Menards is very smart. Not everyone can afford a $2,000 engine! At least at $200 more people have a chance at buying trains, that's why I bought the Menards Union Pacific engine.
I prefer Menards over Lionel here due to pricing. The extra detail and sound that Lionel gives is nice and all… but the cost/value ratio is way off imo. If Menards can bump the quality just a hair and keep the price under $250, I may never buy a Lionel engine.
You're right ✅ 👍👍👍. If Menards would bump the details and quality a little but keep it under $300 I would never get the $1000 option. I can't get the $1000 option 😫. I'm thinking 🤔 you could probably spend a little more $$ and add a different speaker to upgrade the Menards 🤔🤔🤔. All the best!
Chris, as you clearly point out, they’re both the winner. Each pulls their own in the battle and when price point is included, they are an even match. Thanks for the video and keep them coming.
Although it’s almost unfair to compare them, it’s great for someone starting in the hobby to be able to get such a big and nice looking engine at a reasonable price. 🚂 Great vid! Happy railroading friends!
The Menards UP is actually the first train that I bought new; all my other trains are used Lionel. With the price point and features of Menards, I have a hard time spending the cash on a high end Lionel. Plus, Menards has improved their trains dramatically in just a few models; I suspect they'll get even better as time goes by. Both are great in their own right but if you're on a budget, Menards can't be beat.
Sorry but I’m not paying 2000 bucks for a toy train. Hats off to Menards for bringing model railroading to the masses. It’s still the same fun with a less expensive train is running versus the super high cost ones.
You can see the improvements that menards made to their UP diesel from the first one they released. Personally the menards diesel is a great locomotive to get into the hobby and we need more things like that.
My max price point is Lionchief Plus 2.0. I will always consider Lionel the overall winner. That Bernards gave the Legacy a tight win. Again thanks for your knowledge and sharing the hobby.
Thankfully there are still some "entry level" offerings these days. I see a lot of people that complain about the price but when you compare the cost of locomotives, at least on the low end, vs inflation and salary averages over the decades they're still as affordable as they ever were. Now myself, I tend to prefer the middle of the road. Either a decent quality DC or even DCC locomotive rather than the entry level stuff but I still do run and enjoy the entry level offerings from companies like Bachmann, etc. because the quality of those compare far more favorably than the same names did 20-30 years ago as far as mechanism reliability. I still have yet to get into the higher end of N or HO scale with something like Scaletrains Rivet counters, fancy brass locomotives, etc. but It's hopefully not too far off on the horizon. I need/want to level up my actual modeling skills before I get into all that. If you've seen the videos on my rescue layout it could definitely use some love in the scenery department. lol.
The Lionel is spectacular but, in all categories, the Menards is "good enough". I like to run trains and Menards fits the bill at a very reasonable price. I am a bit biased due to my experiences over the last 20 years or so. I have purchased several modern engines and absolutely love the new features in sound, details and control but a couple of them have become bricks due to failures in the electronics. The cost of repairing those electronics is too high and you can't always get the parts, especially as more time goes by. My old post war Lionels, however, will easily outlast me. Now, it will be a much heavier lift for Menards to come out with a steam engine ... Thanks, Chris. You gave us a lot to think about.
I love these comparison videos, really shows that for many casual train hobbyist that the less expensive offerings out there can certainly be just as interesting and entertaining in many ways. I have a modest collection of Lionel trains where most of my pieces are "set grade" from the late 40s to the mid 90s. I love 'em all!
Love seeing spotlights put on the entry model brands. Sure, they won't ever have the features of fancy modern lionel, but as long as the entry brands exist so to will new people to the hobby and that's honestly the most important thing. Love it!
Great video Chris! As a person without the space or funds for the layout of my dreams (don’t know who among us does), it’s nice to know I could potentially go pick up some sidewalk salt, puff corn, and a solid train set all at one store without spending 1.5 months of my mortgage.
Last Lionel set I bought was the Polar Express in 2008. Old school Lionel, as in the couplers have to be manually operated. The tender has a whistle feature but my cat tinkled on the set and the whistle no longer works. These newer sets you have are amazing but if I wanted to build the layout you have and collect the trains you have, it would cost more than my house. You rock, Chris!
Of course there is more detail and better electronics in the Lionel Legacy units, but for those of us out here in the real world, many of us can't afford Legacy anything, so the Menard's units are a very welcome addition to the model train world! And as for the detail, detail parts can be had to bring the Menards units up to par, and from the looks of it, thank God Menard's didn't try to pass off the old Lionel post war shell as some kind of F unit!
Dollar for dollar, I think they both deliver what you are paying for. My bet is the Menard's units will last longer and require less maintenance. It's a win/win. I think Menard's is doing a great service to the hobby.
