"Super O" Track

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E7
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"Super O" Track

Postby E7 » Sat Sep 02, 2017 2:52 pm

Hello All,

Mr.T and I got into a discussion about stud rail over on the 2 rail side, and I mentioned that sort of liked the old "Super O" track. I know it came out roundabout '57. and didn't last too long. Just wondering what killed it off? My guess would be that it didn't sell well (that kills a lot of stuff), but I departed from 3 rail right about then, so I'm not really up on the reason!

Rich

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ScaleCraft
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Re: "Super O" Track

Postby ScaleCraft » Sat Sep 02, 2017 4:39 pm

I can tell you rumours and innuendo, and my personal experience, which are all the same.
With those clips that got lost....well, no biggie, you order more.

And I know some hotshot with far more than 65 years of experience with three rail will jump in and correct me...but the knife edged center rail tended to cut the rollers right down the middle.
Now, it depends on cleanliness and load, but dirt, high amperage loads, and arcing of the rollers just flat ate them out.
Yes, I have seen flat topped GarGraves eat rollers out, but a gradual curve, not the Grand Canyon I have seen in repairs over the years.
I get one in cut like that, I know what track it ran on.

Now we'll get the folks who have Super "0" and only ever ran their NW2 with no train load on a level ping pong table jump in and tell us that never happened.

The type of metal used in the rollers changed after 1957 due primarily to the wear issue.
Later ones are...better.

http://www.tcastation.org/info.asp?t=Tr ... &submit=go
Dave....collector, restorer, and operator of the finest doorstops

CWBurfle
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Re: "Super O" Track

Postby CWBurfle » Sat Sep 02, 2017 4:58 pm

What killed Super "O"?.... I'd guess it was lack of sales.

I just took a quick look, I see Super "O" sets and track in the 1966 catalog.
Business was so poor, that there was no 1967 catalog.
I did not see any Super "O" in the 1968 catalog.

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jlong
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Re: "Super O" Track

Postby jlong » Sat Sep 02, 2017 8:10 pm

Super O came too late. The switches are cheesy compared to the tubular variety and the track is futzy to assemble in comparison to tubular.
John Long

One nation under Josh with ozone an magnetraction for all

E7
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Re: "Super O" Track

Postby E7 » Sat Sep 02, 2017 10:25 pm

Thanks guys. Not surprised at what you reported!

Rich

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Roy
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Re: "Super O" Track

Postby Roy » Sun Sep 03, 2017 1:56 am

One other factor: the deal with MPC. MPC developed their own premium track, featuring aluminum rails - but it sold even worse than Super-O.
Torturers, White Racists, Gay Bashers, Rich Psychopaths.

CWBurfle
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Re: "Super O" Track

Postby CWBurfle » Sun Sep 03, 2017 4:32 am

The track with aluminum rails was called TruTrack. .
I tried setting up a circle of track. The loco couldn't even go around the circle.
Some folks claim it is because the aluminum oxides into a poor conductor.
IMHO, that is probably a contributing factor. But the system they designed to carry power from section to section was very poorly made. I think that also contributed to the lack of usability.

I purchased a carton of the straight tracks with roadbed, and some curves.
The fellow who sold it to me warned me it was good for display only, that you couldn't run trains on it.
He was right.
I did use quite a bit of it for display track.

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Roy
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Re: "Super O" Track

Postby Roy » Sun Sep 03, 2017 7:23 am

On top of all that, the aluminum rail was non-magnetic, and thus useless with Magnetraction.

It is surprising to hear that the TruTrack was so generally useless, Magnetraction-or-no, right off the card. That means MPC sold a product that was likely never tested, or if it was, they knew it was crap.
Torturers, White Racists, Gay Bashers, Rich Psychopaths.

CWBurfle
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Re: "Super O" Track

Postby CWBurfle » Sun Sep 03, 2017 8:10 am

The track was made in Italy. Maybe the prototype pieces were assembled better. Maybe they used a different material for the rails.

Eventually I picked up a few TruTruck manual switches. Absolute crap.

Back to Super "O"...... I built one layout with a loop of Super "O" around the perimeter. The mainline had one manual switch and one uncoupling track. The switch led to a ladder siding.
I ended up removing the uncoupling track because many slide shoes would catch on it. Everything would go though the switch as long as it was set for straight. If I recall correctly, sliding shoes would catch when it was set to curve.
Also, the flanges on the prewar I tried running would bump on the ties.

I put a loop of good, old "O" gauge in the center so I could run my prewar.

I still have the Super "O" track, but I don't think I'd build another layout with it.
When the rumors were going around about Lionel dropping "O" gauge track, I started watching EBay for good prices on new track, and picked enough straights and curves for anything I am likely to do. I will stick with Postwar 022 switches, preferably pre-1950 ones with screw base bulbs. I think they work better than those made in 1950 and beyond, when they switched to bayonet bulbs.

CWBurfle
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Re: "Super O" Track

Postby CWBurfle » Sun Sep 03, 2017 8:15 am

Magnetraction-or-no, right off the card.

A bit of trivia:
All of the Trutrack straight and curved track pieces that I have seen were bulk packed in cartons of 100.
All of the Trutrack straight and curved road bed were carded, four pieces to the card.
I've seen photos of the switches and terminal track on cards. Don't recall seeing these items in person.
The switches I have were loose in a junk lot. I think there were five or six. After picking though them, I think I ended up with two complete switches, but I don't have all the fitter pieces.

I don't have a terminal track.

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jlong
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Re: "Super O" Track

Postby jlong » Sun Sep 10, 2017 10:13 am

Super O track has a small but loyal following by postwar layout builders. It offers the realism of Gargraves while maintaining the purity of a postwar Lionel layout. Sure it has it's quirks but people deal with it no different than MTH.
John Long

One nation under Josh with ozone an magnetraction for all

J. S. Bach
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Re: "Super O" Track

Postby J. S. Bach » Sun Sep 10, 2017 8:43 pm

jlong wrote:Super O track has a small but loyal following by postwar layout builders. It offers the realism of Gargraves ...snip...

And looks a he.. of lot better than Gargraves!!!!

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ScaleCraft
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Re: "Super O" Track

Postby ScaleCraft » Mon Sep 11, 2017 5:48 pm

J. S. Bach wrote:
jlong wrote:Super O track has a small but loyal following by postwar layout builders. It offers the realism of Gargraves ...snip...

And looks a he.. of lot better than Gargraves!!!!



Just so I understand...how does shiny plastic tied snap track with external clips and ties humped in the middle, bridging blocks spaced the same as 031 and 027 and visible, with problematic switches with HUGE machine pad that required a hacksaw to remove look a he11 of a lot better than wood tied, anodized center rail flex track with internal connectors?
Dave....collector, restorer, and operator of the finest doorstops


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