Here's your first hint for the upcoming release. Happy guessing!
Thank you,
Mark the Menards Train Guy
Original Post
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Something to do with M&Ms.
I will guess.....A sawmill!
An M&M's (Reg.U.S.Pat.Off.) chocolate tank car filled with the candy no less! LOL
M&M hoppers!
Menards already has the cars, I'm banking on a Mars chocolate factory.
They've done hoppers and boxcars before so I'm going with a factory or some sort of distribution center. However the color green may be the bigger part of the hint meaning it could be either piece of rolling stock in that color.
UFO crop circle museum.
Dave
It’s a small “m”. The background looks like wood planking. That’s all I got.
Not Wood Planking, that's an ariel image of a wheat field with tractor tracks through it. The crop circle looks to be photo shopped and the "m" is the same font as the "M&M" candy... I'm thinking something like an agriculture manufacturing plant with menards branding of some sort.
Grain elevator that stores and dispenses M&M's.
A Menard's welcome mat for the train room door!
An M&M loader or watertower that dispenses M&M's!
That m is exactly like the m&m logo, but there is only one m. Does not seem like it would be on a structure.
There is only one m on the candy and cartoon character, but that is not a cartoon character. Maybe it is a carload of candy but why the color and background. Don’t think it is related to m&m.
It is a capital M in Mars Inc and on that candy, so I don’t think it is related to the company/candy.
Looking at other options
Clearly it's the farm m&ms grow on
It's a searchlight to signal Mark the Menard's Guy and the Menardmobile. 😁
If that is a field behind, I was thinking Monsanto hoopers. But their m is a capital M.
I hope they model the M&M/Mars Chocolate Factory in Elizabeth Town , PA. I would list a Parachute Rigger that lived about 2 blocks from the factory and you could smell the chocolate from his front porch. Sweet!
@david1 posted:UFO crop circle museum.
Dave
Thanks, Dave... I needed that 
An M&M's **cylindrical** hopper?
That's Uncle Martin handywork, drinks that rocket fuel and drives the NSA guys coco. 
For you yungins that the character Martin on the show "my favorite Martian.
My favorite Martian? The m is not right. Mars Attacts?
Okay, I'll bite: it's a boxcar featuring the green M&M's Gal. Supposedly, the green ones are aphrodisiacs, as alluded to in her early commercials.
Animated Mickey Mouse lawn with operating lawnmower.
@H1000 posted:Not Wood Planking, that's an ariel image of a wheat field with tractor tracks through it. The crop circle looks to be photo shopped and the "m" is the same font as the "M&M" candy... I'm thinking something like an agriculture manufacturing plant with menards branding of some sort.
I agree with H1000 that its an image of a crop circle. Has to do something with UFO's and farming.
I sure hope it is an M&Ms Factory. I own a lot of Menards M&Ms Boxcars and Hoppers. One thing that bothers me, the Open M&M Hoppers do not have any load in them. So, if Menards did not make a Load for the Hopper, why not include a coal load or top with hatches on the car. The hoppers are Yellow or Tuscan. I will use Lionel or Menards Hopper Car Coal Loads. I will put the real M&Ms in my hopper car coal load (turned upside down). I have a lot of extra Lionel Hopper Car Coal Loads and when turned upside down, they fit into a quad hopper perfectly. The only problem with that is if you derail the hopper car, the M&Ms will go all over the ground. Best to spray the M&Ms (that you put in the upside down coal load) with some kind of clear paint to seal and hold them in if a derailment happens. Sincerely yours, railbear601
PS: If you know anything about the M&Ms Candy, every Christmas, M&Ms Candy come in bags of Red/Green Candy for the Christmas Look....mmmmmmmmmm
I filled my m&m hoppers with the fun size bags leftover from Halloween
Grand kids love it!!! I too, hope its a m&m factory...I would have to find some space on the layout...but for that... I am willing
Green M&Ms ? Aphrodisiacs ? Is Menards partnering with Pfizer ?!?
@TShearer posted:Green M&Ms ? Aphrodisiacs ? Is Menards partnering with Pfizer ?!?
There's been some pretty sexy mimes of the green m&m, and you can get some interesting green (with 'm') dresses for your wife (or girlfriend). But I don't think that is what Menards is going to use. Besides, the m&m green is darker than the green in the OP.
Yes, the 'm' in the OP is an exact copy of the one in m&m but nothing else matches the m&m product or anything on-line for m&m. Maybe Menards found a real obscure m&m reference.
I am still betting it has nothing to do with m&m and we just have not found the right reference yet. Then again, I've been wrong before.
NOT A CLUE
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after visiting Menards today...I found out they already produce a M&Ms factory as a flat for the background...so it's probably not a 3 dimensional factory ... just an fyi
M&M's may not become a cure for Corona, but they still Melt in Your Mouth and Not in Your Hand!
