Torture Test of the Menards Beta 4.5 - Maximum Car Pulling Power! How many scale cars will it pull?

The Menards Beta 4.5
How much will it pull?
Right after filming the Hudsons video, I wanted to see what this engine would do.
Was I impressed or disappointed?
Find out in the video!
Hope you enjoy the video!
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Thanks for watching!
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The legal stuffs:
I have no affiliation with Lionel, or anything else for that matter, and my repair methods are my own based on what has worked for me.
I am not a professional but a passionate hobbyist. Your results may vary. I am not responsible for any damage resulting from any repair method. I am here mostly to provide inspiration and insight.
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[@momatmach1]

The Milwaukee road boxcar is a real beauty

[@plunkervillerr1529]

Very nice Santa Fe, but it`s no secret that I love my 1952 Marx 21.

[@richardnelson-ux1zz]

I like the menards rolling stock and the union. Pacific 4.5 beta locomotives

[@robertmadison2752]

Every time I hear those crew sounds I look around to see who's watching "Smokey and the Bandit," Good Buddy. RDM out on Sixteen.

[@RichardEngle-pu3fz]

Whoa thunk it. Menards!. Grest test. That many rolling stock being pulled on your layout looked great. I think very realistic. 🎉

[@georgewhitacre8276]

That's impressive! 30 scale cars and runs like a top. Hats off to Menard's!

[@dagryffynhobby]

I’m sure impressed!

[@rennethjarrett4580]

I still recall back in the 1976 era, a hobby shop man told me that the Lionel Alco could pull 20 rail cars. This was the AC single motor, 2 axle, two rubber wheel drive system. What I found back then, and I never had the opportunity to test it with many cars, due to where we lived at the time, no space. But I found that it could easily jump the track if it was powered to quickly, especially on the curves. So to me it had the power but not the right weight, or control...

[@Coreyt1976]

Great video Dave! That engine worked really good.

[@27Fan4Ever]

I bought the beta 4.5 Union Pacific loco recently and have been very pleased with it. Good value for the money!!

[@jackstoyOgaugetrains]

Thanks for the video and the stress test on your Menards F7. My layout is only good for about 12 to 15 cars. I’ve only asked my Menards UP AA units to pull 12. I like these F7’s by Menards. And at $ 149.00 and my age these are going to it last me I’m sure. Thanks again for sharing with us. I always enjoy your videos. Been a subscriber to your channel for a long time.

[@genemanno1533]

Try some #3469 Lionel dump cars all metal construction. Those ultra light weight rolling stock cars are no sweat, not much weight. My double motor per engine modified 2023 w/added weight pulls great. Double up 2023 Alco’s w/4 open frame AC motors total and nothing seems to stop it. Another set up I have is “ABA” modified & weighted set of Lionel B&M Alcos sporting 6 open frame AC motors that’s ultra smooth pulling long consist all on 027 track. I’m finding that weighted post war engines along with double motors and multiple engines will pull everything I own in rolling stock. Secret is slow starts w/weighted cars on 027 track since the curves are tight. The 031 and wider curves makes the pulling task easier with less component force in lateral direction. Curves that are tighter also increases side load friction on the wheels. This was eye opening success for such a cheaply made engine. Thanks for sharing.

[@markslioneltrains]

My Excitement for the Menards Locomotive diminished quickly by the chrome trucks and nylon gears. I wonder what the gears look like after your torture test? Even if the do look okay it’s only a matter of time before they go bad.! Great Video 👍🏻

[@OldFrailandDecrepit]

Great test. Mine pulled 21 cars…that’s all that will fit on my track (bumper to bumper).

[@scpvrr]

These have been terrific pullers since the first release. I would not hesitate to put any load behind them.

[@stevencilento3364]

Dave goes to show you that Menards is starting to do some nice things.

[@richardnelson-ux1zz]

Menards 4.0 and 4.5 beta diesel locomotives are great in my opinion I have the red wsr bonnet 4.0 beta santafe locomotive and the union pacific 4.5 beta beta locomotive

[@johnblair8146]

If you didn't strip out the gears with that test, YOU AIN'T GONNA STRIP THOSE GEARS OUT!!!!

