Hey what are the upsides and downsides to using lionel super O track? Ive had a friend tell me that the center rail is extremely harsh on the pickup roller but ive also seen so many others tell me its great. Ive been thinking about switching over for the past few days, but have been wondering what the pros and cons are. Can someone help with that?
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The wear caused by the center rail is controversial Bennett.
I've considered switching as well, but availability of good quality track has been an issue for me. Also, you are limited to a 36" radius.
I'm surprised Super "0" has never been reissued. If it was offered with improved switches, some enhancement to the center rail, and a the choice of a wider radius, it seems to me it would be a hit.
If you do decide to switch I got a pile of curve pieces in a lot of postwar I bought I'll make you a deal on it
@git_r_done15541 posted:If you do decide to switch I got a pile of curve pieces in a lot of postwar I bought I'll make you a deal on it
How much track would that be abd does it have the power connector thingies? If so, and is ynder $60 that would sound amazing
@Don Winslow posted:I've considered switching as well, but availability of good quality track has been an issue for me.
Just listed today: FS: Super O Straights and Curves
@Don Winslow posted:Also, you are limited to a 36" radius.
Lionel only made 18" radius Super O, but there is a small cottage industry that does custom bending to any radius, and instructions on how to bend it yourself have been shared on the forum HERE.
What happened with Super O track? I have 2 pieces and it is impressive track.
The pickup roller wear was due to soft metal of the rollers. Back in the day. Do a search of the forum for threads. There’s been so many on this subject.
@bobotech posted:What happened with Super O track? I have 2 pieces and it is impressive track.
it didnt sell well and lionel stopped making it
I have heard Lionel was thinking of reissueing it, but FastTrack came along....
Consodering both are O36. And I do not know if it was actually made, but the first uncoupling tracks in FT seemed to be on very short straights the same length as Super O.
The ties look like concrete ones. If SO and FT had darken ties, great.
Great looking but two of my Williams locos just would not run on it. There are just too many other options out there now but back in the day this was the best looking track out there.
@necrails posted:...snip... There are just too many other options out there now but back in the day this was the best looking track out there.
Still is.
@bennett V posted:Hey what are the upsides and downsides to using Lionel super O track?
Bennett V: search for "Super O track" here. There have to be 100 threads on it in the last 5-6 years. People post new questions on a host of items without searching for prior discussions.
I have some Super O, and really like the looks of it. There is a very active email group available that can answer ANY questions you might have. It is located on GroupsIO.
Jeff
Have always wanted to do a small Lionel space and military themed layout. If I do it's going to be Super O.
he only problem I remember having with Super O was the buzz bar kept coming loose/off. Other wise I loved it.
As far as cutting into the rollers was as stated the rollers where of a soft metal back then and also if you look at some of the older engines with original rollers that where used a fair amount of time, there rollers are worn in the middle also. Just Super O made it look more like a knife cut.
I still have a good bit of it, I have the buzz bars for it also, but because it actually came with a couple of sets I keep it. I know I have way more than required for the sets but that's okay to encase I ever want to set it up.
FYI: Those are "Buss" bars.
Jeff
I have a Super O layout. I have no problems with the rollers. Also, I found the original buss bars do not pop up but the reproduction ones do. Always use original and you should have no problems 
@bennett V posted:it didnt sell well and lionel stopped making it
Well, that, and they stopped making trains altogether.
Yes, I think the real problem was train sales were just about to fall off the cliff when Lionel came out with the Super O line of track. Within just a couple of years, train sales were dismal as slot car sales took off.
A lot of folks, me included, would like to see Lionel make Super O again, but with larger diameter curves. The 036" curve is pretty limiting with today's train models.
Jeff
A modern alternative would be MTH ScaleTrax which has the solid flat top rails and a center 'blade' like Super O. Much easier to deal with and has the best Flextrack in O gauge. Looks similar other than the ties being slightly too far apart. It has the lowest profile of all high-rail O track systems which helps give the illusion of massiveness to our equipment.
@mowingman posted:A lot of folks, me included, would like to see Lionel make Super O again, but with larger diameter curves...
Instructions on how to bend it to any custom radius have been shared on the forum HERE.
Yes, Rob, but I don't have that much time or patience. 
Jeff
Had FasTrack been discontinued back in the '60s, and you could only buy Super O today, we'd be moaning over that. I'll take the FasTrack over "hump in the middle" Super O.
Super O was designed to work with Magnetraction with steel rails and steel jumpers between the rails molded into the ties. it was an expensive track to make. I am not aware of any modern track designed to work with Magnetraction. As to the problem of the narrow center rail cutting grooves in the rollers, Lionel changed the roller material from sintered steel to stainless steel to correct this problem. They put a lot of effort into Super O. It is to bad it did not work out for them.