I feel like Menards is the saving grace for anybody who wants to get into the hobby. Lionel has great stuff, however needs to be affordable. At some point, middle aged people will be gone, and no generation will fill the gap at Lionel prices….
Lionel IMO has the best sounds but the Menards I has the best cab chatter. Menards might not be prototypical, however the one thing I love about their products is that they don’t go too crazy with their attention to detail. I’ll be keeping my eyes open like a hawk at York this October for a set of those Menards F-units Both engines really sliver around the layout like two slugs. Great video Chris!
I was finally able to get a Menards F7. Now that I’m retired I can’t afford the big dollar Lionel train anymore. But Menards. I’ll looking forward to the next release and I’ll get another.
Menards is definitely going for more the toy end of the market. And that is perfectly fine. The hobby definitely needs more reasonably priced toy trains that can be sold at department and big box stores. That said I have concerns on whether or not the Menards set can stand up to the rough treatment a kid playing will put it through. I would love the blue warbonnet engine to go with my set of post war Santa Fe blue stripe coaches though.
Lot's of people bash the Menards stuff. For the price point they are at, I think they have good features and are a good choice for someone new. I would have to give the horn win to Lionel
When I was a kid, my father took me to a wealthy person's house and they told me to go downstairs to play with their son's Lionel train set. When I tried, the spoiled kid would pick up any train car I touched and threw it as hard as he could against the wall and smashed it to pieces. So, I proceeded to touch all the cars and locomotives until they were all destroyed, the next thing I can remember was sitting back inside my father's car in the middle of winter. Even back then a Lionel train set cost an adult about at least a week's pay, so in this case the Menards would have been the better choice for the kid. lol
Lionel is certainly the top of the line. Manards is great for someone that doesn't want to spend all their hobby money on one loco set. My grandkids love to run them and at that cost I don't worry about it. I must say, again NO toy (model) train should be run without a caboose! Manards even made one to match the UP set! Great video, and I have been waiting on someone to say something about the light bleed on the nose. I found some silver paint or aluminum foil placed inside would make it not bleed through and look better. Keep em coming Chris, fun stuff!
Hey 200 vs 2000, you can always repaint the menards locomotives without worrying about losing their value and heck maybe make it go up in value depending on how well you are at painting lol.if I had the money I would repaint them into CSX style F7 locomotives or maybe just give the locomotive the touch up it needs to look better. Ahhh the joy of building model kits, everything looks like it could be a new project with a little paint xD
Nice comparison, but easy choice: If you want the best and can afford it, Lionel hands down in all respects. If you just want a reasonable nice looking and running train, the Menards has a place and can get more new train people into the great hobby! Thanks for the nicely presented video!
Its like comparing in 1955 a new Chevy to a new Cadillac. Guess which one is more valuable now? I like the Menards horn best. Thanks Chris for the video. You always do a great job
Great video. I have to say I like them both, for very different reasons. I love all the details and features that you get with Lionel engines. But I Love that Menards is offering engines and cars that are more affordable. Great for people just getting into the hobby. Now I have to say I am not happy with you Chris. I am going to have to start collecting the UP orange and black freight cars.😁
As a frequent viewer of your channel, I find it very non-one-sided in which you present the model train hobby in a positive overview of all manufacturers. Your Menards and Lionel overview was great. As your reviews on Weaver engines, and of course, MTH. Again, great review!!!🙂
Both sets are nice and have different things to offer, the Menards is better priced but is not as detailed, Lionel on the other hand is much more detailed but is a lot more money. I prefer the Lionel version since its more realistic and has more features, but I like both. Lionel took the win in today's horn battle. Great review Chris!
Thanks for the really well done comparison, Chris. I was only surprised that you didn't compare their pulling power using the same consist of cars for each. Still a great idea.
Hey Chris! Great review, thanks for the side by side; I agree with the rest of the comments saying they are both winners! Also I’m digging the new haircut
Always love seeing the Texas Special in the background....need a whole video on my favorite train....recently I was able to get the Station Sounds and 2 car pack add on to complete the set
Awesome video Chris. Informative and yet fun, always waiting to see what you come with next. I would have to say you are an ambassador to the hobby and inspiration to all and inspiration to me to make better videos and promote the hobby.
I love MTH, Atlas, Lionel, Manards I like em all!! I leaned more towards MTH in the mid 2010s because Lionel sadly went downhill, but they came back now they are great again!!
Good comparison Chris. If you just want a no frills locomotive to start Menards is great. Then maybe graduate into the more prototypical items. Great way to start.
That was demonstration of comparison that I find helpful. It was fun to see the difference between the two. It was not clear if the Menard had smoke unit or not.
