Well it looks like the non-prototypical truck hauler has SOLD OUT in less than 24 hours! I had hoped to order a few.
I would buy it if they'd sell an empty version with no vehicles on it.
@Former Member posted:I would buy it if they'd sell an empty version with no vehicles on it.
My thoughts exactly. the regular autos are too new for the era i model and the fords too old.
I also tried to order but was unsuccessful. So Menards....when are more coming??
I have never ordered any vehicles from Menards, but these 1953 Ford F-100s look terrific, and are era-appropriate for my layout, so I will order one car.
Oh well, so much for that. Looks like there was a run on these and they are currently sold out. Will have to wait until Menards replenishes the stock. 
Pat
@Richie C. posted:First of all, my comment about a '53 Ford Truck having a modern Pepsi logo on the side was not a complaint. It was simply an observation that it, "seems a little out of place". I mean, how difficult would it have been for someone at Menards to figure out that it didn't make sense and just use the correct period logo ? We're not talking Mensa, here. I agree they don't need to consult me first but, in this particular case, maybe they should have.
Second, don't lump me in with anyone else who may have actually complained about certain aspects of this Menards release. If, and when, I ever complain about something you'll know it in no uncertain terms. I'm not a rivet counter. I understand that these are toys and that Menards, in particular, produces product of a certain type and style that may not be for the purists among us and I am more than ok with that.
Third, when someone can't make an observation that a logo on a product "seems a little out of place" without being labeled and castigated as a "complainer", it's time for you guys to stop being so overly sensitive to a simple observation.
Fourth, I own many Menards products and have them incorporated around my layout and have always enjoyed their products and, in fact, I purchased this auto carrier yesterday.
Richie,
If I put my marketing hat on it comes down to this: Would you personally buy one of these, or is the modern Pepsi logo on the truck a deal breaker? Obviously not since you bought one. Marketing folks look at comments such as those we post here in order to formulate their product plans. By tradition ANY negative-leaning comment, even one that only implies that things seem a little out of place, is logged as a "complaint" in their analysis. Maybe it's a poor choice of terms but there is no suitable alternative.
In the end product marketing is a balancing act between gotta-haves, nice-to-haves, and not-requireds. In your mind is a logo change required? (There's no wrong answer here -- if you don't agree with the typical members of the target market for this product it's not a big issue. Your comments are simply representing the desires of a different target market, one that could be just as profitable, but is not the same.)
Sorry if you mistook my comments. I did not intend for you to take them quite so negatively.
Mike
@Csxcellent posted:I may be up for a few double stack cars! If they change the shipping container company name to one that I’ve heard of, it’d be a big help.
My suggestion was to sell the doublestack cars without containers and simply let the buyer add some of the separate-sale containers offered as part of the train lineup. (currently MSC, CSX, CN and Santa Fe), and you won't have to figure out what to do with a bunch of orphan YANG MING containers once you mix things up.
---PCJ
I feel I'm the reason why Menard's sells trains. It introduces people to their store/brand. I had no idea who Menard's was until I started to buy their trains. I was a loyal HD customer.
I've spent around $10k with Menards this year while finishing a basement (future layout room) and not a penny of that spend was on trains.
Tell me their model doesn't work.
I love the auto carrier. It's a toy. Read carefully that the product was licensed so a lot of people signed off on this design (including Pepsi which probably wouldn't allow a vintage logo)
@Mellow Hudson Mike posted:Richie,
If I put my marketing hat on it comes down to this: Would you personally buy one of these, or is the modern Pepsi logo on the truck a deal breaker? Obviously not since you bought one. Marketing folks look at comments such as those we post here in order to formulate their product plans. By tradition ANY negative-leaning comment, even one that only implies that things seem a little out of place, is logged as a "complaint" in their analysis. Maybe it's a poor choice of terms but there is no suitable alternative.
In the end product marketing is a balancing act between gotta-haves, nice-to-haves, and not-requireds. In your mind is a logo change required? (There's no wrong answer here -- if you don't agree with the typical members of the target market for this product it's not a big issue. Your comments are simply representing the desires of a different target market, one that could be just as profitable, but is not the same.)
Sorry if you mistook my comments. I did not intend for you to take them quite so negatively.
Mike
No problem, I understand where you're coming from on a marketing perspective - it's just that categorizing someone (and there were others, as well) as a "complainer" just because of a little constructive criticism leveled at a manufacturer (and I don't think my observation of the logo even rose to that level) tends to tick me off and, perhaps I overreacted.
