Introducing our first ever tubular track switches!
This production run was very limited so we can gather feedback. Let us know what you think!
Check out our website for more details >
Original Post
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If the switch comes out it O-31 i will probably buy it. Very interested.
Very cool.
Steam locomotives and passengers cars next?
How does a tubular switch not need fiber pins and still get track power? I'm confused
Menards keeps upping their game. Good for them. I'm not a tubular track guy but the bumpers are good looking.
Thank you Menards for making these switches. Hope 0-31,0-42 and 0-54 aren't far behind. Any other switches you want to build go right ahead.
mixed. I think as a hobby a lot of us have gone beyond 042 style switches.
Ross and DZ have taken us to a much better place when it comes to scale turnouts.
This switch-style seems needlessly regressive to me and to those who seek better scaled turnouts.
For others, these switches are just fine!
Very interested. I also would have jumped right away at an O-31 switch. I was just about to start re-working the Christmas layout.
I didn't see a reference, are these track-powered only?
Will the bumpers work on other brands (Fastrak)?
@UnclePeteRR posted:Will the bumpers work on other brands (Fastrak)?
well the bumpers come with a piece of track connected to them so as long as you can join that with whatever track you crrently have you should be good
@Bossman284 posted:well the bumpers come with a piece of track connected to them so as long as you can join that with whatever
@Bossman284 posted:well the bumpers come with a piece of track connected to them so as long as you can join that with whatever track you crrently have you should be good
Yes, with the adapter track Menards sells, they will.
@AtoZ Lewis posted:Very interested. I also would have jumped right away at an O-31 switch. I was just about to start re-working the Christmas layout.
I didn't see a reference, are these track-powered only?
Yes
Glad to see these come out, even though I have no need right now. But about this time next year! Especially if you build a store in Pueblo or Colorado Springs!
@AlanRail posted:mixed. I think as a hobby a lot of us have gone beyond 042 style switches.
Ross and DZ have taken us to a much better place when it comes to scale turnouts.
This switch-style seems needlessly regressive to me and to those who seek better scaled turnouts.
For others, these switches are just fine!
Um, except that, based on the endless posts here from forum members in previous Menards track threads, lots of people were asking for these switches. Plenty of people still favor such track.
Ross stuff is great, of course, but at a substantially higher price point, and not everyone likes to tinker with DZ installs.
Good show Menards. True not everyone uses tubular track but there sure are plenty who do. Keep going, you're doing just fine and many need affordable train items.
@AlanRail posted:mixed. I think as a hobby a lot of us have gone beyond 042 style switches.
Ross and DZ have taken us to a much better place when it comes to scale turnouts.
This switch-style seems needlessly regressive to me and to those who seek better scaled turnouts.
Alan,
I here ya. What sort of track or switches should they have introduced instead?
Mike
Long Overdue!!
Although I have about 100 Lionel 072 and 022 switches, this is great for the Tubular guys!!!
As for Feedback for Menards, Not only try to make the switches in different radiuses, (096 would be great) try to make it so you can reverse the switch motor from opposite sides like on the Lionel ones to get different track alignments etc.
I might order a set just to compare.
I haven"t owned a train in the last (14) years. When I had trains they ran on tubular track. I loved it and it worked perfectly. If I had trains today I would bying tubular switches.
The little locomotive shaped remote control is a little childish. I really wish the remote control had a red and green light on it to indicate track alignment that would be great. Sometimes the switches are further away and us old folks can't tell which way it's aligned plus we love lights on everything! However you do get an A+ for effort!
If they cannot be independently powered, then that is a serious limitation.
Good pricing on both the switches and the bumpers.
What I like about the switches: the rotating red and green lantern that can also be used to operate the switch; what appears to be a metal frog (is that right?); no need for fiber pins.
I don't care for the remote - too "cute" and not control panel friendly. Is there only one button and when it is pushed, the switch changes positions? I think having a control with separate red and green buttons would help ensure that operators are throwing the switch in the direction they want. Also, if people want to integrate these switches into an existing layout and control panel, it would help to see how they can be wired to do that.
It appears the switches operate off of track power. Are they designed only for layouts that have constant power to the track? If they are meant to be used on layouts with transformer contolled power (conventional), what is the minimum voltage that will operate the switches? Coould conventional operators provide a separate source of power to the switches? It appears the wires are colored green, red, black and white. If the red and green are the directional control wires, can power be fed to the switch motor and lantern through the black and white wires?
I think these are a welcome addition for people who like the traditional O gauge tubular track. The "proof of the pudding" will be in how well they work with a variety of rolling stock.
I like it that Menard's is running tests of their products by the users... and they are getting responses. Seems like smart marketing.
Bravo Menards! I’m in for a pair if you expand the line to include O-42.
Makes sense to be track powered since so far all Menard's locos work on fixed voltage and have command control. Nice addition to the hobby, especially since Lionel doesn't make tubular track any more.
Love this. Just need to have the switch machine removeable. This will allow it to be moved to the left or right. To allow for putting switches in various configurations. Plus try to make the switch controller smaller and with lights. Think old school lionel here menards.
Love the way it connects up though. Great to see this added to the line. More wider radious switches above 072 are desperately needed in tubular track. No one makes #6 or #5 switches. Most people have large locos like the big boy and steamers that require large turnouts.
For a first attempt these are great though and I applaud menards for adding these to thier track line. Btw are the lights led?
@Menards posted:
Thank you so much for your response! I appreciate it.
As others have commented, for future switches it would be great to be able to move the motor to either side of the track. It would also be fantastic if it could be independently powered. But thank you for coming out with these at all!
