Budget Model Railroading: Menards 4-Bay Hopper Detailed Review

[@harold1098]

Boy am I glad you put this video out! I have all O-27 track and switches and have been wondering about that car running on my layout. Now I know. Thanks for posting.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Glad to be of service!

[@josephschuster1494]

I like Menard’s rolling stock, and these four bay hoppers look great! 🚂

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Great for the price!

[@RailRide]

When you said the Menards cars are 90% the size of the Weaver cars, my first thought was that that sounded exactly like the difference between MTH's Premier and RailKing Airslide hoppers. At first glance you couldn't tell the RailKing is smaller than scale until you put it next to a Premier one. And even then they're so close (some paint schemes like UP and Chessie have been made in both lines) that one wouldn't notice them rolling by in a train if you weren't told they were there. I plan on this being the case when I get a pair of these Menards cars. Fun bit of trivia: The Lionel 2-bay hopper shown at 0:57 was duplicated twice by two other outfits -- both MTH and K-Line produced 2-bay Chessie ACF hoppers with the road number 605527. I guess all three companies found the same photo when planning their respective offerings. I have examples of all three, and they are all visible in the second of three videos I posted in 2008 (O_o) of my MTH Greenbrier pulling a 31-car train of 2 and 3 bay versions of these hoppers.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Funny! Thanks for sharing!

[@williamlee1429]

What you’re actually depicting here is a center flow hopper whether two Bay or four Bay. Covered hoppers were outside braced flat sided hoppers either covered or uncovered. They went out of popularity in the 1960s. In the 1970s entered the center flow hoppers that distinguishes them from the previous Regular hoppers as we know them.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

The manufacturers would disagree with your definitions. www.trinityrail.com/railcars/covered-hoppers/

[@DRCRailroard]

Thanks, Mike. I did a review on these before Christmas. I bought the Santa Fe. I'm not one who is concerned about scale accuracy. I tend to rely on perspective. If it looks right, then it's fine by me. I have no idea how big it's supposed to be anyway, but then again, I don't have another Weaver car to compare it with. I think these are nice-looking cars and I had no problems with them in a consist. I do, however, think that Menards should use their metal style boxcar trucks on all their rolling stock. I also bought a couple of the new Santa Fe boxcars with metal trucks and couplers, and these are excellent couplers. They are very similar to the trucks used on most passenger cars. This would also add some needed weight.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Yes, I agree, their metal trucks are a nice upgrade and improve the overall quality of the car.

[@RABSTRAINS]

Thanks Mike for the review. It’s unfortunate that one of the accent pieces was missing from the product release doors on the bottom of the hopper. I agree with you regarding Menards lack of quality control. I purchased two of the hoppers and have had no issues so far. Yes, they could stand metal trucks/couplers. I hope they create more with different road names and also maybe a design like their two bay covered hoppers with no road name. I have quite a few pieces of Menards rolling stock and the uncoupling issues with their couplers has caused some issues for me. I haven’t had the premature uncoupling issues so far with these new four bay covered hoppers. I personally would purchase more of the four bay hoppers. Great Review Mike and Thanks 👍👍🙏

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@Engine1988]

I got the Menards car (SOO line too!) and I'm quite pleased with it.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

The price is right!

[@Engine1988]

@@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks Yes it is!

[@davevan8864]

I like these cars. My wife picked up one for me in her travels. I did add weight, an easy job. I do NOT like the laddrs, walks and hatched picked out in a different color. Amazing how much nicer the 2 bay are with brass walks and correct paint.....metal trucks too. I am doing a video on my Mods.....Thx

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Yes. Curious how the smaller cars are much nicer.

[@JimAlderson-cn6ek]

Will check them out thanks for the tips

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Glad you found it helpful!

[@JimAlderson-cn6ek]

👍

[@TonysTrains]

For value I give Menards a 10/10 build quality gets a 9/10 Overall they are great for the price and I have a few of these cars on my railroad of various kinds including box cars hoppers gondolas and a caboose

[@delwoodjef]

Thanks for the review.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

You're welcome!

[@SteveRenon]

Love that Canadian stuff.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Yes. Menards has done well for railroaders up north.

[@davidmorris7696]

Im sure most of those 18K plus covered hoppers were manufactured at ACF Huntington WV shops. Great review.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Thanks!

[@garyjust.johnson1436]

The 2 bay hoppers list for 35 dollars each, the 4 bay hoppers are 25 dollars. I would prefer the 2 bay, but the larger ones are more affordable! Did you review the two bay cars? I saw the picture in the community.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

No. I never purchased a 2 bay. Waiting for a roadname I want.

[@inscoredbz]

I don't own any Manards cars, but that would look great with Lionel and k line 027 baxcars and billboard boxcars. Look great behind a 2056, 2055 or even a 2018. They wouldn't be oversized.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Indeed!

[@plunkervillerr1529]

For forty plus years, Marx made available Tin 6 inch Hoppers. Plunkersylvanians prefer travel by Hopper.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Marx COVERED hoppers? The only tin covered hoppers I have ever seen were "new Marx" when the Flynn's made reproductions in the 1990s.

[@huntercoleman460]

Nice that Menards is making affordable scale rolling stock isn’t it Mike?

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Semi scale.

[@nickatano9086]

Who made the Nike Missile car you are running in front of the CR caboose?

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

Menards. Except for the caboose the entire train is Menards products.

[@Bobdole4373]

I just wish manufacturers would start listing the dimensions of the car and picking a category ( scale, semi scale, ect) and sticking to it I hate that it’s a mystery what size the car is going to be. I lean towards semi scale, so this car is good for me. But you like scale, so it’s a negative. Since a large majority of product is sold online and not a local hobby shop, you really need to know the size of the product before ordering it. This has been an issue voiced by many for years/decades and you’d think the manufacturers would get with the program. But I digress, thanks for the review!! (And sharing the size comparisons)

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

I agree that the lack of Industry standard is frustrating, but that is true for most products. Try to get different paint companies to agree with what "satin" or "eggshell" mean - it's all over the place. BTW. I do like semi scale and even WAY under scale in some cases. I was just hoping the Menards cars would match the ACF cars I already have.

[@HelenT-xv6zm]

I have champagne taste but a beer budget, so these will be a nice compromise for me.

[@ToyTrainTipsAndTricks]

It's a great value for the price.

[@GaryGoldbaugh]

RMT beats Menards for just a few bucks more.....