Recently I was looking at some pictures of "Super O" layouts and I must say, Super O track has a very nice appearance. I find myself not recognizing the center rail like I do in the other current 3 rail tracks(Ross, Gargraves, Lionel and yes even Scaletrax), maybe its because the ties are slightly raised towards the middle rail? maybe because the outer rails had that "50 yr patina" on them, maybe it's the shades of color they used?, I don't know, but it sure looks nice.
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I fully agree. It does look great. That was a great year for design and innovation classics. Some of the most beautiful cars ever made, the first artificial satellite, and ME! 
Yes, it was very good looking track. But it really did not catch on. A shame - but there is probably a lesson there in where and why . . .
The third rail is nicely disguised in Super O, yes - but I still see it. In person, it does not seem to stand out much less than Atlas and Gargraves.
The best "third rail" I have see, - or not seen - is the trick Marklin uses on 3R HO, with their "dots" on each tie and no continuous rail (it has a series of metal studs in the center of each tie, no solid rail).
I disagree. I find the tie hump to the center "rail" most disconcerting, visually.
In my opinion the best looking sectional track is super snap.
Pete
I'm kind of with Pete on this one. When I was a kid, and pretty much surrounded by real railroads in the area where I lived, I never liked those strangely shaped ties on Super O. I could tolerate 3-rail, of course, because Lionel was the king of toys back then and I had a large layout and collection. If I had liked Super O, I would have used it on my layout because I had ready access to the track and could get it at a good price.
I still feel pretty much the same way today.
I do notice the hump but not really once it is ballasted. I think once the track was ballasted, it looks fantastic.
I started using Super O in 1967. It took about 5 years to collect all that I needed(between high school in Virginia and college in Illinois). But my biggest issue was that it used 30 degree arc curves. It has always been easier to visualize and calculate for 45 and 22.5 degree arc curves, in my mind. If Lionel would bring it back in that format with wide radius curves and turnouts, I would dump my Atlas Track layout in a New York minute. I even collected pieces for the PWC Super O Hudson Set and all of my PWC items.
Super O was a great, advanced track system in many ways, from the middle rail and the ties (though oddly profiled) to the overall appearance. Criticisms would be the tight radii on curves and switches, and the "wear on rollers caused by the center rail", which in most opinions, was overblown. I would like to see a modern version by Lionel, with the radius issue addressed.
I hope Mike Spanier weighs in on this topic, as he is a majordomo of Super O. 
I fully agree. It does look great. That was a great year for design and innovation classics. Some of the most beautiful cars ever made, the first artificial satellite, and ME!
Wow, Nicole...you're just a kid! 
If anybody is going to be in the Phoenix area next month, our TCA Desert Division chapter is hosting an auction of a gentleman's collection which includes a box of Super O track and several switches in OB's. Contact me if you are interested in coming.
I disagree. I find the tie hump to the center "rail" most disconcerting, visually.
In my opinion the best looking sectional track is super snap.
Pete
Yes and yes. I originally considered Super O being something of a masochist, but the more I looked the hump just grated. I got some Super Snap and it is marvelous stuff. I have a test loop on the floor next to a test loop of Fastrack. The rail profile, round vs T I can't see (advantage of being near sighted) but the center rail stands out.
Having looked at and touched MTH and Atlas, too, it's Super Snap in a walk.
I had a Super-O layout back in the Seventies (still have the track), and it was great. Yes, it would have been much better to have had more than one radius available, but it was still a superior track system. But it was the right answer at the wrong time.
Lionel -- whether by poor marketing strategy or just plain bad luck -- had the misfortune to introduce Super-O at just the time American interest in toy trains was winding down. Yes, it does look great, and yes the alleged "wear issue" was mostly hot air. But now that Lionel has invested so much marketing and money into FasTrack, I'd be thunderstruck if they (or anyone else) ever found it worth their while to try reintroducing Super-O in any form.
I have never been a Super-O fan. I don't like the hump in the track either. However, it does look better than the standard three-tie track sections.
Super-O track was a great advance over conventional 3-rail. One slight quirk, the center rail was lower so that some O27 locos would not run on it because their center-rail pickups didn't have enough 'reach'.
"Trains run the quietest on Super 0 track even when compared with Lionel Fast Track..."
Compared to FasTrack a jackhammer is quiet.
Pete
I'll have to include myself in the group that doesn't agree that Super O is as good looking as others make it out to be but I degress. The ties tapering upwards to the middle is what kills the deal for me, ballasted or not, plus the crude-looking simulated tie plate detail. I do think that it was a product with the right intentions but was a day late and a dollar short in regards to Lionel trying to reverse the shrinking market share in the toy train market at the time.
I have several boxes of Super 0 track that I will never need or use and with copper prices these days I think that I will remove the copper center rail of the track and sell them to a metal scrap dealer. I can then cut the ends off of the metal plates under the track and use the track to run 2 rail 0 gauge trains that I would purchase in the future.
Ed G.
I have several boxes of Super 0 track that I will never need or use and with copper prices these days I think that I will remove the copper center rail of the track and sell them to a metal scrap dealer. I can then cut the ends off of the metal plates under the track and use the track to run 2 rail 0 gauge trains that I would purchase in the future.
Ed G.
Well, you can make a profit. And, I am a business person and so profit is not a dirty word. But, there is something that bothers me about tearing apart our heritage to make that profit.