If manufacturers actually did take into account what is posted on the Forum (and I seriously doubt that they do), then they're not paying close enough attention or these sorts of things wouldn't happen. Look at the paint issues on Lionel's new 10 wheelers as an example. These issues, from major to minor, keep happening repeatedly which tells me either someone is asleep at the wheel or the manufacturers really don't care about what we think. If manufacturers really want to respond to input from the Forum, then perhaps we should nominate a Forum Ambassador to which the various manufacturers can run by their pre-production samples for comment and suggestions.
I think each model train enthusiast draws their own "line in the sand" as to what they are willing to tolerate or not when it comes to authenticity, but IMHO there's no excuse not to get it right when doing it the right way requires zero extra effort. Now, maybe Mark at Menards will tell me that their licensing deal with Pepsi requires them to use the new logo on any new product they sell with no exceptions and, if that's the case, then I'd still be disappointed, but least I would understand and appreciate the reason.
At any rate, I look forward to receiving my new auto carrier. I also ordered a construction crane and an NH box car 4 pack at the same time. But I might have to remove the blue truck with the new Pepsi logo 
I bought two of them yesterday. Of course I know they aren't prototypical, but I wouldn't be able to run a prototypical car in my small room.
Nice job Menards.
@Richie C. posted:Yep.
Thank you very much! I missed them. I first started paying attention to Menards Trains in 2019.
Also, i find it unbelievable and astonishing that this sold out already. Seriously, Menards? Maybe make the product runs bigger? PLEASE? Also, please bring back the double stack car! And the cabooses with blinking lights! And get a passenger car! And an engine!
@Richie C. posted:If manufacturers actually did take into account what is posted on the Forum (and I seriously doubt that they do), then they're not paying close enough attention or these sorts of things wouldn't happen. Look at the paint issues on Lionel's new 10 wheelers as an example. These issues, from major to minor, keep happening repeatedly which tells me either someone is asleep at the wheel or the manufacturers really don't give a rat's a** about what we think. If manufacturers really want to respond to input from the Forum, then perhaps we should nominate a Forum Ambassador to which the various manufacturers can run by their pre-production samples for comment and suggestions.
I think each model train enthusiast draws their own "line in the sand" as to what they are willing to tolerate or not when it comes to authenticity, but IMHO there's no excuse not to get it right when doing it the right way requires zero extra effort. Now, maybe Mark at Menards will tell me that their licensing deal with Pepsi requires them to use the new logo on any new product they sell with no exceptions and, if that's the case, then I'd still be disappointed, but least I would understand and appreciate the reason.
Here’s the thing I don’t get… the toy train operators don’t seem to care if it’s accurate or not. However, if the manufacturers made them accurate, they’d sell not only to toy train operators and collectors, but maybe also to those that do care.
Seems like that would be more money in their pocket, but what do I know?
Another couple of thoughts on the (apparent) issue...
1) John Menard (Owner and namesake) is a model railroader, apparently. O3R guy, apparently. Has some "skin in the game"...most probably. Besides money, too.
2) To date there is a consistent level of genre among the products Menard's has released. I have a pretty good idea of where on the bell-curve of O3R-ism John's own layout lies. Don't you?
3) Elsewhere in the post responses is the revelation that this new release is "sold out"...so far. OMG, gosh, gee whiz, holy moly...anyone want to dispute that Menard's (John + staff) is doing a pretty good job of appealing to fellow O3R genre-ites?? Sold out...in a matter of hours.
4) Improving upon the various nits in producing a product of this sort requires, among other things, a lot of research...which translates to more money spent, more time required from original idea to announcement of product-on-the-shelf,... And, as Lionel, Atlas, MTH, et al have found out in trying to make more of the O3R genres happy, the nits will continue to be found and abound.
5) Considering all their successful products, are their price points competitive? Well, duh! On price, alone, do they really have any OEM competition?
6) I seriously doubt Menard's would benefit from a select panel of OGR Forumites reviewing their new product ideas, making design modification suggestions, pointing out nits from A to Z. Call it meddling, call it censorship, call it trying to 'help' Menard's business, call it what you will. I don't think it would be make a difference to their current strategy, success,...and fun. No offense intended.
FWIW, of course...and just MHO...like yours.
KD
@dkdkrd posted:Another couple of thoughts on the (apparent) issue...
1) John Menard (Owner and namesake) is a model railroader, apparently. O3R guy, apparently. Has some "skin in the game"...most probably. Besides money, too.
2) To date there is a consistent level of genre among the products Menard's has released. I have a pretty good idea of where on the bell-curve of O3R-ism John's own layout lies. Don't you?
3) Elsewhere in the post responses is the revelation that this new release is "sold out"...so far. OMG, gosh, gee whiz, holy moly...anyone want to dispute that Menard's (John + staff) is doing a pretty good job of appealing to fellow O3R genre-ites?? Sold out...in a matter of hours.
