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@B rad posted:

I like the water vapor system. They should do that in more accessory items and have the smoke units for the locomotives. That would require much less maintenance. You don't need to worry about corrosion in most accessory items.

Now if they spit water all over the place like some fog machines do than thats another story.

Brad

Had mine running for about 30 minutes and didn't see any "water spit".  The mist is very fine, but a lot of it coming out.  I added lighting for night time dinning (a street lamp near the dining patio).  I looks great on the layout!

The front view is night operation and the rear shot is day operation on the layout.

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@DMASSO posted:

Keep nit picking with your obvious comments. Menard's is trying to give you a reasonable product at a reasonable price. Be thankful.

I usually remain silent on this forum because of the attacks posters receive from others.    As for me I will again revert to being silent so my posts don't become a focus for sarcasm, chastising or critical comments.

Signing off!

@Retired posted:

I usually remain silent on this forum because of the attacks posters receive from others.    As for me I will again revert to being silent so my posts don't become a focus for sarcasm, chastising or critical comments.

Signing off!

Not sure if those comments about your comments are warranted.  I appreciate getting product user information because my Menards near me has them in stock but I'm not sure if they have one plugged in on display and I'm not going to see the smoke in action.  So I appreciate the detail, @Retired, as you operate the one you bought.   Just because the windows are darkened, doesn't make the product bad.   And the bleeding engine lights provide some exterior light, which can be a good thing.  So thank you for the info.

Menards  does a Great! Job , filling in a nitch , that other Mfg.'s have forgotten, making toy trains for kids.   For the price dad ,mom or the grand parents, can pick  a car ,track . and structures, for that up coming Christmas holiday .  I personally dont use their cars or track ( run 2 rail scale) . Their building, I have a bunch of them, love them ! was lucky enough to get the Betta 2 SF FP9, for a future project.  Kudo's to Menards for helping get a new generation into toy trains

its a toy

I don't think this was a complaint but an observations.

Most of the comments here have been rather positive.  A few constructive comments as well about the smoke generator and sounds but I don't see any posts that are out of line.  The smoke unit being water is an interesting choice and probably is a better cost option for the price point.  Now some will try to make this thread out to be negative and try to make drama but I think we can all agree it's a good product at the price point.  Anyone making suggestions is just that.  I really don't see anyone seriously criticizing the product. 

@MartyE posted:

I don't think this was a complaint but an observations.

Most of the comments here have been rather positive.  A few constructive comments as well about the smoke generator and sounds but I don't see any posts that are out of line.  The smoke unit being water is an interesting choice and probably is a better cost option for the price point.  Now some will try to make this thread out to be negative and try to make drama but I think we can all agree it's a good product at the price point.  Anyone making suggestions is just that.  I really don't see anyone seriously criticizing the product.

wasn't meant to be a complaint, it not a scale museum piece,  Its a toy , (If You dont like the term, toy please feal free to look up the definition.)  for kids of all ages.    As far as the smoke unit using water, thats been around since the 70?s , you may want to use distilled water , it wont leave a white residue on the model

wasn't meant to be a complaint, it not a scale museum piece,  Its a toy , (If You dont like the term, toy please feal free to look up the definition.)  for kids of all ages.    As far as the smoke unit using water, thats been around since the 70?s , you may want to use distilled water , it wont leave a white residue on the model

OK where is the disconnect here?  @Retired described what he observed about the building he purchased and you said it's a toy.  I'm not really sure what you were getting at.  He didn't complain.  Yes it's a toy.  This is a forum.  We can comment on a product and even say what we like and don't like it doesn't make it bad.  Dave I think you are reading into comments something that's not there or maybe I'm missing something.

I think we can all agree that Menard's is offering some pretty cool stuff and a good value.

Last edited by MartyE

wasn't meant to be a complaint, it not a scale museum piece,  Its a toy , (If You dont like the term, toy please feal free to look up the definition.)  for kids of all ages.    As far as the smoke unit using water, thats been around since the 70?s , you may want to use distilled water , it wont leave a white residue on the model

Distilled water is a great idea. It may also keep the smoke feature working well for a long time.

10 years ago I bought a gallon of distilled water for my Postwar #38 water tower, which has worked flawlessly ever since. I still have plenty of that distilled water left. Arnold

@MartyE posted:

OK where is the disconnect here?  @Retired described what he observed about the building he purchased and you said it's a toy.  I'm not really sure what you were getting at.  He didn't complain.  Yes it's a toy.  This is a forum.  We can comment on a product and even say what we like and don't like it doesn't make it bad.  Dave I think you are reading into comments something that's not there or maybe I'm missing something.

I think we can all agree that Menard's is offering some pretty cool stuff and a good value.

not directed at you,but rather a statement of fact

wasn't meant to be a complaint, it not a scale museum piece,  Its a toy , (If You dont like the term, toy please feal free to look up the definition.)  for kids of all ages.    As far as the smoke unit using water, thats been around since the 70?s , you may want to use distilled water , it wont leave a white residue on the model

Good point about the distilled water. Still, it seems counter intuitive to use water around electronics and/or metal items that are prone to rust. Marklin did this a few years ago with one of their loks. The same concerns were raised. Frankly it is a neat idea, but water? I think they offered one or two loks and that was it.

Steve

Good point about the distilled water. Still, it seems counter intuitive to use water around electronics and/or metal items that are prone to rust. Marklin did this a few years ago with one of their loks. The same concerns were raised. Frankly it is a neat idea, but water? I think they offered one or two loks and that was it.

Steve

its a structure, not an engine and water has been used for well over 45 years and I don't remember an issue ever being raised in any publication.  This is not a new concept, would you rather have smoke fluid (oil )dripped on the carpet or  water. and as every thing else ,if you don't like it, don't use it

Last edited by Dave Koehler

Good point about the distilled water. Still, it seems counter intuitive to use water around electronics and/or metal items that are prone to rust. Marklin did this a few years ago with one of their loks. The same concerns were raised. Frankly it is a neat idea, but water? I think they offered one or two loks and that was it.

Steve

When my son was little he was sick a lot. We had the humidifier running in his room almost every night for probably about a year. His train, the MTH SP 2-8-0 starter set, was basically coated in the white film from the humidifier. Nothing rusted. I was never able to get all the white residue out of the realtrax road bed though.

@John Ptak posted:

Very nice looking building!  I personally just wish you could use smoke fluid with it.  Would love to have JT Mega steam bacon, baking bread, grapes, etc. coming out of it.  Still, a nice building for a good price.  Maybe I will pick one up if they ever put a smoke fluid unit inside.

You could always add a fluid unit if you desire. It looks great and I sure wouldn't pass it up because of a smoke unit. At 1/48 how much smoke does a restaurant actually generate?

I thought the diners could use some lighting to see what they are eating, so I added a couple LED self adhesive strip lights. One on the front and one on the side. Turned out nice, I think.

Photo 1 is the Diner as it came from Menards on my layout with the room lights on. Photo 2 is with the added LED lights on with the room lights on also. Photo 3 is with the added lights on and the room lights off.

Rockert Diner 01Rockert Diner 02Rockert Diner 03

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