Let me say it again, "its a crop circle" and nothing to do with M&M's. So what does the picture mean? Hmm, I don't know!!
Wait a minute, I know, I know---Its a UFO landing spot, told you guys I knew!!!
Dave
The background reminds me of beadboard, tongue and groove, or Boxcar siding. I'm thinking a wood sided Reefer or a wood sided Boxcar ... possibly for Mars Candy? I thought Cabinet Bob or Mark commented that the new Ore cars were from new tooling, so, maybe they have new tooling for a wood sided car.
Rusty
Mark:
How about another clue or hint?
Neal Jeter
@Richie C. posted:Grain elevator that stores and dispenses M&M's.
THAT would be ideal! Maybe it could be modified to dispense dog or cat treats.
@Mixed Freight posted:A Menard's welcome mat for the train room door!
It should be made out of wood.
@H1000 posted:Not Wood Planking, that's an ariel image of a wheat field with tractor tracks through it. The crop circle looks to be photo shopped and the "m" is the same font as the "M&M" candy... I'm thinking something like an agriculture manufacturing plant with menards branding of some sort.
I'm going with H1000's and david1's crop circle guess. There are pictures of fields with that pattern and light green color, even one that is close to the original post crop circle but a different pattern. But why the m&m 'm' and not Menards 'M'?
Mark's second post takes us back to the candy, but in space. Space, crop circle, candy, field, green. Curiouser and curiouser.
By the way, the most common form of chocolate used in space for the last 35 years is candy coated chocolates, or M&Ms.
Muppets in Spaaaaaaace
A revamp of the space ship stealing the cow, only this time it stealing one of the m&m's characters...
A launch pad for a rocket ship powered by sustainably grown m&m's in a field....
Muppets in space crash land into a farmer's silo...
A farmer's cows being used to make milk for m&m's that get launched to the moon...
I just don't man!, I just don't know!!!...
Dammit Jim- I'm a doctor not a product promotional guesser!
This last clue has left me clueless! A guy in a capsule eating M&M's along with a crop circle with the letter small letter m.
Mark, your clues are just way to vague pls give us something we can chew on! (Pun intended)
Crop Circle with the "M" & astronauts eating M&M's in space? It's gotta be an alien themed M&M abduction.
A rocket launcher car for M's ??? hehehehehe
@cabinet Bob posted:We have a winner......but......which one is it ? Time will tell..........
Lol, I should have guesses a M&M Brewery! Lol
Congratulations to the winner!
A big M box truck! Final answer! LOL
@play trains posted:A big M box truck! Final answer! LOL
They already have one of those It has a big M for Menards! LOL
I know Bro, I have 900 of them!!LOL
@play trains posted:I know Bro, I have 900 of them!!LOL
LOL I have a couple also!
I'm soon to be in the possession of 5 Menards Sprecher Brewing Lighted Pickup trucks. Anyone have any other Menards light up vehicles they'd like to swap for one of these?
I give up. Email me when it is released.
that planet could use a box of trees
A recall notice for all of the new cars they sold with plastic trucks.
UFM&M (Unidentified Flying M&M)
M&M’s are made by the Mars company. However, I don’t know how that fits into this.
Steve
This is getting well Red......
@Menards posted:One more hint? OK!
-Mark the Menards Train Guy
Well, it looks like the next release will pretty much have a m&m theme. However, Ms. Brown is missing. Is that a clue?
That m&m gang drawing is photo shopped onto Mars, so we are back to a space theme. Or a Mars candy theme. I'm leaning towards a building of some type, hopefully a new style building front.
The only thing that makes sense to me is a Mars candy factory. Don't they make m&m's. The planet Mars is in outer space.
A flatcar carrying an M&M-filled rocket!
Or better yet, a rocket launcher shooting rockets filled with M&M's.....
@TM Terry posted:Don't they make m&m's.
"M&M's are the flagship product of the Mars Wrigley Confectionery division of Mars, Incorporated." Wiki
M&M's locomotive with Mars light? 
@CAPPilot posted:"M&M's are the flagship product of the Mars Wrigley Confectionery division of Mars, Incorporated." Wiki
A division? what else do the make? little green martins
@John Pignatelli JR. posted:A division? what else do the make? little green martins
Dog food for starters!
Mars needs candy! The M&Ms UFO Scene SHOP NOW >
Dimensions: 13”W x 10”D x 7-1/4”H
M&M candies are magical! Want proof? Fill a bowl with them and see how quickly they disappear! If Earthlings like them that much, why wouldn’t residents of other planets enjoy them as well? The whimsical Intergalactic Party Bus from Menards helps spread the joy through your O gauge universe.