4) Improving upon the various nits in producing a product of this sort requires, among other things, a lot of research...which translates to more money spent, more time required from original idea to announcement of product-on-the-shelf,... And, as Lionel, Atlas, MTH, et al have found out in trying to make more of the O3R genres happy, the nits will continue to be found and abound.
5) Considering all their successful products, are their price points competitive? Well, duh! On price, alone, do they really have any OEM competition?
6) I seriously doubt Menard's would benefit from a select panel of OGR Forumites reviewing their new product ideas, making design modification suggestions, pointing out nits from A to Z. Call it meddling, call it censorship, call it trying to 'help' Menard's business, call it what
It’s completely obvious that John Menards’s layout is a modern hi-rail layout, set in the 2000s, that has perfect 1/48 proportions and scale sized couplers. I have also deduced that the layout has a minimum curve of at least o96 
rplst8: My thoughts exactly! Take a new product one step further and that will help boost sales. Menards doesn't sell toy trains just for fun. There has to be a profit involved as well or even the trains would be eliminated from their product line.
I deleted my earlier post since it rubbed some do gooders the wrong way or so it seems. I apologise if my constructive critisism was taken the wrong way. It wasn't intended to do so in any way.
Item: Menards continues to release older as well as new products which has made them the leader of afforable O gauge trains. The TTX double deck auto loader flat proves this. The Ford trucks regardless of color or names placed on them or none at all will be EZ to sell or trade to fellow model railroaders or guys who collect vehicles in 1:48 scale. No one will get stuck with any of them and if you have accumulated too many why not model a car lot on the layout? Don't see to many of these as it is and the Menards vehicles are perfect for such a project.
To quote the onetime Model Railroader slogan that adorned the top of each months cover in the mid-20th Century: Model Railroading is FUN! It still is regardless if you model in Z, G, HO, N, S or O (tinplate, scale, proto48). There's something in the World's Greatest Hobby for everyone from child to senior citizen.
That's what makes model railroading so unique and Menards has given the O gaugers just what was missing: Affordable trains. Thanks Menards, you're on the right track! Please continue to provide the O gauge market with Fantastic Nice Price Products!
Happy Rails everyone
@rplst8 posted:Here’s the thing I don’t get… the toy train operators don’t seem to care if it’s accurate or not. However, if the manufacturers made them accurate, they’d sell not only to toy train operators and collectors, but maybe also to those that do care.
Seems like that would be more money in their pocket, but what do I know?
Unfortunately it's still very true that the devil is in the details. The further you go with them the more time and money it takes to include them. Adding the nth detail is much more costly than including the basics originally and then adding the first few details.
Someone's got to pay for it. Raising the cost of the product to cover the extra costs associated with this would force Menard's to price its stuff proportionally higher -- removing the very advantage that draws nearly all of its current customers.
They do a good job for the market they've targeted. However, maybe someone can convince them to create a new product line, one with the extra detail, and of course with the accompanying price increase?
Mike
@Mellow Hudson Mike posted:Unfortunately it's still very true that the devil is in the details. The further you go with them the more time and money it takes to include them. Adding the nth detail is much more costly than including the basics originally and then adding the first few details.
Someone's got to pay for it. Raising the cost of the product to cover the extra costs associated with this would force Menard's to price its stuff proportionally higher -- removing the very advantage that draws nearly all of its current customers.
They do a good job for the market they've targeted. However, maybe someone can convince them to create a new product line, one with the extra detail, and of course with the accompanying price increase?
Mike
To be clear, I don't have any gripes or complaints about Menard's offerings. I'm just pointing out that there is money being left on the table.
rplst8: Right you are again. Why not expand and capture the entire O Gauge market if the opportunity is there without having to invest much if any additional $$$ at the same time? Why let the other manufacturers cash in on the market if you can offer good quality products as well like the new TTX auto carrier has proven in just the very short period since it was introduced to the O gauge world?
These car to car flip ramps I 3D printed and added to the MTH and LIONEL Autocarriers.
It would have been nice if MENARDs had made them for their new autoloaders.
You only need the bridge on one side, either the right one or the left. The car being coupled to or the loading/unloading ramp will have the opposing mate.
This is a good looking car. If I would have seen it when my son and I were there Friday, I would have bought it. He managed to find Norfolk and Western gondola car that he liked and I picked up some sheet metal screws I needed. The missus and I need to go back to look at some things... maybe I’ll take another peek while I’m there. 😜
need the bridge on one side, either the right one or the left. The car being coupled to or the loading/unloading ramp will have the opposing mate
the MTH autocarrier inside clearance height doesn't allow for a bridge long enough to span the coupled gap; so my bridges are on each end of the cars.
Thanks to a couple of you that basically derailed this thread, we deleted the worst of the off topic comments. This forum is not the place to discuss if you are are buying or own the real Ford vehicle. Keep this about the new auto carrier or if you must discuss off topic, go find another appropriate site to do so.
