Menards has started offering starter sets, and their Track Inspection Set is one of the newcomers to that area. But instead of a locomotive and pieces of rolling stock in the box, you’ll find something a little different. This set includes a track maintenance truck and a track inspection vehicle, and no locomotives.
Both vehicles are battery powered and do not require track power to operate. The larger truck requires three AAA batteries and the smaller inspection vehicle needs one AA battery. As long as you have that package of batteries handy, don’t forget about the remote. That needs two AAs.
The set includes 8 pieces of curved O-36 tubular track, two vehicles (a larger track maintenance truck and a smaller inspection truck), and a handheld remote. Both of the trucks are decorated with M&Ms graphics.
The remote controls the larger maintenance truck. It’s pretty simple to use. The right button is forward, and the left button is reverse. There’s no speed control; it’s either power on or off. The headlights illuminate while moving forward, and two rear taillights come on in reverse.
It moves along at a pretty good clip. Occasionally, the remote didn’t respond to the pushbutton for a moment or two. Overall, though, the truck responded right after pushing a button. The range of operation seemed broad enough that you could use this on most layout sizes.
The smaller red car has four lights (two red, two blue), and is controlled by an on/off switch underneath the car. Turn it on, set it on the track, and away it goes!
Since these don’t need track power, I tried them on the workshop floor, and they worked great. I also tested them on the CT&T project layout, which has Lionel FasTrack. They ran just fine, and didn’t have any trouble on the turnouts, both in forward or reverse. The box states that they’re compatible with several track brands, including K-Line, MTH, and Lionel.
A few notes:
- I suggest rechargeable batteries if you plan to run this regularly.
- The remote’s battery cover clicks into place. The screw there seems unnecessary, and the cover closed tightly without it.
- When removing the screw on the inspection car, be aware that the car’s rear axle and wheels are part of the battery cover. That was a surprise and for a moment, I thought I’d broken something.
All in all, this is a fun little set and a great entry point for kids, kids at heart, or anyone who likes M&M products. The inspection car could be a fun item to run on a loop of track during an open house. It’s something you could let a child play with while you’re operating the more expensive engines. I sure had fun playing with, um, I mean testing it out at the Kalmbach offices!
Watch a video of another Menards starter set.
O Gauge Track Inspection Set (2796970)
$39.99
Features: 8 sections of O-36 tubular track; battery-operated two button remote control; track inspection vehicle; track maintenance truck
Website: menards.com/trains
