Super O track

[PostwarMan07]

I just finshed reading up on super O track from the postwar era.  I think it is the nicest looking track Ive seen next to gargraves.  I haven't gone the fastrack route because of the high prices and personally Id rather have real ballast rather than plastic.  Super O is pretty much fastrack but cheaper and appeals to my desire for more realistic road bed.

The only problem I have stopping me from getting this track is that I read that lionel discontinued the super O line because the copper middle rail was eating away at the rollers of trains made before the late 50's.  A lot of my rolling stock is from 1946 - 1955.  Is this a big problem with these products? If so...should I replace the rollers with solid steel rollers and go super O or just stay with tubular?

[phillyreading]

Stay with tubular track as you can find it easier and it comes in more sizes in curve track.  Gargraves track looks good too and has fewer, if any, problems with switches than current production Lionel O gauge tubular switches.

Saturday I saw two full boxes of Super O track at the Lake Worth FL train show, the guy had switches also, and another guy had a few more switches in Super O.  Was told that there is only one curve size in Super O, don't know for sure, maybe the guy only had one size curves.

Lee F.

[mpzpw3]

It is a myth that the center rail on Super O track will wear rollers pre-maturely. The center rail appears to wear about the same on all track. If you run an engine a lot, repairs will come more quickly, regardless of the track. Lionel only made one curve diameter of Super O track. I think it is O-36, but could be mistaken.

Reading all the forums, this topic seems to come up all the time. I'm almost considering trying to mass produce this track myself! A lot of people seem to want this track, but no manufacturer has stepped up to the plate. I know I would rip up all my track in favor of Super O if someone would just make it, and make it in multiple diameter curves.

[PostwarMan07]

Im pretty sure the super o track only came in 0-36.  In a CTT article on the super O layout, there were a few comments on the fact that lionel never produced 0-72 super o track.  If they did I think the line would still be running today.  I haven't read anything on the super 0 switches (i think the  number is #112??).  Has anyone found them to be a problem?  How are they compared to O22s?

[PhilaKnight]

January 2007 issue of CTT has a great feature on the Super O track. It explains the major problems with it and possibly why it failed. I have some pieces to make a nice size oval. Instead of Fast-track wish they came back out with Super O. I have never seen any of the track at any shows or I would have picked it up.

 In the article it states that one main problem was with the switches, that they sometime failed to throw all the way and would short , seize the motor and melt the plastic. Another was it was not compatible with any other track. Anyway it's a great read and you should see if you can obtain it.

Saw some K-Line track at a local Lionel dealer and I thought it resembled Super O but it wasn't brown in color but black.

 

[chuck]

FastTrack was designed to be used for temporary floor layouts and to be kid friendly.  It was never meant to be a replacement for "Super O".  If you aren't fond of the shape of FastTrack rails, Atlas will have a product with similar roadbed but T shaped rails like Gargraves/Ross.

[mpzpw3]

Fastrack was made to be "plug-and-play". Some people have made great permanent layouts out of the stuff, and I do mean great, but for the postwar operater, or the DIY person, it doesn't work. I kinda enjoy ballasting track, and laying my own roadbed. K-line shadow-rail and super-snap track are the only track systems I have seen comparable to Super-O. Gargraves is my track of choice, but I would drop it in a minute for Super-O. I'm not kidding about producing Super-O myself. I've looked into what it would take, and it is possible.

[Anonymous]

  Super O is compatible w/ tubular via special pins. Nice looking and opperating track. My grandfather used it for years w/o problems and I continue to use it.

[PostwarMan07]

I just saw 060 and 072 csuper O in ebay....the seller said it was factory refitted from 036...anyone every hear of such a thing?

[msacco]

Yes, I have heard of people customizing/rebending super O to larger radii.

 

 Mike S.

[PostwarMan07]

Just a thought...

If the 112 switches have so many problems (as I have read from many people in the yahoo "super O" group) why not use a conversion kit with postwar 022 switches?  I would ask this on the super O group but fear being banned for life

If anyone has done this 1) do the trains run smoothly over conversion section 2) does it look as good as the 112 do with the super O?

[Dr.Fu-Manchu]

The Doctor Is In!PostwarMan07, You will not be banned for asking questions like yours. Talk to Mike, he is the head guy when it comes to Super O. He can supply you with almost all your Super O needs. As to running O22 Switches with Super O, I know there are conversion pins set that Lionel made for that purpose or for also using tube track on the same layout.  I am thinking about it because I have some O22 switches and they are in good shape(postwar) As I said, Mike is the Go to Guy. Good Luck and have fun! Super O is almost as real as it got for postwar Lionel, It's a shame they dropped the line.

Till My Next Missive, I Remain The Humble Yet Strangly Evil Doctor!!!!!

[Jumijo]

Myth or not, I have several pieces of post war rolling stock that were clearly run long and hard on Super O track. The groove in the middle of their rollers was too narrow and defined to have come from tubular track. Tubular creates and indented, hour glass shaped roller. Super O creates more of a thin groove in the rollers, only a 1/16" or so.

There are Super O dealers who custom make different sized curves. Do a web and eBay search. 

Jim 

[PostwarMan07]

Thanks for all the info guys.  Im going to talk to mike about some more of my concerns.

[PhilaKnight]

I don't remember where I saw it but I think it showed if you made cuts in the plastic ties on the bottom you could bend it like the old HO flex-track. I use to cut regular HO track was I was a kid cause I had tons of it and couldn't afford at that time the more expensive flextrack. In the Jan. 07 issue of CTT it has a article about a repo of the 57 Super-O layout with customized 0-72 curves that were customized by a guy but doen'st say if it was a company. Guess I'll surf the web and see what I come up with.