2 questions on track for the Menards Santa Fe Electric Train Set 2759202 2759203

[@jamesmelchin2873]

Good to see a layout back in the making, your basement looks huge. Keep us updated ! 👍

[@TooManyHobbiesJeremy]

Thanks James! The seasonal layout is almost done. Check out the past livestream videos for a better view. Of course I will do a follow up video as well.

[@daveallen9893]

Thank you for addressing my question you have been very helpful

[@TooManyHobbiesJeremy]

You are most welcome. Thanks for reaching out.

[@railchief74]

Nice too see that manards allows you too connect their track too Lionel’s fastrack system. Very cool video Jeremy

[@TooManyHobbiesJeremy]

Thanks for watching ❤️

[@DRCRailroard]

I used the Menards tubular track for my entire conventionally run permanent layout. It comes in a wide range of curved sections from 31"-96" and a 10" and 30" length of straight track. It's very strong to make unsupported lengths of spans between joints, it can easily be custom cut to any length with a 4" grinder with metal cutting blade or a Dremel tool. It's much quieter, works extremely well with postwar engines with magnetraction, it's easier to solider together or solider wires directly to the rails for permanent feeders or insulated rail sections, can easily be modified to make insulated rail sections, the older Lionel track switches or postwar controll track sections work well with it and are in plentiful supply and are much cheaper when adding turnouts or postwar controll track sections. Easily adapts to 027 track, When custom painted and adding custom wooden ties and ballasted it looks much more realistic than fast track. It's likely the most economical option in new 0-gague track there is. One thing to note is it is more suited to prewar and postwar engines with deeper wheel flanges and pickup rollers. Tubular track is round and the center rail sits slightly higher than the outside rails. I've experienced that some older engines especially prewar do not run well on fast track and can cause motor burnout because the center rail sits lower. Some newer modern era engines with shallow wheel flanges particularly steam engines will derail at curves and older switches of tubular track. The combination of shallow wheel flanges coupled with the tubular track design allows the wheels to climb easily off of the rails. However, regaping the rails to standards and tightening the ties at the curved sections will usually alleviate this problem. Tubular track works well for larger permanent layouts on benchwork especially when running postwar war engines equipped with magnetraction. Fast track may be better suited for temporary track set up on carpeted floors once a year under the Christmas tree. Menards also sells a 10" adapter straight section made specifically to adapt to fast track.

[@TooManyHobbiesJeremy]

That's a great writeup. I'm impressed with Menards track offerings. I recently learned of their fastrack adapter. Thanks for watching the video. Merry Christmas 🎄

[@johnandrus3901]

Nice post. I run virtually all post-war and MPC-era equipment, from Lionel and other manufacturers of the period. Tubular is the way to go. MagneTraction works best on tubular. I have one MTH steam locomotive and the tubular track seems to eat traction tires. It is a Southern Ps-4 Pacific and I use it to pull my AMT Southern Crescent set. Either way, I'll take tubular all day long.

[@DRCRailroard]

​@johnandrus3901 Thanks, John. I have a large collection of mostly Marx, Lionel, Williams, and K-line. I have one set of the early MTH E-8's. I try to stay away from MTH they always seem to have issues eventually that make them too intimidating for me to own. I love working on the postwar models to restore them but once I'm done they'll run another 70 years. I don't want return high maintenance perpetual patients. I also condition my track with electrical conductive oxide inhibitor when I laid my track and have not had to clean it sense. That was 5 years ago. Before that it was every month or two.

[@TomzTrainzandAccessories]

Another good thing about the FasTrack transition transition track, is that if you have a FasTrack layout, and you have some Postwar accessories that require typical “O” Gauge tubular track ie: #497 Coaling Station, #3656 Operating Cattle Car, #3424 Operating Brakeman Car just to name a few, you can transition to the tubular track to operate that specific accessory without any problems. It’s simple and easy. If you’re worried about aesthetics, just put down some ballast to cover up the tubular track. It’s no big deal.

[@TooManyHobbiesJeremy]

I hadn't thought of that. Thanks for the great tip ❤️

[@johnandrus3901]

Nice. I run tubular track almost exclusively. I have a lot of Menard's long straights and wide curves. The problem is, if you want to use lockons instead of direct wiring, they don't fit. Menard's track has a bit wider base than Lionel, so you have to bend the clip going to the center rail out a bit and it makes for a somewhat looser connection. When I staged my new layout, I had to clip on to Lionel tubular, so I could run some trains on the inner loop and get the placement of the track and industrial scenery correct. All electrical connections will be direct, when I'm finished. An excellent review and video.

[@TooManyHobbiesJeremy]

Thanks John, I didn't know about the poor fitment of Lionel lockons on Menards track.

