Lionel had a couple fat wheels too I guess. I recall one of my childhood trains could only run on plain track, I think it was a fat fwheel but I don't recal the number. I think it had shoes vs rollers too.
The expectation of a certain look are the main reason we don't see one today IMO (outside of ETS in Europe) Though I think the point style did appear prototypically hear or there. (As did 3r (at very least as a rack system))