Just got to see some Menards track. Almost a Lionel knockoff ie looks like Lionel right down to the gray insulator pads and track pins, but minus Lionel name. Seemed pretty sturdy giving a straight piece the twist and radial bend test. If I didn't have shadow rail, I would certainly be tempted to use Menards for replacement or expansion. Of course as always, time will tell how well the track holds up, but from here it looks like a winner.
Bet Lionel and MTH are seething at this upstart Menards with track, buildings and rolling stock aimed at the hi rail "toy" train market, and rolling this stuff out regularly, rather than cataloging it and then waiting to see demand "before we might think of producing it" . Photoshop is a wonderful tool to show new stuff, but I rather liked old Lionel and AF artist catalogs (against backgrounds which is a no-no today, as the little darlings might think it came with the set (guess us oldsters were smarter and had imagination and could separate fantasy) ) where they planned what they were going to run that year for Christmas and for the most part produced it and put it out there.
For me it all about operating and having fun, not meticulously placing grass blades and worrying about boiler rivets. But then each to his own.
Wow, talk about starting at track and ending with train catalogs, go figure.