The Basics: This fully decorated accessory adds light and excitement to your O gauge layout with a colorful array of changing lights from the UFO. The 8-inch wide saucer has an illuminated control room, and eerie green light projecting down from the cargo bay.
The 12-¾ by 10-inch accessory has a pigtail plug designed for use with Menards Plug & Play system. Check Menards SKUs 279-4061, 279-4062, or 279-4050. You may wish to consider the 8- or 9-piece Plug & Play accessory kits (SKU# 279-4035, 4681) and to serve multiple structures and vehicles. All are available separately.
Why you need this: If you love Candy and UFOs, this is made for your layout! A bright yellow UFO has landed on the field looking for cargo. It even has an M&M pilot. But fear not, the spaceship comes in peace. It is the Intergalactic Party Bus, a spaceship with the mission of spreading happiness and M&Ms around the universe!
The decorated base features space aliens, grass, trees, and the whole M&M gang - red, green, yellow, orange and blue. There is another red M&M holding the fort on a large case of M&Ms.
The spaceship has an eye catching color array, with alternating red and flashing along the sides of the ship. A green light emanates from the bottom of the saucer! But yellow M&M hasn’t been paying attention and he has been caught up in the tractor beam and is being lifted skyward. Even Jack the German Shepherd was smart enough not to fall into that trap!
The rise and fall of the clamp and the hapless yellow M&M cycles up and down, but fear not, it will probably be sorted out before liftoff!
Why will this colorful outfit work with your trains? Easy. Menards also offers a range of M&Ms boxcars in red, blue, silver and yellow. M&Ms hopper cars are also available in yellow and brown. And don’t forget the no. 279-5370 O scale warehouse background building. One of the signage sets includes M&Ms graphics!
Don't forget our FREE Railway Express Stake Truck promotion is still going on!
Buy any O scale train item $19.99 and higher and get a FREE 1:48 scale Lighted Railway Express Stake Truck! Offer ends Monday, December 7, 2020.
IMPORTANT: This offer is valid on online purchase only. You MUST add (1) Railway Express Stake Truck (SKU# 279-4606) to your shopping cart for every train item $19.99 and higher you wish to purchase. The free truck price will be subtracted as part of the checkout process.
In the event we run out, we will be substituting a free Chicago & North Western Stake Truck (279-4605).
In case you missed it, I’ve attached today’s train email below. Be the first to know about current promotions and new product announcements, sign up for our emails here.
Thank you,
Mark the Menards Train Guy
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Very cool, but one of the aliens doesn't appear to be prototypical.
Hey, I got this one right!!
@menards, Mark, in fairness to prospective buyers, your website includes a "substitution" feature. Specifically, if Menards runs out of the REA truck version, Menards can substitute a different liveried but otherwise identical truck.
My point being, when you promote the item as you did today, I sincerely hope you have plenty of REA trucks on hand. I'd be pretty upset if I ordered today only to find out Menards substituted a different vehicle for the REA I wanted.
Hopefully, I'll get the REA version since I ordered a couple of days ago.
In roughly 1981 I had occasion to have breakfast with Frank Scott, the owner of the Union Plaza hotel & casino. Forrest Mars also joined us. He told us the story of turning the company over to his son and he said "the SOB fired me." To prove he wasn't done he said he started Ethel M Chocolates. I think Ethel was his mother's name. Originally they only sold liqueur filled chocolate, but to broaden their base they added regular sometime later.
A fun accessory looks good. Scale Scmale!
The previous iteration of the Menard's UFO accessory.
To be honest, it has been sitting unused for a while but I have the Lionel Area 51 Set coming soon and have plans to do a small space-themed layout.
This will find it's way to landing over on that layout. 
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I think it will be a hot item, have the first one so with this one I could have my own space invasion. Told you guys aliens are real 😁
Dave
There is (was?) a "prototype" scene in Bowman, SC for the saucer:
I am not sure if it is still there though.
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During WWII the Germans supposedly had an operable saucer craft.
@Menards posted:One more hint? OK!
-Mark the Menards Train Guy
OK, they do not melt on earth. But on the moon in sunlight, they will.
There's also a UFO by the road in the Outer Banks of North Carolina!
Great job Menards! I don't have room for this UFO but will have to purchase it anyway and find a place for it.
From GVDodler came: "the XXX (you know who) fired me." Now where on earth have we heard this one before?
How many OGR oldtimers remember the movie in the 50s (that's 1950s by the way...LOL) "The Angry Red Planet"...? Too bad Menards didn't offer the UFO back then. I'm sure a UFO filled to the brim with M&Ms wouldda calmed all the little green men down in a Martian heartbeat and they'd never invaded Planet Earth like they did in the "War of the Worlds."
Please pray for world peace. We don't only owe it to all of the children, and their children's children here at home, but throughout the entire universe as well!
Nice! But I was hoping for something new.
