Like many others, I loved the appearance of Super O. So, many u years ago, I bought a batch with a pair of switches to try it out before starting a layout in a new house. My F-3's would not make it through the switches without derailing. I had to make a batch of my own third rail connectors since the batch I bought had way too few included. So, I sold it all.
Looking back, to me the reason it was a failure was it was way to complex. Think of it, with tubular track all you need were four different pieces: a curved, a straight, an uncoupling section and a cross track. And you can add a switch. And maybe some half sections. Building and operating a layout was simple for both kids and adults.
Now, with Super O, you had to have little, easily lost clips for third rails for each piece of track, you had to have make up sections for uncouplers, you had to have special "blades" for operating cars, no simple power lockon, again a special length of track. So, you had to have a good math "feeling" to put a basic layout together.
To me, a successful Super O would have:
+ offset third rail ends so they would slide past each other and provide a good friction based electrical connection
+ uncoupling sections like regular O and 027 track, standard length, with the uncoupling coil and operating car rails built in
+ a standard length power track with screw terminals
+ and of course, testing your switches to make sure they handle all equipment you make before selling them!
Guess it is too late to send those suggestions to Lionel
