For 19.99 you can't please everyone ..
It costs just as much to do it right as do it wrong.
Rusty
It's only "wrong" if they were trying to make a prototypically correct model; and, I don't think that Menard's has claimed that as their goal.
Why not ask Mark to produce a couple of prototypically accurate models along with their free-lance offerings?
I have no issue with prototypical paint schemes being adapted to models the prototype didn't have. Case in point. While it's S Scale, it illustrates my viewpoint:
The manufacturer (American Models) doesn't catalog E7's and isn't likely to. While the MKT did consider their E8's as back-up power for the Texas Special, they didn't have the fluting along the side, the Frisco logo nor Texas Special branding. But, the paint execution is otherwise 99% correct as used on the E7's, even the numbers are correct for those E8's considered as the back-up power. And even though the passenger cars look suspiciously like NYC Empire State Express cars, they too are painted correctly for the Texas Special. If they were painted in some new-agish loop-de-loop paint interpretation, I wouldn't have bought the set.
I would have bought the set even if AM has used their FP7's...
Now, I don't even mind most of the Texas Special variants O gauge manufactures have placed various types of locomotive as long as they follow the way MKT units were painted. (The K-Line O27 Alco T/S set was particularly attractive IMO.)
Even during the MPC days, Lionel endeavored to get most of the paint schemes used somewhat accurately.
Forum member Frank Swafford's been asking Menards for new prototypes for years, you can see how far he's gotten...
Rusty