Has anyone figured out how to make a straight section of Super O from a curved section? I know that guys have widened the radius of the 36" curves.
There's not as much straight as curved track out there.
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I have never seen anything about creating straight tracks out of Lionel Super O curved track. Much has been written by those who have successfully “adjusted” the Super O 36” diameter curves into larger radius curves. I suppose the process of gradually bending curves to a wider radius could be carried out to make the track completely straight. However, my guess is that this is a lot of work, perhaps resulting in less than great looking track.
I have found that there is a good supply of used Super O straight track available; however, the price per piece is higher than that for curved pieces.
Contact Mike Spanier- he has a tutorial on this very subject.
Off hand, I'd pull the copper rail, cut all plastic tie stringers on the outside rail's side, feed a piece of music wire (square stock?) into it to stop tube collapse and bend rails in a vice, hammer taps, etc. Maybe remove one or both rails? Bending slightly and alternating between two rails and adjusting cut ties as you go might be OK (gotta trim the outer and center rail to match the inside rail length; it will be shorter). I'd remove the outer rail, if need be, to fit a vice's jaws; it has to be moved around anyhow.
Alternatively, a track bender can bend in both directions 
Harry736 posted:Has anyone figured out how to make a straight section of Super O from a curved section? I know that guys have widened the radius of the 36" curves.
There's not as much straight as curved track out there.
You can get a straight section by spending $3.
Or you can spend $50 worth of your time cutting, twisting and cussing to convert a $2 curve into a $3 straight.
Where is Super O Bob?? He widened the Lionel Super O Curves on his former layout!
