In the early 1800s, flatcars were among the first railcars developed, used to transport oversized or heavy loads. Over time, variations of the flatcar have emerged (depressed-center and center-beam cars, for example), but the humble flatcar is still commonly used today.
Menards has released a two-pack of flatcars, one carrying a 1:48 scale 1954 GMC tractor and the other carrying the trailer, both with Pennzoil graphics.
Out of the box
Both cars are lettered for the Pennsylvania RR and have a weathered, woodgrain deck and a factory-applied brake wheel. The tractor and trailer are secured to the flatcar with one screw. You can remove them if you’d like to run the cars empty and use the tractor-trailer on your layout. The wheel chocks are glued to the flatcar deck, but can be removed with a hobby knife if you’d prefer to use the cars to transport other loads.
Prototypical flatcar lengths vary by era and type. Menards does not specify the length of these flatcars. If they are 40-foot flatcars, they would scale closely to 1:48 scale (10” long) at 10½” long. I found that 40-footers often carry specialized machinery, making this a good match for these loads.
While GMC manufactured semi trucks and trailers in the 1950s, I could not find evidence that they produced them with Pennzoil graphics. It’s possible Pennzoil or a local retailer purchased trucks and had them painted after manufacture. I tried to research Pennzoil logos to verify they matched the era, but I found little information online. The slogan “supreme quality, safe lubrication” printed on the trailers was more widely used in the 1930s-50s, which fits this era.
On the track
To open the coupler, press the small button on the side of the coupler shank. Press the knuckle to close it. Both cars’ couplers worked as expected. I connected a Lionel boxcar to the flatcar. It didn’t appear they fit together that well, but they held. I ran a string of assorted freight cars, with the Menards flatcar approximately in the middle, on our home layout. I had no problems through turnouts and over the crossover. Nothing came uncoupled or caused any issues. (Note: our home layout uses Lionel tubular track, which is quite similar to Menard’s track.)
If you like flatcars with interesting loads, or you’re looking for an inexpensive way to build a train full of flatcars with loads, check out these cars. They’re available in packs of two or eight (No. 275-9548). If Pennzoil doesn’t interest you, they have other designs like Whirlpool, Tide, Wrangler, Spam, and more.
Menards Pennsylvania RR Flatcars w/Pennzoil Tractor & Trailer (No. 275-9547)
Features: O-27 operation, licensed 1:48 scale 1954 GMC tractor and trailer, unique car numbers
Price: $34.95
Website: menards.com/trains