I saw that coming folks. Maybe I'm learning, OGR moderators!
You can't beat Menards cars for the price. Mrs. B. is going to give me my neat Menards Auto Carriers for Fathers Day. Maybe I should have ordered the 4 pack instead of just 2 cars after all. 
@Mark Boyce posted:I saw that coming folks. Maybe I'm learning, OGR moderators!
You can't beat Menards cars for the price. Mrs. B. is going to give me my neat Menards Auto Carriers for Fathers Day. Maybe I should have ordered the 4 pack instead of just 2 cars after all.
It’s the fastest sellout I’ve ever seen at menards. It was much nicer than their previous car carrier (modern Cadillac if i remember correctly). However, I will wait until they do one with muscle/sports cars.
@Csxcellent posted:It’s the fastest sellout I’ve ever seen at menards. It was much nicer than their previous car carrier (modern Cadillac if i remember correctly). However, I will wait until they do one with muscle/sports cars.
I can see that as a distinct possibility!!! Those of us who are old enough remember the thrill of just seeing those muscle cars run!
For the next runs of these Auto Carriers use BTTX and KTTX reporting marks.
Andrew
@dkdkrd posted:Another couple of thoughts on the (apparent) issue...
..3) Elsewhere in the post responses is the revelation that this new release is "sold out"...so far. OMG, gosh, gee whiz, holy moly...anyone want to dispute that Menard's (John + staff) is doing a pretty good job of appealing to fellow O3R genre-ites?? Sold out...in a matter of hours.
...
I'm sorry but without actual sales figures this is a meaningless statement. Did they sell out because they only made 1000? or 25,000? or 100,000? That they sold out in hours make me think they made too few. That's almost as bad as making too many; you're leaving money on the table and opening up opportunities for price gougers.
A nice car for sure; I snoozed and lost; but I refuse to get into the game of buying something day one before the reviews have come in.
@Micro posted:Thank you very much! I missed them. I first started paying attention to Menards Trains in 2019.
Also, i find it unbelievable and astonishing that this sold out already. Seriously, Menards? Maybe make the product runs bigger? PLEASE? Also, please bring back the double stack car! And the cabooses with blinking lights! And get a passenger car! And an engine!
I'd be willing to let it go. If you're interested in buying it, shoot me an e-mail.
I'm hoping Menard's will make some more. Not for me, but for everyone that wants one. If your customers can't get your products, they are going to be come discouraged. You don't want that.
the flip-up ramps were off topic.... sorry!
We all have auto-loaders and auto-carriers. I thought that since MENARD's was making a new production of them, adding the flip-ramps would have advanced the loader/carriers design and I would have had to BUY them!
HERE is what advancing the art looks like
.MTH added a sort of flip up to their autocarriers.
Attachments
Images (1)
@AlanRail posted:HERE is what advancing the art looks like
Don't know what those flip ups are for, but certainly not for the autos to transfer from one car to another. They'd still have to do a "Knight Rider Turbo Boost" to cross over...
It appears that some two level auto racks similar to the Menards cars didn't have hinged plates. I'm guessing the plates were on the deck and moved into position by muscle.
Rusty
Here is the fantastic autoloader guys. This car was made in a VERY limited number. If Menards doesn't reproduce it, it will be the most collectable piece of rolling stock they have produced.
Attachments
Images (4)
Thank you, Bob!!!! It still looks great!
Wow. That's a nice train Menards. Hope you run it again I missed out. What's that old saying about publicity. They got plenty of it here. Mark is definitely doing something right.
This unit was sold out in less than 24 hours. I believe its the first time that's happened with a Menards train related release. I went online early in the morning the next day and nothing was coming up! I initially thought there was something wrong with the link or with the Menards site.
I'm suspecting someone or someone's made a very large purchase, thus cleaning Menards out. I don't believe Menards released a limited number of units. We'll soon see I suspect the these cars coming up for sale from someone else with a markup.
@Allegheny posted:This unit sold out in less than 24 hours. I believe its the first time that's happened with a Menards train release.
I suspect someone made a very large purchase, cleaning Menards out. I don't believe Menards released a limited number of units. We'll soon see these cars coming up for sale from someone else with a markup.
Did you see Cabinet Bob's post above? Why would you not believe what he says?
@RadioRon posted:Did you see Cabinet Bob's post above? Why would you not believe what he says?
I do know how many were produced but I'm not saying. But like I said, it's very low compared to most releases. Myself, I wish I had bought more just to run...
Does anyone know if these designs (6car bi level open air auto loaders) were ever prototypical or good looking compressed versions of much larger cars, like the ones mth made?
