# (06/26/20) New Weathered Graffiti Boxcars from Menards!



## Menards (Oct 8, 2015)

Happy Friday!
Here is your first hint for next week's train release.








Have a good weekend!
Mark the Menards Train Guy


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

A matching car for this loco to pull around?


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I fixed the image.


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> I fixed the image.


But now mine make no sense.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Lehigh74 said:


> But now mine make no sense.


That wasn't intended, but it just came as a bonus by fixing the original!


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## ERIE610 (Jan 19, 2015)

Ah! Ha! Looks like maybe a Menards 4 piece new issue boxcar variety dealer's pack special. Or just 4 new issue boxcars sold separately. Guess we will find out next week. I am a likin what I see there.


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## Menards (Oct 8, 2015)

Did you hear? They took Elmer Fudd's gun away.








Thank you,
Mark the Menards Train Guy


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## highvoltage (Apr 6, 2014)

...


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## ERIE610 (Jan 19, 2015)

What will be banned, Cartoon wise, next. Will Yosemite Sam lose his twin six shooters? Even Foghorn Leghorn may have to lose his Southern Drawl and not mention the word boy at any time.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Menards said:


> Did you hear? They took Elmer Fudd's gun away.
> 
> Thank you,
> Mark the Menards Train Guy


That rabbit is going to slap him silly without that shotgun!


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

Maybe they'll give him a Taser.


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## Millstonemike (Aug 9, 2018)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> That rabbit is going to slap him silly without that shotgun!


Bugs was slapping him silly for eons when he had the shotgun.


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## Menards (Oct 8, 2015)

Here's another hint.








-Mark the Menards Train Guy


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## Menards (Oct 8, 2015)

Look what Elmer did!

Introducing four new weathered boxcars, each with unique graffiti designs on both sides.

*Click here to shop now >*










*The basics:* O gauge boxcars with plastic body, metal wheels and couplers, and colorful graphics. The cars are gently weathered to simulate years of service and feature realistic looking simulated graffiti. The cars are 11 inches long, 2-3/8 inches wide, and 3-3/8 inches high. The cars can operate on O-27 or wider diameter curved track.

*Why you need this:* Whether in a movie or rolling down the track, you’ve most likely seen a train with graffiti painted on it. Right or wrong, graffiti is commonplace among railroading and Menards is helping to add that boost of realism to your layout. The cars look like they have been in service, but have years to go before they’ll see a scrap line!

Road name and graphics are authentic and are stylishly applied. These freight cars are gently weathered with residue of what looks like several years of riding the rails. Like actual freight cars, the grime accumulates at spots where wind, rain, and snow force it to accumulate. The weathering does not obscure any detailing or lettering. The graffiti on the other hand, is crisp and unweathered like it was freshly "tagged" by a renegade artist.

Thank you,
Mark the Menards Train Guy


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## Spence (Oct 15, 2015)

They look good.


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## ERIE610 (Jan 19, 2015)

These cars are well executed and probably of the same Menards quality we expect. Unfortunately I am not into Graffiti of any sort in the real world much less depicted on toys. It is illegal to do this to real, Buildings , Railroad equipment, Public places etc. The only exception would be if the Graffiti artist had permission of the owner's of said places to do so. Leave the Graffiti off but keep the weathered look and Menards would have a winner here for sure.

JIMHO


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## seayakbill (Jan 16, 2016)

I am guessing that these boxcars are old stock sitting in the DC and have been graffiti decaled to reduce stock. I think maybe a coating of dulcoat would reduce the brightness. I will probably get the BN and test the dulcoat theory.


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## bigdodgetrain (Jun 12, 2015)

nope, just promotes defacing railroad property.


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## Krieglok (Sep 7, 2013)

When boxcars lettered for these roadnames were around, tagging wasn’t a big thing. It is a thing that started about 15-20 years ago.

Nice try, but I too, do not depict graffiti on any of my models. I see it too much in everyday life.

Chalk marks, on the other hand, were very common in the industry. Railroad chalk was a common tool carried by trainmen, switch men and car inspectors, used to mark cars for various reasons. Some are well known such as “Herbie” and “Bozo Texino”...


