Toy train track museum

That's a curiously comprehensive collection of toy train track with some interesting oddities from earlier years.

An unusual type of track I came across some years ago was canted four-rail American Flyer O-gauge track, made in 1936-1937. The 4th rail was for an on-board whistle.

Ace posted:

That's a curiously comprehensive collection of toy train track with some interesting oddities from earlier years.

An unusual type of track I came across some years ago was canted four-rail American Flyer O-gauge track, made in 1936-1937. The 4th rail was for an on-board whistle.

I have some for my UP Streamliner set. Flyer called it streamlined roadbed track it was banked for higher speeds. 

I've been picking up a few sections of AF 4 rail whenever I can, and now have enough for a sizable loop on my new tinplate layout. 

That is an interesting representation of all the various tracks, but he missed one.  Ace shows AF 4 rail track, but that came after a lesser known maker, Hampton Hoge.  Hampton Hoge started his company abt 1919, and it did change hands before going out of business.  The Hoge 900 "Shovelnose Streamliner" used 5 rail track.  The normal 3 rails and two added strips between the center rail and the outer rails.  One rail was for a buzzer, the other was for a bell, and was produced in 1935, a year before AF.  Apparently AF copied Hoge's idea, and also banked the track.

Interesting stuff, when you get looking. I saw some Bing 3-rail S gauge track. 

I have some American Flyer banked 3-rail around here somewhere, with the stepped ties. All interesting experiments; the evolution into what we see today took some wayward paths.

Rob Shaubach posted:

I've been picking up a few sections of AF 4 rail whenever I can, and now have enough for a sizable loop on my new tinplate layout. 

The problem with the 4 rail track was that you were restricted to a oval but in those days most train sets were for under the Christmas tree and were packed away the rest of the year.