The price for the Menards Union Pacific set is a hands down winner, Chris. That alone means more collectors will be able to afford this model and enjoy it's features. But the Menard's horn sounds like a door bell buzzer compared to the Lionel more accurate diesel horn. I'm not much into cab chatter. It's of a fantasy, unless you own a communicator. The chances of hearing this kind of thing in a real situation are next to impossible, with all the safety restrictions keeping the general public at a distance, but if you say so, Menards has a unique feature here. The exteriors of both sets matches what I would expect, so no complaints. The Menards model seems to be a smooth puller, but the slow speed of the Lionel is just amazing. All in all, it was a fair comparison between two very different models. Lionel is a clear winner just because of the technology available, but price wise, the Menards model is an impressive model to able to own.
I know a company that made some of the best $200 dollar trains in the o gauge market! And they are still cheaper than Lionel these days. But Menards also beats them too.
You can help prevent bleed throughout with some paint on the inside of the Maynards shell Ive seen a few techniques but doing so would definitely improve the look there.
Just sitting back, I like the Menard's chatter, overall sound and horn was ok. I don't like the bleeding light through the body. They can fit that on a two hundred model. The horn on the Lionel sounded like a ship horn, so they didn't hit it either. So, not bad for either. Also, run the trains as fast as you want! I ❤ it! Good review!
Great that 200 dollar sets are availible with this great quality for the price. We need this for the continuation of our hobby. Cheap sets get kids in on uor hobby. We need that
Good comparison on the engines. As hoophil said, Menards is trying to fill that need for decent beginners and affordable trains. I agree Menards is smart. And as a side, I don't think you run your trains too fast. I like to have the impression that trains have a destination they have to reach, not just always meandering through a yard.
Honestly, I think the Menards is giving WAY more bang for your buck... When it comes to diesel's, I would probably rather have the Menards, because I would rather save my money for fun steam engine's, but that is just personal preference. I agree with a lot of other people on here too, I feel like Menard's is offering a gateway for more people to get into the hobby, not everyone has $2000 to plop down on a toy... and that is also a good point, if you are getting something like this as a toy for a kid, the Menards is a much better choice, kids aren't running trains slow and if $200 flies off the the track, fine, if $2000 flies off the track, (tears welling). It is also worth pointing out, some of the Menard's buildings are super nice and blow the Lionel buildings out of the water in detail and design... not to mention price!
The fewer bells and whistles, the less you have to break down. Sometimes, less really is more. Besides, you can literally outfit 10 Menard's trains for that one Lionel. And lastly, I'm no rivet-counter. I don't do model railroads; I play with toy trains! Much more fun!
Lol, this has to be the funniest video you have made! Menards puts out some great cheap products! Bought some for my wife and her O scale layout. Yes I said O scale. Me I’m an S Scale guy and prefer the American Flyer and American Models and S Helper Service trains over anything. As far as the horns go I like the Proto 3 F unit horns on my S Scale trains. But all in all a great video!
After years of living near the UP line in Houston that ran along I-10, I think that the chimes of the Menard's engine are actually more accurate than those of the Lionel. It certainly doesn't have the power of the Lionel, though. As far as which is better, the details on the Lionel set are obviously better than those of the Menard's engines, OOB. But here is where it comes down to the person that owns them. Given the difference in price, an owner that is a modeler could easily put in some time and a little money for some aftermarket detail parts, and end up with a perfectly respectable model of a UP A-A F-unit set. A person that just wants to watch trains run on the track might not care. To each his own.
First, let me say your videos are excellent! I just came across this one and had to leave a like and comment. Second, your layout is magnificent! I am truly in awe! As for the content, I use to run Lionel trains back in the 70s when I was a kid. The old stuff was very low on detail and eventually, like many other folks back then I switched to HO (my current scale of choice). This new Lionel stuff is amazing! If I didn't have so much time and money invested in HO I would definitely switch! (still don't like the 3rd rail thing though 😐) The Menards unit is admirable and my hats off to them for marketing a more budget oriented product! But there is no doubt the Lionel is tiers above the Menard! Thanks for a great comparison!
Wow! A working Mars light at 1:14. I've never seen that on a model train before! But yeah, Lionel stuff is expensive. I dropped $1000 on two locomotives not too long ago: an Amtrak P42 and a Conrail SD70 both by Lionel. I also like MTH. Never bought anything my Menards, we don't have them here in New York.
I guess that it is really not fair to compare the two sets. If you are a purist then the Lionel set is the way to go but if you are a casual train enthusiast then the Menards set is your pick.I only set my trains up at Christmas time but I have my Lionels that my Grandfather bought for me when I was 2/3 years old. They are from the early 50s.
Yessssss more trains my friend. I just got a new o scale train set. I still have to make a video of it. Ur the best my friend. Any recommendations for new o scale engines. Linol is the best to get and the whistle is amazing.
Wow, great video thank you… The Lionel is definitely awesome in every way, except the price I suppose… And the Menards is fantastic. Also, I just wish it had smoke but I would end up buying a Menards. It looks great runs great and it’s just so much less expensive.
