Kev I corrected the post how I meant to put it. Williams was what I was talking about not menards. here is there boxcars
http://shop.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=491_538_539_540
here is the Menards cars
Williams was about $35 - $40 when Jerry had it. William almost imediately raised the prices.
Oh by the way if anyone is interested, Menards mystery box is listed again for $99 plus handling and shipping
Keep in mind those Williams by Bachman prices are suggested retail. I’ve seen them cheaper at train shows by WBB specialty dealers.
Why full retail when you order on-line from Bachman? Probably so they don’t infuriate those dealers. More than likely Bachman doesn’t care if you order direct from them or not.
I still can’t figure out the Bachman gutting of the Williams product line, it’s only a shadow of what it used to be. I know business is business and you have to cut the slow movers, but it strikes me Bachman cut the lean along with the fat. Either that or they bought the Williams line and then didn’t know what to do with it.
I know those are Williams so called suggested retail on the items. But even what other dealers offer them for is more than Menards.
Take a look at the williams by Bachmann scale GG1, back a few of years ago Bachmann pulled it from the offering. For about 2 years they didn’t produce it. Back then there price was about $400 maybe a little less. again retail. You could pick them up for about $200 - $225 then Train world was blowing them out for like $125 as they where probably told to get rid of any exsisting inventory of them. Then they bring it back with the new sounds system for a retail price of almost $700. Now I can’t believe the sound system is worth $300 each engine. The price a lot of places are selling it for is around $425 - $450. Even now train world is blowing them out at $299 so something must be in the wind. All I’m saying here, is some of the fat as you call it, probably come back but at a lot higher price.
I agree 100%, RT. When I was getting back into hobby 20+ years ago, it was the Williams and older MPC that allowed me to build up a decent collection without breaking the bank. This is where Menards had found a similar groove currently in the hobby. WBB pricing has jumped big time, regardless of MSRP.
Rob I think one of the best value out there is when Meners offer the mystery boxes. The best one I got so far was the one last spring. It was from a display at a Menards store I’m sure. As it was the Lionchief John Deere set. None in boxes but what a deal. I still got a building in that set a I believe a automobile or two. I know at least one. No track or transformer either.
But I have so far gotten 1 each of the power buildings and the seed and feed. the seed and feed is the only one I have so far figured out what was wrong. Now I have not tried to add power to any of them as 1 don’t have a place to set them up ( ie no layout at present) but on the feed and seed some of the pipeing was missing. I removed the truck and gace it away as It was too modern for what I want to model
Now the trick is to catch them when they’re doing the Mystery boxes. In my opinion It is well worth the cost. They state 1 building, 3 cars, a automobile, and a merchandise item ( ie a hat or T-Shirt with menards on it) Normally listed in the O gauge buildings section.
The train cars may have a coupler that won’t stay shut ( super glue and a tooth pick to apply it works for me) I have it so simple as a wheel set came out of the truck.
So far, I LIKE the Menards stuff.
Like RT I bought a Mystery box for $106 shipped - got a flat with truck and bombs, a southern boxcar and the American Power and Light building plus a hat and 3 vehicles. The building alone is $100. The box and flat need to have the trucks attached - a simple E clip will fix that.
AND I have ordered another Mystery box. Comes in tomorrow.
I have a bunch of RMT stuff and its pretty good, but I’m a runner and the Meanrds equipment suit me fine.
I WILL be adding stick on wheel weights to the insides of the box car(s) and that will make them track better.
Just-a my 2-a cents!!
Let me understand this…
The mystery boxes come with defective items?
Correct, Customer returns, store display items, or package problem items. But always worth way more than the cost they charge for the mystery box. So if your handy it is a real deal. You just don’t know what you will be getting, = mystery.
I bought the Menard’s O-gauge NYC lightening stripe hopper just to try them out. It’s a $20 car. The graphics aren’t really that great. The stripes are a little crooked & the coverage gaps a little. I don’t like the new style Chineese made blister packages either. They’re a pain. I’d rather buy new old stock MPC stuff at the train show.
Remember the old saying “You get what you pay for?” For $20 you can’t reasonably expect high-end quality. You will get something perfectly serviceable if you’re willing to compromise a bit.
I’m not crazy about the blister packaging either but it gets the job done and once the car’s out of it the packaging goes into the recycle bin anyway. I don’t bother saving the boxes from current production articles. I do make exceptions in some cases though.
I’ll put it this way, If you want exact scale and/or are a rivet counter don’t even look. If your a runner and looking for a decent car at a decent non inflated price this is for you. To me these are compatible with postwar trains. Definitely a step above a lot of the early 70’s train sets they put out. Also if you collect or want boxes for everything these do not have them. They have two clam shells snapped together. Yes you get what you pay for but to me it’s a good item at a good price. I do not worry about every little detail. That’s probably why I won’t but a $500 - $1500 engine or a $75 -$125 or more train car.
Paint and stamping quality is good. Dislike is that most don’t have the uncoupler tabs on the side of the drawbar. I have seen some in the package with a wheel out of the truck. I haven’t ran any since my layout is dismantled until I build a new layout in an adjoining room once it’s really cold. I think Lionels car and engine prices are unrealistic, but then I have not seen Lionels profit and loss paperwork. People coming into the restaurant I work in will pay $10.49 for a chicken ceasar salad, but they are also experiencing the luxuries of heat, lighting, a server, bathrooms. I’m not 100% on my memory, but I think the last new Lionel engine or car I bought was a K-Line by Lionel UP Porter steam engine. I think I bought it about 10 years ago.