[@dagryffynhobby]

I checked them a few times and all seemed good. But who knows 🤷‍♂️

[@richardnelson-ux1zz]

True

[@richardnelson-ux1zz]

I ran my up menards locomotives for 2 hours pulling 15 santafe aluminum passenger cars with no problems but i wouldn't recommend thistest for long periods of time the performance of this locomotive just blows me away

[@richardnelson-ux1zz]

I had to borrow some Lionel santafe passenger cars for my own tests I only have 8 passenger train rolling stock

[@Dakman]

I say yeah let's do a 12 hour live stream torture test of the train running around and around lol

[@thomasshannon3393]

Nice test Dave, impressive engine for the prce. Great camera work!

[@dagryffynhobby]

Thank you! I’d say there is hope for the brand

[@chiconian49]

Impressive. I'm a postwar guy, however my old MTH, Railking, F-3, proto-1 will outpull anything I have. One of the guys on KZbin has already damaged his Menards F-3 by pulling too many cars.

[@henryszubielski8601]

That's cool Dave. You succeeded in you test, without damaging any rolling stock or the locomotive! Keep enjoying it.

[@CC_Highlight]

Reckless fun is the best kind fun! Good work, Dave. Very interesting to see the engine put to the test. Thanks for sharing.

[@dagryffynhobby]

Thanks! I sure had fun making the video, and if the engine blew up I would have still enjoyed it! 😆

[@Cbtrainnut]

My wife had six MTH Santa Fe passenger cars so I bought the 2.0 version and it does awesome pulling them. I will say the controller is junk compared to my Flyerchief controllers. But for $149 I am not complaining. Great video as always Dave! @CBTRAINNUT

[@btucker718]

Wow Dave, Great test of this Menards beta 4.5. You were very methodical and also very cautious about the conditions of this series of pull tests. I have not tried this loco or the other Menards 4.5 beta Union Pacific release with more than 12 cars. I am confident based on your results that if I did, I would have achieved similar results. I also concur with the voltage recommendation of 12 volts. I have operated it best in that 12 to 14 volt range for a reasonable range of speed and coast to stop. I am really anxious to see what Menards next move will be for their unique line of O gauge locomotives. Thanks again!

[@tomrogers5516]

A remarkable demonstration of power and endurance, Dave. I wouldn't have expected this. Not that I know anything about the inner workings of O gauge model locos in general, but since Menards has introduced powered locos, it's been speculated that wouldn't stand this kind of test. You've shown that it can! I'm very happy you've taken the chance to even surprise yourself! Thanks!

[@dagryffynhobby]

Thanks! I’m also quite surprised how well it did. Very consistent performance regardless of load. With conventional engine I would have to crank the power most of the way up for this kind of load.

[@Eyrrll]

I have two of the 4.5 Beta Menards locos and gave them both a good pull test with no problems… but this was truly impressive. Actually kind of amazing considering the price point of the engines.

[@dagryffynhobby]

Nice. Yeah if it continues to pull like this then I say it’s a win and a great deal for the money.

[@shellysmith1037]

Would love to own one. I think its price and performance are great.

[@dagryffynhobby]

It really is a pretty good piece. It will be interesting to see what they come out with next.

[@richardnelson-ux1zz]

I got the new menards union pacific f3 diesel locomotive and I tested the pulling strength and I pulled 15 mix freight cars some abs some metal but this locomotive pulled very well in my opinion I'm really pleased with this unit I'm looking forward to start pulling my passenger heavy weight rolling stock

[@dagryffynhobby]

Nice! I have not been disappointed with it’s pulling power

[@mr.shadestrains6033]

Awsum video

[@RichardEngle-pu3fz]

Happy birfday old man

[@dbtech7914]

That was pretty impressive. I'll have to try that with my post-war engines.