I have no clue how UA-cam recommended your channel. My last video was Bruce Rivers CLR. Instant sub. What content! Edit. Figured it out. I looked up the cog trains at Mt Washington and Pikes Peak.
This isn’t related to the video, but I wanted to share that I just bought my first every Lionel legacy train!!! It’s the Southern Pacific GS2, and I got it because the local hobby shop was selling it for only $500… Also, they owed me a lot of money because of a set they gave me that didn’t work, so I only payed $180 for a legacy engine in perfect working condition!! I wanted to let you know, Chris, because you’re the one who inspired me to collect trains
Great video, I am a fan of Menards items and what he has made available to us! on a different topic, how would I locate model train fans who would open their doors to visits to see their layout and trains run, and shoot the fat about this great hobby? As I will be traveling to Rock hill, SC on the 21 Of Oct. 2023, and have 3 hrs. of time to kill between my 2PM and 6PM appointments. I greatly appreciate your assistance with this!
Thanks for watching! Not sure about open house events. Might want to pose that question in the O Gauge Forum. Might be some folks or clubs in that area.
Im all for supporting buying Mernards trains or even mid grade 027 locos. The age of the high raillayout has brought us some mesmerizing examples of what you can do with model trains. However, a toy train layout can be just as impressive, and in the 50s Lionel championed this idea as building scale models wasnt their priority. Times change, and even in the 50s if anyone was doing fine scale layouts, they were HO. I love owning my scale steam locos, but building a layout for them is something that will have to wait until I retire.
Thanks for comparing the locomotives. I just starting out back in O scale again which I love. I’m doing n scale cos of the size of the room. But I eliminated a loop of n scale and I put O scale run and I love the O scale running O since I was a kid. Pls take a look and see what you think
The lionel sounds many times better on horn, menards reminds you of cheep mpc Era trains. Track sounds there's not much different between track sounds, if menards had better speaker, it would be better, but 2k is steep for F units that can be semi scale on railking and 031 stock.
Great vidio, like that menards engine fur 200. ... love the lionel loco but 1100. Plus shipping plus duty and exchange is about 1750. And thats about a months rent . ... menards is 350. Thanks for the morning coffee...
Are there not dip switches under the hood to change the horn sounds? Maybe just in the high end models. I was watching a video with the new lionel big boy the other day. Vision series.
Menards is very smart. Not everyone can afford a $2,000 engine! At least at $200 more people have a chance at buying trains, that's why I bought the Menards Union Pacific engine.
I'm waiting till Menards comes out with a steam locomotive
I prefer Menards over Lionel here due to pricing. The extra detail and sound that Lionel gives is nice and all… but the cost/value ratio is way off imo.
If Menards can bump the quality just a hair and keep the price under $250, I may never buy a Lionel engine.
Story of my Life when it comes 2 finding a 4014 Big Boy @ a Reasonable Price which will prolly never happen unfortunately 😢
You're right ✅ 👍👍👍. If Menards would bump the details and quality a little but keep it under $300 I would never get the $1000 option. I can't get the $1000 option 😫.
I'm thinking 🤔 you could probably spend a little more $$ and add a different speaker to upgrade the Menards 🤔🤔🤔.
All the best!
Price point is hugely in Menards favor. Sounds, details and features belong to Lionel. They both have their place.
It is great to see that Menards offers entry-level trains at an affordable price. Helps to recruit new model train people.
Agree! Prices in model railroading are tough and Menards has been able to create products with greater reach. Thanks for watching!
Truth!
Chris, as you clearly point out, they’re both the winner. Each pulls their own in the battle and when price point is included, they are an even match. Thanks for the video and keep them coming.
Although it’s almost unfair to compare them, it’s great for someone starting in the hobby to be able to get such a big and nice looking engine at a reasonable price. 🚂 Great vid! Happy railroading friends!
Exactly!
My favorite is Menards because I like that it doesn't go slow and has less detail. It gives me nostalgia for my Lionel Postwar trains.
The Menards UP is actually the first train that I bought new; all my other trains are used Lionel. With the price point and features of Menards, I have a hard time spending the cash on a high end Lionel. Plus, Menards has improved their trains dramatically in just a few models; I suspect they'll get even better as time goes by.
Both are great in their own right but if you're on a budget, Menards can't be beat.
Sorry but I’m not paying 2000 bucks for a toy train. Hats off to Menards for bringing model railroading to the masses. It’s still the same fun with a less expensive train is running versus the super high cost ones.
You can see the improvements that menards made to their UP diesel from the first one they released. Personally the menards diesel is a great locomotive to get into the hobby and we need more things like that.
My max price point is Lionchief Plus 2.0.
I will always consider Lionel the overall winner. That Bernards gave the Legacy a tight win.