My 2 cents: looks good, won't run pre-war, switches and crossings are a headache.
Lou N
Always loved that track.
#112 switches were stupid. Limit configuration with internal shorting and clearance issues. Never perfected. I ripped all of it out and trashed it years ago from my subway tunnels. Think it was on 3 or 4 layouts since the 63. It rusts from the inside causing resistance and slowing down of trains.
Things of the past.
I use old style Lionel Tubular on my year round O Gauge layout and Fastrack on my Christmas Carpet Central Railway. A few years ago I went and bought a bunch of Super O which I promptly put to use on my basement floor. Bottom line- I loved it. It looked great and my post war stuff ran as smooth as silk. No continuity problems and no problems with "humping" with the bus bars but I will add they were all original bus bars and not repros which can cause problems. I used the 112R switches which are improved 112 switches and they worked very well. In my opinion Super O is still the best looking 3 rail track ever made and as far as sheer looks are concerned I think it to be superior to Fastrack.
@mowingman posted:I have some Super O, and really like the looks of it. There is a very active email group available that can answer ANY questions you might have. It is located on GroupsIO.
Jeff
Here's the link to the Super O group on groups.io:
https://groups.io/g/LionelSuperOTrack
"Super O" Bill
@David Johnston posted:I am not aware of any modern track designed to work with Magnetraction...
FasTrack, GarGraves, GarGraves SS, Menards, Ross & RossPlate, MTH & Williams tubular, Bachmann EZ-Track, Industrial Rail
Everyone has had different experiences with Super O. Mine has been positive. I still have the 112 switches my dad put on the layout he built for us Christmas of 1967. Dragged them and a bunch of Super O track out of long term storage about ten years ago, and they work just fine to this day. They just need a little cleaning and lubrication. The light bulbs on the switches were still good. I did have to change them out on the controllers. I also ran new wire from the controllers as the old wires were brittle.
Yes, the 112 switches do have some clearance issue with larger overhang locos. However, my layout is postwar style and I run things like the PW Style F3, and 773 Hudson. The Hudson stays on the outside loop so it doesn't have to take the curve the wrong way and hit the stanchion of the switch.
Other than that, I have all the specialized track as well, such as the operating track, uncoupling, and even the small terminal sections.
There is nothing like Super O track but the switches, not so much. I am planning an 8.5 by 16 road with Super O track and Ross switches with reconditioned track bent to O 72, assuming Len can do it after he recovers. Nothing brings back the feel of yesteryear that Super O does and the appearance is top notch. However I want to run my Challenger and newly bought Big Boy and hence the new switches.
If anybody wants SuperO track or switches, all like new. I have a bunch.
please contact me
Dave
Not that it wears much more, but where it wears,what it looks like and end result with SHOES, is a slot...on rollers it is a more a narrower v like pattern. It doesn't effect how it runs on round rails, nor excessive on rollers, just different.
The loop performance is outstanding. The switches are sensitive to too narrow of a wheel gauge/ thick wheels and are worse if antiderail tabs that wipe each wheels back have been abused.
Extremely tall flanges on some prewar will hit the metal spike heads; eating, maybe even chipping the wheels.(e.g. no to most Marx...and those can't get past the turnout tabs )
I found a forgotten set in the garage attic. It was like new inside and out.
I still run on it daily with love; I had SO until Mom freaked out about the pin stabbing my soft little thumbs got trying to assemble it. (I was only 3-4, pre-school. It was either let me assemble track or worry about what I'd disassemble when you blinked 
I have one Marx that clears the spikes and other loops are tube, 0-27 and O 
. I pulled my siding's turnouts so it can run.
No matter the track, the turnouts will always be Marx 0-27 prewar where I can(modded larger?) Not the usual point layout, but there was at least one. Both ends of 2 point rails move on a pivot, like a sideways teeter totter. They need a pin added to short rail ends for rollers to bridge the shoe design smoothly, but it is a very smooth, flickerless connection once done. ....oh, they are butt ugly grey and 0-detail square red coil box 
@david1 posted:If anybody wants SuperO track or switches, all like new. I have a bunch.
please contact me
Dave
Just sent you an email about your switches.
@Drummer3 posted:Why don't your Williams run on Super-O?
I have no idea, these were older Williams items from the 80's. Would stop dead on any super O track, loss of power. Sold those items off. My newer Williams items including an F-3, a Trainmaster, a GP 9 all run fine on it. Have yet to test my RDC's on that section of the layout. I think these are the same vintage. Never could figure out why since the roller did make contact with the center rail but that problem is in the past.
Wow! dorfj2 that is the cleanest looking Super 0 I have seen! 
As I mentioned, one reason I've stayed away from Super 0 is all of the items I've seen for sale were badly oxidized.
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