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Just a heads up that Menard's Mystery Boxes are once again available online.

For those unfamiliar, a Mystery Box will get you a Menard's building, three pieces of rolling stock, a vehicle, and a bonus item, all for $99 ($88.11 after mail-in rebate!). These all may be "scratch and ding" items, so a little paint or glue may come in handy. As for what's in each box, I quote former St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Joaquin Andujar's favorite word in the English language: Youneverknow!

If you're interested, you can find the Menard's Mystery Box here. Note that Mystery Boxes seem to come and go (think this is the first time they've been offered in a couple years) so, if you want to roll the dice, don't delay! (Plus, at $99, it's cheaper than going to the casino and you're guaranteed to get home with something!)

If you're curious, here's what I got the last time I bought a Mystery Box. (From what I've seen, I think scoring a steam engine and remote was highly atypical! YMMV). 

Good luck!

redrockbill

(Please note, I am neither a Menard's employee, paid endorser, or "influencer." I am simply sharing the availability of one of my favorite O gauge items with my fellow hobbyists!~)

 

Last edited by redrockbill
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I ordered one a few days ago:

 

I received: 

  • Multi Purpose/Sign Building
  • One Illinois Central Box Car
  • One Milwaukee Road flat car with Truck on it
  • One Norfolk and Western Hopper
  • One Piggly Wiggly Box Truck
  • One Yellow F150
  • 3 packs of Lemax characters

IMG_3238IMG_4296IMG_4470IMG_5403 

The box was highly worth it. The led light strip had fallen off the roof of the building, but otherwise looked completely unopened. A little CA glue will take care of that. The box truck had one mirror broken, but was in the package, took two dabs of glue. Rolling stock was fine other than a mirror on the truck on the MKE road flat car broken, and the wheels on one of the rolling stock needing to be reset into their trucks.

 

Just ordered another box; can't wait to see what's inside that one.

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Last edited by brewcrew
Lionel Parts posted:

I just tried to order one but they are out of them.

Wow! That didn't take long. I suggest you keep checking the link in the coming days, as the consensus seems to be that the boxes are comprised of holiday returns and, as more stuff gets returned, more will be made available in Mystery Boxes. Seem to recall the one I got a couple years ago was ordered in late February or March.

hokie71 posted:

Is there a mailing list on these? I have bought from Menards in the past but don't think I heard of this promotion.

Don't believe so. Menards knows the real answer, but the consensus on the forum is that the boxes are comprised of holiday returns, scratch and ding items, etc and are available in limited amounts. Usually offered only online and, from what we've seen this week, availability is hit or miss…

redrockbill posted:
Weight-wise, you did better than I did Glenn   Mine is coming in tomorrow at 10.6 lbs.
 
And Bill, this is my second one too. First one was a couple years ago, but the deal is too good to pass up!~)

No I meant I order a second one this time when they came back, I think I have done somewhere around 8 or so total over a couple of years

Mine are 6.90 LBS and 8.20 Lbs so tomorrow I get the first one, and Monday the second one.

Last edited by rtraincollector

Mine arrived today as well. I got:

- 3 modern era autos

- A package of 6 Lemax Christmas shopper figurines

- A Lemax picket fence

- An Illinois Central hopper

- An SP boxcar

- An Alberta covered hopper

- An American Materials building (with the roof slightly cattywampus)

and…

 

the icing on the cake…

 

wait for it…

 

- A Lemax William Shakespeare statue! 

 

Not a bad haul for $100. Thanks Menards!

 

redrockbill

Mine came in today

I got a Taco Bell building, which must of been a prototype as it had 67 shelby's not the vehicles that are on it now, also a U.S.Navy gondola ( yeah! go Navy ! ( Retired Navy here ) A M&M's Boxcar ( both of these had serial number 0000 so I'm guessing those also where prototypes, and a Tank car with no number on it, so I think it was also. I got 3 modern autos and some lemax figures and a lemax tree. Probably give the figures and autos to a friend who helps me out on some repairs I can't do. IMG_8729IMG_8730IMG_8731IMG_8732IMG_8733IMG_8734IMG_8735

I also have another box coming in Monday, So more goodies on the way. I know the taco bell building is modern, but with the 67 Shelby's attached to it, I'm all in with it. 

And yes my layout is in the construction mode at present.  

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BwanaBob posted:

Is there an added shipping charge?  Any bargain could easily be undone by an onerous shipping fee.

Not really, I feel with just the 3 train cars and the building I got, I got my moneys worth. The tree I will keep, it was just a bonus. Also they put the cars I would of put on the taco building anyway if I would of bought it, which I was thinking about. I paid Like $119 and some change. 

Taco Building 89.99 + Shipping and handling

the three freight cars where $19.99 each plus shipping and handling

Them alone before shipping and handling comes to $149.96 and I paid $100 so I'm ahead at that point by almost $50, I just consider the shipping and handling a wash between what I paid and what I would of paid if I got just these items at the regular price. And remember I got three modern autos and some Lemax items so that is more of a bonus. 

 

Last edited by rtraincollector
dan 77 posted:

A newby question:  Does Menard's have their own brand of rolling stock or is it re -branded products from Lionel, MTH, ...etc??

Menards uses a manufacture not associated with the Lionel or MTH to manufacture their rolling stock. I believe RMT uses the same manufacture to produce their current rolling stock.

Gpritch posted:

My mystery box came today.  It included"

  1. 3 autos
  2. 3 sets of lemax accessories (sleds, gas pumps and a hot dog cart)
  3. a Soo covered hopper
  4. a Conrail hopper
  5. a Great Norther Box
    (All with classification number of 0000, first run/prototypes?)
  6. A Morton Salt building

 

 

All good!

D5D51D96-7E61-4B72-960F-0045A2D48EE5GPRITCH,

Question on the cars that have the 0000 numbers on them. Do they also have markings on the bottom? Two of mine have 0000 for numbers, and both have an alphanumeric on the bottom.

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Ross posted:
Gpritch posted:

My mystery box came today.  It included"

  1. 3 autos
  2. 3 sets of lemax accessories (sleds, gas pumps and a hot dog cart)
  3. a Soo covered hopper
  4. a Conrail hopper
  5. a Great Norther Box
    (All with classification number of 0000, first run/prototypes?)
  6. A Morton Salt building

 

 

All good!

D5D51D96-7E61-4B72-960F-0045A2D48EE5GPRITCH,

Question on the cars that have the 0000 numbers on them. Do they also have markings on the bottom? Two of mine have 0000 for numbers, and both have an alphanumeric on the bottom.

Yes, they have either P119 or P219.  I suspect they are production run 1 or 2 2019.  

They are certainly a unique addition to the fun of the mystery box.

I also noticed that these are the cars in the catalog photos, at least on the website.  I found evidence for all three of the cars I got.

 

Enjoy!

 

Glenn

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OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

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