Again thanks for your knowledge and sharing the hobby.
The dialogue from the Menards engine is definitely closer to railroad communication than the generic lionel crew talk
Thankfully there are still some "entry level" offerings these days. I see a lot of people that complain about the price but when you compare the cost of locomotives, at least on the low end, vs inflation and salary averages over the decades they're still as affordable as they ever were. Now myself, I tend to prefer the middle of the road. Either a decent quality DC or even DCC locomotive rather than the entry level stuff but I still do run and enjoy the entry level offerings from companies like Bachmann, etc. because the quality of those compare far more favorably than the same names did 20-30 years ago as far as mechanism reliability. I still have yet to get into the higher end of N or HO scale with something like Scaletrains Rivet counters, fancy brass locomotives, etc. but It's hopefully not too far off on the horizon. I need/want to level up my actual modeling skills before I get into all that. If you've seen the videos on my rescue layout it could definitely use some love in the scenery department. lol.
The Lionel is spectacular but, in all categories, the Menards is "good enough". I like to run trains and Menards fits the bill at a very reasonable price. I am a bit biased due to my experiences over the last 20 years or so. I have purchased several modern engines and absolutely love the new features in sound, details and control but a couple of them have become bricks due to failures in the electronics. The cost of repairing those electronics is too high and you can't always get the parts, especially as more time goes by. My old post war Lionels, however, will easily outlast me. Now, it will be a much heavier lift for Menards to come out with a steam engine ... Thanks, Chris. You gave us a lot to think about.
I love these comparison videos, really shows that for many casual train hobbyist that the less expensive offerings out there can certainly be just as interesting and entertaining in many ways. I have a modest collection of Lionel trains where most of my pieces are "set grade" from the late 40s to the mid 90s. I love 'em all!
it's amazing how much more effort and skill goes into lionel's O scale sets than some of their HO scale sets
Love seeing spotlights put on the entry model brands. Sure, they won't ever have the features of fancy modern lionel, but as long as the entry brands exist so to will new people to the hobby and that's honestly the most important thing. Love it!
Great video Chris! As a person without the space or funds for the layout of my dreams (don’t know who among us does), it’s nice to know I could potentially go pick up some sidewalk salt, puff corn, and a solid train set all at one store without spending 1.5 months of my mortgage.
Last Lionel set I bought was the Polar Express in 2008. Old school Lionel, as in the couplers have to be manually operated. The tender has a whistle feature but my cat tinkled on the set and the whistle no longer works.
These newer sets you have are amazing but if I wanted to build the layout you have and collect the trains you have, it would cost more than my house. You rock, Chris!
Of course there is more detail and better electronics in the Lionel Legacy units, but for those of us out here in the real world, many of us can't afford Legacy anything, so the Menard's units are a very welcome addition to the model train world! And as for the detail, detail parts can be had to bring the Menards units up to par, and from the looks of it, thank God Menard's didn't try to pass off the old Lionel post war shell as some kind of F unit!
Dollar for dollar, I think they both deliver what you are paying for. My bet is the Menard's units will last longer and require less maintenance. It's a win/win. I think Menard's is doing a great service to the hobby.
Eh those plastic gears are gonna be the question
I feel like Menards is the saving grace for anybody who wants to get into the hobby. Lionel has great stuff, however needs to be affordable. At some point, middle aged people will be gone, and no generation will fill the gap at Lionel prices….
There is no comparison but I applaud Menards to have models in an affordable price range.
Thank you for adding the hobo camp. The hobo union is happy, and will be back, to take over your layout..
Lionel IMO has the best sounds but the Menards I has the best cab chatter. Menards might not be prototypical, however the one thing I love about their products is that they don’t go too crazy with their attention to detail. I’ll be keeping my eyes open like a hawk at York this October for a set of those Menards F-units Both engines really sliver around the layout like two slugs. Great video Chris!
I was finally able to get a Menards F7. Now that I’m retired I can’t afford the big dollar Lionel train anymore. But Menards. I’ll looking forward to the next release and I’ll get another.
Menards is definitely going for more the toy end of the market. And that is perfectly fine. The hobby definitely needs more reasonably priced toy trains that can be sold at department and big box stores. That said I have concerns on whether or not the Menards set can stand up to the rough treatment a kid playing will put it through. I would love the blue warbonnet engine to go with my set of post war Santa Fe blue stripe coaches though.
I love Lionel’s train!😄
Lot's of people bash the Menards stuff. For the price point they are at, I think they have good features and are a good choice for someone new. I would have to give the horn win to Lionel
When I was a kid, my father took me to a wealthy person's house and they told me to go downstairs to play with their son's Lionel train set. When I tried, the spoiled kid would pick up any train car I touched and threw it as hard as he could against the wall and smashed it to pieces.
