rtr12 posted:Super O Bob posted:.....
Copper is much softer than steel...
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U just cant cut hardend steel with soft copper!
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I'm late to the party here and I have no experience with Super O or Snap Track, but I did work with copper and steel during my working life. I agree that it would be difficult for copper (much softer) to groove, destroy or whatever happens to the rollers (steel, much harder).
I can't say it's impossible, but I would be really surprised? Also, it would be very interesting to know why, how, etc. how that could happen. If the cause was not arcing that is. At least it would be to me anyway.
When I met my train doctor today, I brought up the subject of Super O track. He only has a few pieces in his collection, so he is not that familiar with it. But, he immediately said it is known to wear out rollers, and that the middle rail is like a knife because it is so much thinner than tubular track rail. This is consistent with above physics analysis of Melgar, a retired engineer who worked on the Hubble Space Telescope!
I believe the softness of the thin copper middle rail mitigates roller wear.