I'll have to include myself in the group that doesn't agree that Super O is as good looking as others make it out to be but I degress. The ties tapering upwards to the middle is what kills the deal for me, ballasted or not, plus the crude-looking simulated tie plate detail. I do think that it was a product with the right intentions but was a day late and a dollar short in regards to Lionel trying to reverse the shrinking market share in the toy train market at the time.
For once, I agree with you! If Lionel had come out with it 2 months ago, 99% of this Forum would be bashing the "hump", among other things.
I'll have to include myself in the group that doesn't agree that Super O is as good looking as others make it out to be but I degress. The ties tapering upwards to the middle is what kills the deal for me, ballasted or not, plus the crude-looking simulated tie plate detail. I do think that it was a product with the right intentions but was a day late and a dollar short in regards to Lionel trying to reverse the shrinking market share in the toy train market at the time.
For once, I agree with you! If Lionel had come out with it 2 months ago, 99% of this Forum would be bashing the "hump", among other things.
Probably, but you have to remember that this track was state-of-the-art when it was introduced 55 years ago. I'm sure that if it were to be re-introduced now, there would be significant improvements in many areas.
Probably, but you have to remember that this track was state-of-the-art when it was introduced 55 years ago. I'm sure that if it were to be re-introduced now, there would be significant improvements in many areas.
This is the crux of the biscuit fellas (and Nicole). It came out 55 years ago and was a tremendous advancement at the time. I would like to have seen it reintroduced with modern improvements.
Had to settle for ScaleTrax which I like too...
quote:I think that I will remove the copper center rail of the track and sell them to a metal scrap dealer.
It should go without saying that the track is yours to do with as you please.
Super "O" track tends to be rather expensive. Unless the stuff is in poor shape, I'd be surprized to learn it was worth more as scrap.
Super "O" had it's problems. The automatic switches tend to overheat and melt.
I built a layout with a loop of Super "O" with some sidings.
I found that some prewar trains, with deep flanges, would bump on the ties, just as they do on gargraves.
Some Super "O" uncoupling track magnets would catch sliding shoes and tear them off.
I think Super "O" switches also would catch sliding shoes if the route was set to curve.
I have some Super "O" track, but I don't think I would use it on a layout again. Maybe a single loop, with no switches or uncoupling tracks.
From an appearance perspective it may have been considered state of the art, but from a functional/mechanical perspective, not really. Not even then.
If any cosmetic "improvements" were done on the track today to where it's made to look even more realistic now than it did then, it would stand to reason that it would no longer really be considered "Super O" to a certain segment of the old guard (aka purists). There are some that would only settle for the actual original look. I'm certainly not one of them though.
I'll have to mark that on my calendar.
I have several boxes of Super 0 track that I will never need or use and with copper prices these days I think that I will remove the copper center rail of the track and sell them to a metal scrap dealer. I can then cut the ends off of the metal plates under the track and use the track to run 2 rail 0 gauge trains that I would purchase in the future.
You will have some pretty weird looking 2-rail track, given the shape of those ties.
Allan:
As long as the 2 rail trains operate on my 2 rail Super 0 track but I really would not do it at this time but who knows in the future if no one wants it when I would want to sell it.
Ed G.
Too bad Lionel didn't bring it back with wider curves for the scale size equipment of today.
I’m surprised that Mike Spanier, moderator of the Super O Yahoo Discussion Group, hasn’t jumped in on this thread. So for those that like Super O and want more information, following is a link to that Super O Yahoo group. Included have been threads and links to videos on how to build your own wide-radius curves, or access to guys that sell custom-made Super O Curves. You need to be a Yahoo Groups member but that is free.
Lionel_SuperO_Track : Lionel "Super O" Trackage
“Super O” Bill
All Super "O", custom bent: Super O Bob Videos
Super O track looks better in our memories eye then it ever did in real time. I think most people like it for the same reason some love the Scout set, or like me the 44Tonner, not because of the items quality, but it's link to our youth.
If as a kid we had the choice between Super-O and Gargrave, or even Atlas I doubt very much that Super-O would be very many folks choice.
As a starter set track it's Fast Track, or MTH Real Track above all others.
I think it looks better than anything Lionel makes today. I can't speak to how functionable it is. Love fastrack.. because of ease of use...but the color of the ballast and shape of the rails is extremely ugly. Not to mention the noise!
All Super "O", custom bent: Super O Bob Videos
That is incredible ! I noticed in his comments that Super O Bob had to take down his Super O layout due to a move.
The concrete ties that the Metro-North Railroad uses here on the New Haven Line have a hump in the middle similar to the shape of the ties of Super 0 track so If one removes the copper center rail and uses an overhead wire system a Super 0 track layout would look like the New Haven Line behind my home. Just color the Super 0 ties to match the color of concrete ties.
Ed G.
I used my uncles Super O track on my layout when I was a kid. My holiday layout in 2009 was also made with Super O. If I had the time and resources I would have done my permanent layout with it also.
I used my uncles Super O track on my layout when I was a kid. My holiday layout in 2009 was also made with Super O. If I had the time and resources I would have done my permanent layout with it also.
Fantastic looking Super O Christmas Layout, great work!
Do Atlas, Scaletrax, Fast trak etc and other Hi-Rail track owe there beginnings to Super O? I understand the different rail types, tubular look vs. the solid rail look. If Lionel was not heading down the proverbial tubes during the late 1950's and especially the early 1960's would Super O have been expanded into a larger line, including 072?
Fantastic looking Super O Christmas Layout, great work!
Yeah. It doesn't look too terrible with those ghastly ties covered with snow.
Pete
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