So, I proceeded to touch all the cars and locomotives until they were all destroyed, the next thing I can remember was sitting back inside my father's car in the middle of winter.
Even back then a Lionel train set cost an adult about at least a week's pay, so in this case the Menards would have been the better choice for the kid. lol
The train room of destruction, haha!
Lionel is certainly the top of the line. Manards is great for someone that doesn't want to spend all their hobby money on one loco set. My grandkids love to run them and at that cost I don't worry about it. I must say, again NO toy (model) train should be run without a caboose! Manards even made one to match the UP set! Great video, and I have been waiting on someone to say something about the light bleed on the nose. I found some silver paint or aluminum foil placed inside would make it not bleed through and look better. Keep em coming Chris, fun stuff!
Thanks for watching Mike!
Love the fast trains!!! F units are my fave!!
Hey 200 vs 2000, you can always repaint the menards locomotives without worrying about losing their value and heck maybe make it go up in value depending on how well you are at painting lol.if I had the money I would repaint them into CSX style F7 locomotives or maybe just give the locomotive the touch up it needs to look better. Ahhh the joy of building model kits, everything looks like it could be a new project with a little paint xD
Exactly, I have seen many add smoke units to these menards engines, and would love to see someone add a smoker and paint one up or weather one.
Lionel wins the horn battle. Love the video!!
Nice comparison, but easy choice: If you want the best and can afford it, Lionel hands down in all respects. If you just want a reasonable nice looking and running train, the Menards has a place and can get more new train people into the great hobby! Thanks for the nicely presented video!
Its like comparing in 1955 a new Chevy to a new Cadillac. Guess which one is more valuable now? I like the Menards horn best. Thanks Chris for the video. You always do a great job
Great video. I have to say I like them both, for very different reasons. I love all the details and features that you get with Lionel engines. But I Love that Menards is offering engines and cars that are more affordable. Great for people just getting into the hobby.
Now I have to say I am not happy with you Chris. I am going to have to start collecting the UP orange and black freight cars.😁
LIONEL HAS IT ALL BRO!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA COOL MAN COOL!!! 😀😄😁😁😛🤟🤘👍👍
I like the simplicity of Menards. I would love a Menards in my collection! 😊
As a frequent viewer of your channel, I find it very non-one-sided in which you present the model train hobby in a positive overview of all manufacturers. Your Menards and Lionel overview was great. As your reviews on Weaver engines, and of course, MTH. Again, great review!!!🙂
Thank you! I like the diversity of products in O Gauge. There is something special about each piece.
Both sets are nice and have different things to offer, the Menards is better priced but is not as detailed, Lionel on the other hand is much more detailed but is a lot more money. I prefer the Lionel version since its more realistic and has more features, but I like both. Lionel took the win in today's horn battle. Great review Chris!
The most I spend is 650 and that's the NS OCS ABA Train from MTH from 2008.
I like the Lionel $2.000, Yes.
Thanks for the really well done comparison, Chris. I was only surprised that you didn't compare their pulling power using the same consist of cars for each. Still a great idea.
Hey Chris! Great review, thanks for the side by side; I agree with the rest of the comments saying they are both winners! Also I’m digging the new haircut
Thanks Dan!
The Lionel is much better but it is 10x the price...so you get what you pay for...and you don't get what you don't pay for!
The horn in the beginning sounds amazing 😮. Looks like my diesel engine that I had when I was a kid it was an Emd F7 a and b unit.
Always love seeing the Texas Special in the background....need a whole video on my favorite train....recently I was able to get the Station Sounds and 2 car pack add on to complete the set
Another great video chris..I really enjoyed your commentary; especially when you talk to yourself. And lionel won the horn wars.
Awesome video Chris. Informative and yet fun, always waiting to see what you come with next. I would have to say you are an ambassador to the hobby and inspiration to all and inspiration to me to make better videos and promote the hobby.
Thank you very much! Working on my next video now. :) Gotta get one posted before the upcoming York Train show
@@RBPTrains awesome can’t wait
Good video Chris
In my opinion, the Lionel A-B-B-A won the battle of the horns. And I like the Lionel one more so Lionel wins... also cool video!
Nice vid. I love and admire your passion towards trains.
I love MTH, Atlas, Lionel, Manards I like em all!! I leaned more towards MTH in the mid 2010s because Lionel sadly went downhill, but they came back now they are great again!!
The Lionel and Menards crewtalk both kill it for me. The Lionel horn is 10/10.
I'll stick with my Williams chassie'd Marx 21's
you have the ability to make any video. No matter if we want it or not be worthwhile lol
Keep it up, Chris! You have the power!
Thank you for the motivation!
Good comparison Chris. If you just want a no frills locomotive to start Menards is great. Then maybe graduate into the more prototypical items. Great way to start.
That was demonstration of comparison that I find helpful. It was fun to see the difference between the two. It was not clear if the Menard had smoke unit or not.
