Here's your first hint. Have a great Labor Day!
Thank you,
Mark the Menards Train Guy
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The speculation will be interesting with this one.
Could Christmas be coming very early from Mark and Menards this year in the form of a small steam engine.. ...........Paul 2
Georgetown Loop Railroad engine house.
Jigsaw puzzle! What did I win?
Low-cost On30 track!! 
Georgetown Loop Trestle Set?? Silver Mine???
Finally an affordable Menards engine !
I’m not really sure but Mark did say “O Scale”.
Open excursion cars would be awesome. I would buy a case of them.
Narrow gauge steamer. Steam engines need water, fuel and sand. A water, coal or sand tower. Based on the Georgetown Loop
A caboose.
I would be happy with a series of stock cars. Use the same frames as your box cars. Williams, KMT and Franks has the same molds.
Nobody's paying any attention to the track. Maybe some switches to go with Menard's track?
Chuck
Georgetown has two depots, Devil's Gate and Silver Plume and also a Shay from Westside Lumber.
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Scale lumber or logging cars.
Think mountains....
I think it might be a set of scale ballast and roadside rocks.
Keeping my fingers crossed: An affordable conventional 4-6-2 steam locomotive in a few different livery styles and names.
@dk122trains posted:Scale lumber or logging cars.
I think you are right Don.
Logging cars.
A new box truck and a box of trees with every purchase of 19.99 or more! Final answer!LOL
Looks like prints to hang on the wall!
I'm not going to speculate on the next Menards release. I still enjoy surprises. When Mark, the Menards train guy, spills the beans, you can bet it will become OGR Front Page News before the "ink" dries!
Did I say beans? OK, I'm going to have some fun afterall. How about a Pork & Beans box car...but which company? Campbells, Stokley...???
I really hope it is disconnect log cars!!
Bryce
I have been hoping for a Menards engine. I never thought about steam. I would be fine with that.
As far as engines, can you put a F body on the RMT Bang frame?
I don't think anyone is using that tooling.
Don't get me wrong, a run of Alco switchers would be fine.
We don't ask for much, do we Mark? 
Seriously, a Menards engine would be a game changer.
You could put a set under the three for less than $300ish?
Could get a lot of new people in the hobby.
No pressure Mark, just sayin'.
Because Mark titled this thread as an "O Scale" release instead of "O Gauge", I'm going to predict that it's a building of some sort. Maybe a lumber mill or some trees. If the title of the thread was "O gauge", I'd assume it would've been rolling stock instead.
I don't ever think they'll make an engine, not enough profit margin on it versus rolling stock & buildings. Plus parts & service support would be also be a drag on the bottom line of the their train business.
How about a sawmill
@Garfield posted:I have been hoping for a Menards engine. I never thought about steam. I would be fine with that.
As far as engines, can you put a F body on the RMT Bang frame?
I don't think anyone is using that tooling.
Don't get me wrong, a run of Alco switchers would be fine.
We don't ask for much, do we Mark?
Seriously, a Menards engine would be a game changer.
You could put a set under the three for less than $300ish?
Could get a lot of new people in the hobby.
No pressure Mark, just sayin'.
F body on RMT loco frame?: Yes, here is the Beef.
I have a set, runs well, cute, small.
Ken-Oscale, Right On! RMT (www.readymadetoys.com) is a New Jersey based company that offers a product line of trains compatable with the ones Menards produces. Their model of the revised Marx Alco Diesel switcher, for example, has been completely retooled as well as the onetime KMT caboose. Their prices are reasonable and affordable in Century 21 when compared to other well known traditional manufactures.
I don't intend to be critical of the others, including the "Small Guys" who produce excellent rivet counting full scale models. Indeed, there is a market for all the manufacture of toy and model trains today to serve the tinplate operators to their rivet counting counterparts. Afterall, isn't this what the World's Greatest Hobby is all about? What OGR has done and continues to do, is bring operator and collector alike, together as a Family! As in every family, be it Mom and Dad, Little Billy and Sister Sally, each member of the family has their very own opinion. The same holds true within the wonderful OGR Family as well.
Many O gaugers who maintain an indoor layout also enjoy running large scale trains in the great ourdoors in fair weather. This is what makes OGR railroaders unique, because each one can feel free to share his or her skills and abilities, happiness or anger about any product, without fear of being "Put Down" by fellow members.
Not intended as a plug, but if anyone hasn't subscribed to OGR or become a Supporting Member, please consider doing so today. Your contribution will help insure that OGR will not only remain healthy, but you too can pass on to your children the fun and enjoyment you share with the OGR Family. Not to speculate, but I have a pretty good idea that the children of OGR railroaders aren't confronted with many of the serious social problems sadly found among much of our youth today, who flat refuse to share in their parent's hobbies together as a family, regardless if it's model railroading, gardening, workshop activities, whatever.
Godspeed everyone and Please Pray for Peace
Ah, I thought the frame of the Bang (the old Marx Alco switcher) was longer.
I think the Beef is on the Beep frame.
I mentioned the Bang frame because I thought that tooling would be available.
Even if they weren't scale length I think an F that had 2 4 wheel trucks that pivoted would be more successful than the Beef was. Basically a F3 that would be about the size of a postwar FA.
Just thinking out loud, not like Mark needs my help
Does make me wonder if the K Line MP15 tooling will ever show up again. That was a neat idea, put a scale sized small switcher in starter sets. I don't know how much demand there would be for something like that now that switchers are not as comon on class 1's.
@SIRT posted:
Come to think of it they have the means to make some awesome backdrops.
I'm sure I'm not the only one who has looked through the posters at Hobby Lobby or elsewhere and tried to figure out how to use them as a backdrop. If some posters were printed that were designed to be a backdrop, that would be amazing.