[@johnandrus3901]

@@TooManyHobbiesJeremy Yeah, they are important for people with smaller layouts. I think that the blade-style lockons that Marx made would work, as they push into the bottom of the rail, spreading the rail out a bit. My layout is a 24'x18' L-shape, that is 9' wide on the 18' end and 8' on the 24' end. I'm using lockons while I stage all of the different areas, before I take everything up and start the scenery and wiring. Good luck with yours.

[@TooManyHobbiesJeremy]

Thanks, while my current setup is "temporary" I've been kicking around the idea of making a Lionel dealer display inspired layout.

[@gopooalreadyplease5842]

That track is really affordable. I might yet get some new track this year. I need a more powerful transformer too. The sounds on the train are great!

[@TooManyHobbiesJeremy]

Agreed! I was surprised at it's variety, price, and quality.

[@WEKM]

Dang it! Now I'm wanting to do a Christmas train again. Goodbye wallet. I hardly knew yee. 😭

[@TooManyHobbiesJeremy]

Haha, that was me when I learned Menards had released this train set 🤣

[@ChazzLyons]

Thanks for sharing this video 👍

[@TooManyHobbiesJeremy]

Thanks for watching

[@BWCA12345]

Thank you. Perfect video.

[@TooManyHobbiesJeremy]

[@bradkorando]

Great idea for a video Jeremy. Tubular track is certainly the most affordable way to start off in the hobby. It's great to see your large loop of track again. Will you be setting up a seasonal layout? and if so, will you make some videos of the process of setting up the buildings and accessories. I think that would make an interesting video. Thanks! Brad

[@TooManyHobbiesJeremy]

Thanks Brad, yep - seasonal layout is up. Luckily there's not much to setting up the buildings. Thanks for watching

[@FlyingT5150]

Great channel just discovered it!

[@TooManyHobbiesJeremy]

Much appreciated ❤️

[@Guytrains]

Love the mernards f7 line of engines

[@TooManyHobbiesJeremy]

Before I ran one I was skeptical. But now I'm a fan👍

[@paulbervid1610]

Great video

[@TooManyHobbiesJeremy]

Thank you

[@denisebasile3813]

Your layout looks terffic enjoy for long time to come

[@TooManyHobbiesJeremy]

Thanks! It is a temporary layout due to come down this summer - need all those tables for a Garage sale. But I will come up with something after that.

[@MartyKarczynski-mw3tk]

Thank you

[@TooManyHobbiesJeremy]

Glad you liked the video

[@JimAlderson-cn6ek]

Jeremy menards also makes a adapter track i see u are a mth guy but are vary open to other manufacturers i love that u would have thought manards dropped a atomic bomb with their o gage line according to the lyonel guys me i grew up running ngage trains by atlas i only recently started runing o gauge thanks to manards

[@TooManyHobbiesJeremy]

I saw that they surprised me when I found they offer an adapter to Fastrack. That was pretty funny some of the blowup over Menards offering a budget o-gauge option. Another surprise was the new track switch! Welcome to the O-gauge world. I started with a N gauge starter set way way back when. Then went to HO then onto my dads American Flyer S gauge. O-gauge offered to me much more variety in engines and rolling stock (than S). What I love about O-gauge is the fun colorful stuff. I'm also glad there's plenty of scale offerings for those who want that.

[@JimAlderson-cn6ek]

👍

[@JimAlderson-cn6ek]

Jeremy love ur vidios they are so light hearted and non judgmental I signed onto model train forum because of my lack of knowledge of o scale but if ur not a life time lyonel collector they are very short with u and act like ur comments are meaningles u are a breath of fresh air keep up the good work 👏 😊😊

[@TooManyHobbiesJeremy]

Thank you so much Jim Personally I love to search like crazy for an answer on forums because of what you describe. Feel free to ask questions and I will help if able.

[@JimAlderson-cn6ek]

👍

[@richardnelson-ux1zz]

I prefer o gauge tubular track I bought a case of menards tubular track and really like the track

[@TooManyHobbiesJeremy]

Excellent! I was very impressed with how good Menards track is. Plus I was also surprised with how many different radius options they have.

[@sjwilson1079]

I have this engine, it honestly won't run on o27

[@TooManyHobbiesJeremy]

I don't believe that it's intended to run on o27. What are it's issues when you try to run it?

[@sjwilson1079]

@TooManyHobbiesJeremy it's just too tight of a turn. Also, on the o27 switch track, it hits. O31 runs okay. I get why it's because very few run o27 anymore.

[@DebraNelson-c9r]

Menards tubular track is much better than Lionel tubular track i just dont care for FastTrack it way too expensive for my budget Menards track is more affordable than Lionel track 🎉

[@TooManyHobbiesJeremy]

Agreed! The price and selection of track that Menards offers really impressed me.