Thanks John! The Menards engine does not have smoke.
The price for the Menards Union Pacific set is a hands down winner, Chris. That alone means more collectors will be able to afford this model and enjoy it's features. But the Menard's horn sounds like a door bell buzzer compared to the Lionel more accurate diesel horn. I'm not much into cab chatter. It's of a fantasy, unless you own a communicator. The chances of hearing this kind of thing in a real situation are next to impossible, with all the safety restrictions keeping the general public at a distance, but if you say so, Menards has a unique feature here. The exteriors of both sets matches what I would expect, so no complaints. The Menards model seems to be a smooth puller, but the slow speed of the Lionel is just amazing. All in all, it was a fair comparison between two very different models. Lionel is a clear winner just because of the technology available, but price wise, the Menards model is an impressive model to able to own.
I know a company that made some of the best $200 dollar trains in the o gauge market! And they are still cheaper than Lionel these days. But Menards also beats them too.
Thanks!
Wow! Thank you so much Bob!!!
2:00 Lol this is- *The Guy!* I think of when I think ‘Model Trains’ 😄
You can help prevent bleed throughout with some paint on the inside of the Maynards shell
Ive seen a few techniques but doing so would definitely improve the look there.
Just sitting back, I like the Menard's chatter, overall sound and horn was ok. I don't like the bleeding light through the body. They can fit that on a two hundred model. The horn on the Lionel sounded like a ship horn, so they didn't hit it either. So, not bad for either. Also, run the trains as fast as you want! I ❤ it! Good review!
I like the horn and sound of the Lionel A-B-B-A, sounds more realistic.
Lionel is obviously the best. I'm just watching and learning.
Love the rotating Mars light!
Great that 200 dollar sets are availible with this great quality for the price. We need this for the continuation of our hobby. Cheap sets get kids in on uor hobby. We need that
Agree!
I love that you have LEGO modulars in your city. Fantastic! Imo, Lionel is better overall, but Menards is a far better value.
COOL VIDEO BROTHERMAN!!!! Very informative, keep them coming BRO>>AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA COOL 😃😄😁😮😯😲❤🤟🤘👍👍
Great video. My two year old granddaughter watched the whole thing!
Those Lionel F-Units are darn sweet, Chris. Thx for posting!
Good comparison on the engines. As hoophil said, Menards is trying to fill that need for decent beginners and affordable trains. I agree Menards is smart. And as a side, I don't think you run your trains too fast. I like to have the impression that trains have a destination they have to reach, not just always meandering through a yard.
Honestly, I think the Menards is giving WAY more bang for your buck... When it comes to diesel's, I would probably rather have the Menards, because I would rather save my money for fun steam engine's, but that is just personal preference. I agree with a lot of other people on here too, I feel like Menard's is offering a gateway for more people to get into the hobby, not everyone has $2000 to plop down on a toy... and that is also a good point, if you are getting something like this as a toy for a kid, the Menards is a much better choice, kids aren't running trains slow and if $200 flies off the the track, fine, if $2000 flies off the track, (tears welling). It is also worth pointing out, some of the Menard's buildings are super nice and blow the Lionel buildings out of the water in detail and design... not to mention price!
Gotta love a guy who loves model trains. Why grow up!! 🎉
Exactly! Thanks for watching
The fewer bells and whistles, the less you have to break down. Sometimes, less really is more. Besides, you can literally outfit 10 Menard's trains for that one Lionel. And lastly, I'm no rivet-counter. I don't do model railroads; I play with toy trains! Much more fun!
Love the Lionel horn❤ Lionel is a winner for me.
The alternative to either of these is move down in Scales so you can buy highly detailed modeled for under $1000.
Lol, this has to be the funniest video you have made! Menards puts out some great cheap products! Bought some for my wife and her O scale layout. Yes I said O scale. Me I’m an S Scale guy and prefer the American Flyer and American Models and S Helper Service trains over anything. As far as the horns go I like the Proto 3 F unit horns on my S Scale trains. But all in all a great video!
After years of living near the UP line in Houston that ran along I-10, I think that the chimes of the Menard's engine are actually more accurate than those of the Lionel. It certainly doesn't have the power of the Lionel, though. As far as which is better, the details on the Lionel set are obviously better than those of the Menard's engines, OOB. But here is where it comes down to the person that owns them. Given the difference in price, an owner that is a modeler could easily put in some time and a little money for some aftermarket detail parts, and end up with a perfectly respectable model of a UP A-A F-unit set. A person that just wants to watch trains run on the track might not care. To each his own.
