotives such as the RMT Beeps or the K-Line NW / SW switchers. I would be in for a Menards Beep to head up a consist of Menards boxcars or hoppers.

   Bill T.

Bill T posted:

I really don't believe that Menards wants the headaches associated with locomotives unless their manufacture can get the tooling to some bullet proof conventional locomotives such as the RMT Beeps or the K-Line NW / SW switchers. I would be in for a Menards Beep to head up a consist of Menards boxcars or hoppers.

   Bill T.

Funny you should say that.  I would think that RMT is the perfect acquisition.

Among other things, the Menards building selection is exceptional.  Over the years, I had purchased a couple of books about WW II "Nose Art" on the planes, so, the nose art boxcars are really exceptional.  It will be interesting to see if there are any new nose art boxcars depicted in the catalog.

Finally, a great idea to include the catalog in one, or more of the popular hobbyist magazines.  Also a nice historical touch by Menards, since I believe that Lionel, way back when, included their new catalog in a magazine during the holidays.

Dennis GS-4 N & W No. 611 posted:

Finally, a great idea to include the catalog in one, or more of the popular hobbyist magazines.  Also a nice historical touch by Menards, since I believe that Lionel, way back when, included their new catalog in a magazine during the holidays.

The other historical touch is the catalog’s cover art as a nod to the 1952 (?) Lionel catalog. Notice the MENARDS in block letters in a very similar format/layout with the old Lionel. All that’s missing is the smiling kid in engineer’s cap looking down from the top!

This one:

Bill DeBrooke posted:

Ok, let's play what if.  What if Menards wants to become a player in the, 'let's have some fun running toy trains market'?  They would need motive power.  Probably at first they would provide diesels because they are less complicated than steam engines.  Probably no high priced electronics.  An approach like Williams before Bachman, horn and maybe smoke and that is it.

I'll be amazed if Menard's opts to do locomotives, way too many support headaches.

LOVE going to Menard's, so I can see what's new in low-cost trains! I wish they would keep the HO (ho ho ho) buildings separated out, though. Mixing them in with the O-scale buildings can be distracting. 

As regards the mini-catalog insert to the latest CTT, what a nice surprise! As someone earlier wondered, I hope these will become available in the store. My ONLY problem overall with Menard's is that they are such a HUGE operation, there appears to be ZERO ways to get direct answers from "corporate" on questions about "Trains Stuff" which is what they call it.

BurlingtonBill posted:

LOVE going to Menard's, so I can see what's new in low-cost trains! I wish they would keep the HO (ho ho ho) buildings separated out, though. Mixing them in with the O-scale buildings can be distracting. 

As regards the mini-catalog insert to the latest CTT, what a nice surprise! As someone earlier wondered, I hope these will become available in the store. My ONLY problem overall with Menard's is that they are such a HUGE operation, there appears to be ZERO ways to get direct answers from "corporate" on questions about "Trains Stuff" which is what they call it.

I am not sure why one needs to talk to corporate.  They appear to produce what interests them.  They tell you what is coming, it comes, you either buy or not buy and it disappears.  That seems like a very simple system. 

I am not sure how Lionel operated in the old days but I doubt if they had a suggestion box for customer's input.

Don't need the catalog in CA,they don't sell here.

Mikey

Bill T posted:

I really don't believe that Menards wants the headaches associated with locomotives unless their manufacture can get the tooling to some bullet proof conventional locomotives such as the RMT Beeps or the K-Line NW / SW switchers. I would be in for a Menards Beep to head up a consist of Menards boxcars or hoppers.

   Bill T.

Bill T. 

As much as I like your posts and layout I want nothing to do with RMT and Menards should stay far away from them. 

A better option would for them to team up with Williams by Bachmann. They could contract with Bachmann to build some locomotives and maybe some with Bluetooth. 

Dave

Clarifying a couple of points and answering a couple of questions in this thread:

The Menards catalog was in the December issue of CTT. It was attached with a removable adhesive to white cardboard, which was perforated at the binding and can also easily be removed.

Menards is privately held, but its founder John Menard, who is an avid train lover and a TCA member, is not truly running the company any longer in terms of day-to-day management. (According to Bloomberg, he is listed as company president and director.) However, according to Mark the Menards Train Guy, he is the brains behind many of the train products Menards is producing and is still actively associated with his company. And obviously has tremendous clout.

Menards has about 280 stores in 14 states, according to their website. Building a store layout would be a major undertaking for a company for which trains are really only a hobby sideline, not a critical or strategic revenue source, for stock that is only prominent for less than three months out if the year. Menards really depends on online sales of its trains, so a layout has no significant purpose in store. (Would be cool, though.)

As to locomotive production, my opinion has changed somewhat in recent months. I could see Menards commissioning a locomotive from existing tooling, similar to the freight car line based on old Williams tooling and, apparently, other tooling that ended up in the hands of the Sanda Kan factory and Kader. (The caboose Menards has released is clearly based on some old K-Line tooling, which was likely among the tooling Sanda Kan got from Maury Klein to settle his debts a decade ago, and then, of course, Kader took over Sanda Kan.)

But the locomotive would probably be very familiar to longtime hobbyists, whether it is the old Williams/K-Line/RMT truncated Beep-type switcher or an old Williams or K-Line traditional-sized locomotive. Bachmann (owned by Kader) has retired so many locomotives from its current Williams by Bachmann line that the choices are getting numerous.

That part, of course, is just my opinion. I still have my doubts, too, because like Gunruuner John notes, locomotive production brings a lot more headaches for its manufacturer.

Yes: Also received my copy today. Classic Toy Trains • Dec. 2018

The Menards Catalog is well done, and it is on paper. Not digital....... Cool .........

Gary

Please check out  my pictures in the new catalog . It was fun working on this project!

Haven't paid much attention to Menard's offerings until now (neat catalog, btw!), so I want to make sure I'm understanding this correctly:

* Are the boxcars 6464 sized?

* Looks like some of the flatcars are also traditional sized, but do the ones with "Bettendorf" type trucks all come with loads? (i.e. Not available w/Bettendorf type trucks as an empty.)

I haven't taken the time to really study their offerings, but the above look "interesting" to me.

Andre

Boxcars are based in same tooling as Williams boxcars. 

Most of Menards is traditional sized.