Trees!
The night they drove Ol' Dixie down???
A Cripple Creek lumber steam engine with logging cars (maybe sold separately)
Florence and Cripple Creek railroad. (the Gold Line ) to the gold camps in Colorado.
People!
A log cabin.
How about a saloon or a Coors brewery. Maybe a water tower?
Time for an official reveal?
Logging camp with loggers
Introducing the Cripple Creek Water Tower! Shop Now >
The Steamer’s Friend: The O Scale Cripple Creek Water Tower from Menards
Dimensions: 6”W x 6”D x 12”H
Steam locomotives are thirsty creatures, and railroads devoted considerable resources into placing water towers along the line to keep the trains rolling. This water tower will be all you need to keep your steam-powered fleet in service.
The Basics: This is a fully assembled and decorated railroad water tower. The base is covered in grass and has eight support legs and a square wooden box to protect the tower’s water supply. The base is approximately 6 by 6 inches, and the structure is 12 inches high. No power is required.
Why you need this: This is a universal design that would look good servicing the largest O gauge steamers or a tea kettle switcher. The wood construction would date it from the earlier part of the last century, but you can find towers like this still in service on some tourist railways.
The building has nice color contrasts with varying shades of brown the structural support columns, the central water column beneath the tank, and the tank itself. There is an access ladder running the length of one side and a water depth gauge on the front. The roof is simulated metal and has two steps and a hatch just above the ladder.
The water spout can be raised and lowered manually. There is a metal counterweight attached to the spout by a chain. The weight raises or lowers depending on the position of the spout.
The compact footprint of the tower makes it a good candidate for placement alone, out in the wilderness along your mainline or right next to your engine maintenance shop. Even if you don’t run steam right now, you might want to buy one because you never know when you’ll need one.
Menards scores another great addition. Great looking water tower. It will look good on any part of the layout. And the price knocks it out of the ballpark again. Good job Mark and Menards.......Paul 2
2 on the way !
That is really beautiful, and a great price! Ordering one right now plus 3 of the new box cars!
Ordered one already, and I already have a place for it on my layout.
There’s also a nice two-stall engine house on the website.
Love it ,as usual with Menards stuff! Going to install it near the little country station, just before the tunnel. Then circle them with some free trees! LOL
$39.99 for a detailed water tower!!!! Menards knocked this right out of the park on price!!!
Great Job Mark and Menards!!
Ken
Great job a usual! These guys just keep on coming with great affordable products.
Too bad they haven't made an engine yet to pull all their cars around with.
franktrain had it right, a water tower!
I'd like to know how the "hints" lead to a water tower. The folks in the photo I'm not familiar with, though they could be a band from long ago.
The Band. They have a song Up on Cripple Creek.
Dominic Mazoch also guessed the water tower .
Finally something from Menards I can use.
@franktrain posted:Dominic Mazoch also guessed the water tower .
Thanks. Menards should give the first one who guesses right a free copy of what they are trying to sell!
Does it say "Cripple Creek" anywhere on the structure? Very nice - especially at the price point.
" a drunkards dream if I ever did see one..."
Paul
Thanks Mark at Menards
Soon as I see it at one three Menards in my area , I will buy the water tower & engine house .
I will be buying some tank cars & box cars . The M&M cars will be bought too .
Bill in Wauwatosa,WI
Must have for me and the $ fits my pocket.
. Keep the good stuff coming Mark.
looks like menards is going to need both aisle sides in there stores this Christmas to display and stock all there train items now.
they could take a small section in the store and make a train department. they could stock train items there along with small hobby related tools like dremels and small screw drivers, soldering guns and craft wood ect.
just leave this section up year round. maybe in a back corner of the store that does not take up much valuable realestate and maybe just maybe they would seel more trains and hobby relaited tools year round in house as well as there web sight.
just dreaming though. as a little kid back in the day I remember going to Woolworths and they had a small train section where I would drool over the HO train engines in the glass case if my memory serves me right.
Gee, I may have to retire my Plasticville water towers. 
@Railrunnin posted:Does it say "Cripple Creek" anywhere on the structure? Very nice - especially at the price point.
" a drunkards dream if I ever did see one..."
Paul
“If I sprang a leak, she mends me..”
I received mine today and it is stunning. Well done Menards.
And no there is no lettering on it but plenty of space to personalize.
This is a winner. A must have for me. I'm thrilled that Menards is making period railroad structures. Could it be a coal tower will follow?
Got out of the hospital on Sunday from Thursday. Shoulder replacement.
Treated myself and ordered a water tower. Now I need to heal so I can finish my Menard's projects.
I added some darker ground cover to the base. It looks good next to the Heights depot.
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Wow that's big! I'm actually thinking of buying the HO version since my layout layout is smaller and patterned after the old west; running Generals and other small steamers (Lionel 1615). The HO dimensions are 3-3/4”W x 3-3/4”D x 7-3/8”H. I'll probably mount it up a little higher up on an outcropping next to the tracks.
I read an article years ago about the dieselation of the UP. I think they said they laid off 2000 employee's in the water service department. one of those WT is still in service for a towns public water. Donners Pass or someplace close I think.
What was the country song about a guy that wrote his girlfriend's name on the water tower in "John Deere Green"?
I remember in the fifties thinking, "man, if I could just get a water tower, life would be sweet."
@Matt Kramer posted:Wow that's big! I'm actually thinking of buying the HO version since my layout....
This is big for that style. If you get the HO version make sure you post a picture.
What not to like? It even comes with a fishing sinker.😀😁😉🙂
I ended up using the water tower at the club. I had a hill insert which I removed.
I made a new scene with the Menard's water tower.
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You created a great scene.