I can't decide they both seem to be great models
First, let me say your videos are excellent! I just came across this one and had to leave a like and comment. Second, your layout is magnificent! I am truly in awe! As for the content, I use to run Lionel trains back in the 70s when I was a kid. The old stuff was very low on detail and eventually, like many other folks back then I switched to HO (my current scale of choice). This new Lionel stuff is amazing! If I didn't have so much time and money invested in HO I would definitely switch! (still don't like the 3rd rail thing though 😐) The Menards unit is admirable and my hats off to them for marketing a more budget oriented product! But there is no doubt the Lionel is tiers above the Menard! Thanks for a great comparison!
Thank you for watching! There is so much more you can do with H O compared to the O Gauge stuff.
Hey Chris, in your next video you can make the steam locomotives that are not articulated run?
Wow! A working Mars light at 1:14. I've never seen that on a model train before!
But yeah, Lionel stuff is expensive. I dropped $1000 on two locomotives not too long ago: an Amtrak P42 and a Conrail SD70 both by Lionel.
I also like MTH. Never bought anything my Menards, we don't have them here in New York.
My mth coal turbine has the mars light, it’s pretty cool
I guess that it is really not fair to compare the two sets. If you are a purist then the Lionel set is the way to go but if you are a casual train enthusiast then the Menards set is your pick.I only set my trains up at Christmas time but I have my Lionels that my Grandfather bought for me when I was 2/3 years old. They are from the early 50s.
Hello Chris my internet train friend thanks for inviting me to your train room great video GOD BLESS ;-)
Just catching up on this a year later, but the Menards horn sounds more like a classic F unit diesel to me .... the Lionel sounds like a steamship 😉
I’d go with Lionel without the ‘B’ units. I’ll see if Lionel makes it for ‘S’ gauge. Great video thanks.
The view of the train passing on the big bridge at 10:03 is a calendar picture !!!!!❤
Thanks! Sometimes these clips work out. :)
Yessssss more trains my friend. I just got a new o scale train set. I still have to make a video of it. Ur the best my friend. Any recommendations for new o scale engines. Linol is the best to get and the whistle is amazing.
Extraordinary locomotives the lionel horn sounds awesome 👍🏻✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️
Wow, great video thank you… The Lionel is definitely awesome in every way, except the price I suppose… And the Menards is fantastic. Also, I just wish it had smoke but I would end up buying a Menards. It looks great runs great and it’s just so much less expensive.
I have no clue how UA-cam recommended your channel. My last video was Bruce Rivers CLR. Instant sub. What content!
Edit. Figured it out. I looked up the cog trains at Mt Washington and Pikes Peak.
Glad to have you here and welcome!
This isn’t related to the video, but I wanted to share that I just bought my first every Lionel legacy train!!! It’s the Southern Pacific GS2, and I got it because the local hobby shop was selling it for only $500… Also, they owed me a lot of money because of a set they gave me that didn’t work, so I only payed $180 for a legacy engine in perfect working condition!! I wanted to let you know, Chris, because you’re the one who inspired me to collect trains
Glad to hear that you got that Legacy engine! Enjoy
@@RBPTrains thanks!
Great video, I am a fan of Menards items and what he has made available to us! on a different topic, how would I locate model train fans who would open their doors to visits to see their layout and trains run, and shoot the fat about this great hobby? As I will be traveling to Rock hill, SC on the 21 Of Oct. 2023, and have 3 hrs. of time to kill between my 2PM and 6PM appointments. I greatly appreciate your assistance with this!
Thanks for watching! Not sure about open house events. Might want to pose that question in the O Gauge Forum. Might be some folks or clubs in that area.
If you're just starting out in this hobby and have a limited budget the Menards units is it good 👍👍
Im all for supporting buying Mernards trains or even mid grade 027 locos. The age of the high raillayout has brought us some mesmerizing examples of what you can do with model trains. However, a toy train layout can be just as impressive, and in the 50s Lionel championed this idea as building scale models wasnt their priority. Times change, and even in the 50s if anyone was doing fine scale layouts, they were HO. I love owning my scale steam locos, but building a layout for them is something that will have to wait until I retire.
Thanks for comparing the locomotives. I just starting out back in O scale again which I love. I’m doing n scale cos of the size of the room. But I eliminated a loop of n scale and I put O scale run and I love the O scale running O since I was a kid. Pls take a look and see what you think
The lionel sounds many times better on horn, menards reminds you of cheep mpc Era trains. Track sounds there's not much different between track sounds, if menards had better speaker, it would be better, but 2k is steep for F units that can be semi scale on railking and 031 stock.
Great vidio, like that menards engine fur 200. ... love the lionel loco but 1100. Plus shipping plus duty and exchange is about 1750. And thats about a months rent . ... menards is 350. Thanks for the morning coffee...
Two different trains for two different groups of people. Each one fills the needs / wants in those markets. Sounds like both are winners.
Are there not dip switches under the hood to change the horn sounds? Maybe just in the high end models. I was watching a video with the new lionel big boy the other day. Vision series.