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## ERIE610 (Jan 19, 2015)

Is the Graffiti painted on or a decal? If a decal could it be safely removed from the weathered car? I like the green BN boxcar the best of the 4 cars offered except for the Graffiti. One other thing here. I do not care for changing White Guy Elmer Fudd's frustrated hunter character into a spray can toting criminal Graffiti artist. Where does Bugs Bunny come in on the Graffiti scenario by the way?

JUST MY $0.02 WORTH


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## Maxum (Apr 10, 2017)

ERIE610 said:


> Is the Graffiti painted on or a decal?



Pad printed most likely.


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## vette-kid (May 2, 2020)

Tough crowd!

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Maxum said:


> Pad printed most likely.


It's a decal.


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## Bryan Moran (Jan 15, 2017)

We all have an opinion on graffiti. I will have graffiti cars. There is more than enough rolling stock to have both. I watch a lot of trains. I moved to Iowa Falls, Iowa and I travel extensively for work. Graffiti is prevalent. Therefore, realism on layouts dictates that yo weather and put graffiti on rolling stock. I've got 2-3 weathered cars, all purchased. I've purchased some of the graffiti decals off ebay but never put them on. I will in the coming months do both graffiti and weathering. 

The bottom line is Menards cars are not true 1:48 so I am limiting my purchase of them. Menards fills a void as we know in the hobby and outside of new road names and such, had to change up the box car offerings. This is a GREAT idea on their part and I will purchase the 4 road names in weathering/graffiti. 

Just like with MTH going away, we need to support manufacturers and players in the O Scale hobby or we may not have much in 10 years, and I'll only be 66 then, with as many as 15 + more years left. (god willing) 

It pains me to think that we will only have Lionel twice a year to buy new O Scale from. Menards needs to consider a "Premium" line of true 1:48 rolling stock. If these cars are $20 to $25 each, I would gladly pay $35-$40 for nicer premium O Scale when new Lionel will be $75 to $85 in a couple of years.


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## c.midland (Sep 22, 2015)

I'll support any manufacturer who moves their production from China to either the U.S. or a country friendly to the U.S.
Until then, I'm not supporting any toy trains made in China. I will support LaBelle, Downtown Deco, Bar-Mills, Scale City, Berkshire Valley, and all the glorious companies of the past who manufactured right here.


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## KBeyer (Jun 29, 2020)

I've never liked "graffiti" cars from any of the manufacturers. I find the real life ones an eye-sore. 

Also not a fan of the Menards cars. I recently sold the few I had. We have two Menards stores in our area, so easy to get when they have them in the stores. However, I don't like the size/shape of the boxcars - basically they are the Williams design. And, the trucks are terrible. You basically have to crash into the car to get the coupler to close. Then, the last one I bought last year kept shorting out. Turns out the uncoupling "plate" on the bottom of both couplers was hanging so low they were touching the center rail. That went back the next day.


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## bigdodgetrain (Jun 12, 2015)

c.midland said:


> I'll support any manufacturer who moves their production from China to either the U.S. or a country friendly to the U.S.
> Until then, I'm not supporting any toy trains made in China. I will support LaBelle, Downtown Deco, Bar-Mills, Scale City, Berkshire Valley, and all the glorious companies of the past who manufactured right here.



then i hope you do not use these products as most are made in chine
Energy-Saving Lamps
Clothing
Cement
Shoes
Air Conditioners
Solar Cells
Mobile Phones
Personal Computers


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## Krieglok (Sep 7, 2013)

bigdodgetrain said:


> then i hope you do not use these products as most are made in chine
> Energy-Saving Lamps
> Clothing
> Cement
> ...


They produce COVID too....

Tom


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## c.midland (Sep 22, 2015)

Yes, Bigd, I'll still have to purchase items that are made in China if there are no alternatives, including parts needed to repair items I already own, but as far as new toy trains, I don't have to, so I won't. 
Menards is my favorite home improvement store. I'm there at least once a week.


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## seayakbill (Jan 16, 2016)

Product made in China is so dominant in our society it is very difficult to eliminate purchasing their product. Sometimes when I purchase a item made in China for $2.00 or so I ask myself how in the world can they manufacture this item for $2.00 and how can anyone make a buck. There is the manufacture, the shipper, the distributor, and the retailer all involved with getting the item to you.

