Menards Has Done It Again: Ultra-Affordable O Gauge Switches!

Menards Has Done It Again: Ultra-Affordable O Gauge Switches!

Chapter List:
0:00 - Intro
3:04 - Unboxing
7:25 - Floor Trains!
7:54 - Switch Details
10:33 - Running Some Trains
12:47 - Big Boy Test
13:06 - Wrap Up
15:07 - End Credits

[Ericstrains]

Video Notes:
1) This video has chapters if you'd like to skip around. :)

[IvesGuy]

As someone who is planning to build a new tubular track layout, this is amazing news! I'm really hoping Menards makes some O-54 switches once they ramp up production on these. Thanks for this first look video!

[falcondragonslayer]

Its nice that someone is finally making 3-rail O Gauge switches under $100. Hopefully, once they've got all the kinks worked out, Menards starts making switches with different radius curves. Not everyone has enough space to accommodate O72 curves.

On an unrelated note, while you were talking about the nostalgia of using tubular track, I was struck with a different kind of nostalgia. My brother and I once set up a track in a very similar shape to the one you used for the tests (although it was made with all O36 curves). We ran two trains on it. My first Lionel train: a LionChief Pennsylvania Flyer set and a Lionel Junction Little Steam 8 set. It was fun up until my brother accidentally/on purpose ran the Little Steam 8 into my Pennsylvania Flyer. Several times. I was mad at the time, but neither train was damaged, and its fun looking back on it.

[davidkasparian]

It's really incredible and breathtaking how far your layout has come since you began in 2007 Eric, a lot of time and effort & dedication, respect and best wishes💙

[railchief]

I’ve said it before like a broken record but, Menards has done it Again. I hope they’re one step further to some affordable Ogauge Passenger cars. Great product review Eric! They look great operating on your layout. Happy railroading🚂

[johnblair]

You can buy O-31, No. 022 switches quite cheaply. Menards made the right call going for the O72 switches. Those metal frogs look like they will work

[AstroKnight]

You would not BELEIVE how fast I clicked this video when I saw it on my recommended

[charlesmcclure]

Nice to see that Menards came out with switches that is compatible with their track system I think that was a good move for them 👍👍

[speedpedals]

I had no clue Menards was selling their own brand of O-gauge trains. I hope it catches on and yes, the prices appear great. That safety feature on the switches to prevent derailment is brilliant. Thanks for posting tthis. I was also surprised at the numbers of different rail cars and the RR Line logos. I now want to get into O-gauge because it is affordable and much easier to handle. In my youth, an independent hardware store about 2 blocks from my house set up the front of the store with new trains for sale and he had Lionel and American Flyer. Melvin Politzer was the proprietor and he was an avid model train guy. Wish he was around today so we could have a conversation or many about trains.

[ralphmiller]

The anti-derailment feature was found as far back as Lionel's prewar switches, both standard gauge as well as O gauge. Lionel's prewar "T" Rail track has them. I love that Menard's is simply bringing back "Lionel" style (pre-1990) merchandise and at affordable prices in a market which had gone all out for scale realism.

[randyluginbuhl]

Just a revolutionary addition to the hobby…Menard’s has sealed the fact that they are a major player!

[visionarylocomotiveworks]

Knowing that most sellers charge at least $100 for the old-school Lionel O-72 tubular switches (especially the old ones that were still made in the US), this is a much needed product for those who love to run old school Lionel at an affordable price.

I don't see Menards making O-31 switches right away since the old Lionel O22 switches you can find just about anywhere still, BUT if Menards makes O-42 and/or O-54 automatic switches, those should both be a home run!

[zentran]

Menards is one of the coolest Companies and Stores. I wish I lived in the midwest so I could visit them all the time.

[davidlewis]

I just got Menards track. It is really nice

[BillThomas-ii]

From my standpoint the real advantage of tubular track over Fastrack is you have to clean Fastrack every month while my tubular track will go over 9 months without cleaning. That is why using transition tracks I have swapped out my Fastrack in hard to reach areas, like in tunnels, with Menards tubular track. Tubular track has about 30% more steel than Fastrack and conducts electricity much better. Great video.

[johnandrus]

Very nice. Menard's always offers great products and fair prices. Hopefully, they will produce some different radius switches in the future. I need some O54's for my industrial area and I don't have too much choice, other than Ross, which are $$$$. I couldn't tell if you area able to reverse the switch motors, like the Lionel switches. Either way, those are some nice switches, for sure. A big thumbs up to Menard's on this one. An excellent video, as always.

[dalemettee]

In model railroad parlance a track switch is called a turnout. You have right, left, with a ratio for each one curve vs, distance.

[txrazorback]

Those switches look and run great! Unlike the noise my trains make when they cross my Fast Track switches, the trains did not make much racket as they passed over them. The anti derailment feature is really nice to have on such a budget friendly switch. It will be interesting to see if there are any issues reported.
Thanks for reviewing these switches.

[markradius]

I asked Ray about different curves and this was his response:
Mark,
We hope to come out with 031 switches (022) in the near future.
Thank you, Ray

[VR-ymys]

And that Lionel track looks so realistic!