[@DRCRailroard]

Dave, I'm glad you risked your locomotive for the rest of us who are considering adding one to their collections. It appears to me that it could pull much more if it wasn't for the switch back design with the S curves. This design will cause derailments on their own, adding resistance to overcome the inertia caused by the sudden change in direction, so it is pretty impressive that any engine could pull that many cars through them without derailments. A lot of modelers are aware of this problem and avoid the back-to-back s curve design if they plan on pulling long consists. I'm always impressed with how well your consists look to transverse through them so effortlessly.

[@dagryffynhobby]

Agree. I had not considered long trains when designing the layout. But even if I did I would still build it similarly, I just love the look of a long train snaking through the curves. But I would say the track design is definitely the limiting factor in tests like this. Makes me want to do a large loop around the room with the widest possible curves. Maybe in the future.

[@DRCRailroard]

@dagryffynhobby I agree with you regarding the meandering track design. To me, it's more visually appealing. It's one of your better features, and you seemed to make it work very well. Maybe it's the track you used. I found out that some of the newer lionchief models with the shallow wheel flanges don't like the curves of tubular track, and derailments tend to occur, especially if the track isn't precisely and exactly gapped to standards. I have one of the 080 switchers, and the wheel flanges are very shallow. It's not something you want for your switcher engines, running through tight switches. Aparently, they are designed for the fast track.

[@bobross3080]

I think I saw Shoestring Hobo on one of those cars.

[@johnlongssilverrailz5873]

My thought is that any new entry into the F3 market should be able to match or exceed the old postwar Lionel twin motor f3s with magnetraction. If they can not do that then what is the point of making the product? A head to head test might be interesting if a realistic test can be devised. I do believe; however, that the newer locomotives with the can motors would have greater endurance and those are the ones I would recommend for museum settings where the trains run all day long.

[@wayneantoniazzi2706]

VERY impressive preformance out of that engine Dave! What I gather from this is if it can pull a 30 car freight with no problems a five or six car passenger consist or a Christmas tree layout should be a cakewalk for it. With a reasonable Christmas car consist it can probably easily run for hours. Not bad for the money! Not bad at all! ( If they put out one in Jersey Central or Erie markings I might just consider getting one! The Santa Fe scheme's too Hollywood for me! 🤣)

[@dagryffynhobby]

Jersey central or Erie would be awesome! Based on the test I would say this engine can handle whatever the average user will through at it. I am wondering about continuous running, I’ll have to do that next.

[@railchief74]

That thing is really hauling a lot of rolling stock! Even tho I don’t have the beta unit, just by watching it. It’s probably just as powerful like the FM trainmaster diesels

[@ELWtrains]

Great video it did not break 😅don’t know how, decent pulled good job 👍, I have noticed u use tubular track? I use fastrac, thinking of changing mine?advice would be appreciated

[@cliffordkiehl3959]

If you want to test that engine get a bunch of Lionel post war cars. A couple of automated milk cars and other operating cars. These cars are heavy and do not use needle axles.

[@norskviking9410]

Question, if stacked up against a >Llonel f7 would they be pretty much equal in power? 0R IF YOU ADDED ANOTHER ENGINE , LIKE THE REAL R AILRADS, W OULD YOU CONSIDER PULLING ALOT MORE CARS?

[@dagryffynhobby]

I have been very impressed with its pulling power. I’ve been running it backwards with a postwar dummy in front and five postwar 2500 series passenger cars and it handles it without a problem. This engine has plenty of power and traction.

[@jamesbrown9761]

Tried to pull 6 Williams 60 ft passenger cars. It worked but with some wheel slip. Pulls 4 with no problem.

[@sethandotts3763]

I work at Menards and I can't get my hands on these, how do you get them?

[@dagryffynhobby]

Have to catch when they are announced and buy one online. I follow a Menards group on Facebook and they post whenever something new comes out

[@jamesdenny4734]

Say, does this engine have two powered trucks or a single one? Thirty cars is a heavy train for a single engine! 😎

[@dagryffynhobby]

Dual motors. It’s a very capable engine