Menards sells their boxcars for $20, it does not have scale detail but neither does Lionel traditional boxcars that sell for $40 to $60 or more. I am guessing that Lionel's profit margin is substantial on their traditional line of rolling stock.

Bill


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## ERIE610 (Jan 19, 2015)

What percentage of Lionel products are made in China vs The USA? Just curious.


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## bigdodgetrain (Jun 12, 2015)

Krieglok said:


> They produce COVID too....
> 
> Tom


so

maybe not;


Reality Check of US Allegations Against China on COVID-19 - Xinhua | English.news.cn


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

There you go again, clouding the issue with actual facts.....


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

bigdodgetrain said:


> then i hope you do not use these products as most are made in chine
> Energy-Saving Lamps
> Clothing
> Cement
> ...


You forgot cars and trucks....loaded with parts made off-shore, and of course, replacement parts.....and mostly because these “North American” companies want cheap labour and maximum profit.....maybe blame them first?

Start walking if you don’t like it....


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## seayakbill (Jan 16, 2016)

ERIE610 said:


> What percentage of Lionel products are made in China vs The USA? Just curious.


Only Lionel's beancounters know the answer. But Chinese production makes a large percentage of Lionel, MTH, and Atlas product.

Bill


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## ERIE610 (Jan 19, 2015)

Old_Hobo said:


> You forgot cars and trucks....loaded with parts made off-shore, and of course, replacement parts.....and mostly because these “North American” companies want cheap labour and maximum profit.....maybe blame them first?


My Daughter's Car, 2013 Chev. Impala needed a front wheel bearing assembly recently. I tried to find a USA made replacement for it but did not have any luck. Seems that China has the market sewn up for the most part. Even name USA brands such as Timken & National are China made. Timken & National may still make bearings in the USA but not for GM Front Wheel Drive vehicles like the Impala.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

I rest my case your Honor.......


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## c.midland (Sep 22, 2015)

As stated twice previously, Obviously, things must be purchased from China because that's all there is. Toy trains are a luxury item, and don't need to be purchased. I can't make that any more clear. One more time, to keep my current trains running, I'm sure I'll have to purchase parts made in China. I don't have to purchase any new trains made in China, though. That's my choice.


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## KBeyer (Jun 29, 2020)

c.midland said:


> As stated twice previously, Obviously, things must be purchased from China because that's all there is. Toy trains are a luxury item, and don't need to be purchased. I can't make that any more clear. One more time, to keep my current trains running, I'm sure I'll have to purchase parts made in China. I don't have to purchase any new trains made in China, though. That's my choice.


Yes, I agree with your sentiments. I buy USA/Canada made when possible, after that products from any other country that has a democracy form of government. The closer to home an item is manufactured the better to support workers - my neighbors, really.

I don't blame China or the Chinease for making things, or making things at a lower cost than here. That's their economy and as they continue to develop, costs are rapidly rising. The fault really lies with us, the consumer, and companies looking to keep profits up. If consumers refused to buy less expensive products made in another country, there'd be no market, and companies wouldn't source things there. We've been trained into a consumer mentality which is based on the "throw away" economy. For me, I learned from my grandparents to buy once, buy high quality.

Lionel closed it's Michigan factory in 2001 because it probably didn't have much choice if it was to be competitive with all of the other model train companies making their items in China and South Korea. I'm guessing the only reason Lionel is now offering a few items "made in USA" is because of collector demand similar to sentiments expressed here. On the other hand, I suspect they closed the Michigan headquarters because overall costs were cheaper in North Carolina and they were able to significantly downsize. Remember, Lionel is owned by an investment group that's looking for a return on their investment. In my view, the owners couldn't care less about toy trains.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Think about it.....we wouldn’t be having this conversation here if we didn’t use product that was made in China....computers, tablets cell phones..... and why was it made there? One reason......price.....we all want stuff cheaper, and guess where the big corporations are going to get the stuff made that gives them maximum profit....

I‘ll buy trains made in China, no problem.....until the same quality stuff can be made in North America at the same price, which won’t be anytime soon......


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