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Reply to "Super O Switch Track Compatibility"

Much has been written about Super O, good, bad and indifferent. From my perspective with a little help most 112 and 142 switches that show little rust on the rails can be brought back to operating condition easily. There are problems for O gauge trains that have deep gearing on the engines. The rails are smaller in height so most prewar engines have a problem. I did a quick primer on how I approach checking the 112; below are the links. They do not cover all the problems you might encounter with the switch however I believe they will help the novice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxuzW89Hwr4&t=2s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Gt35MHYOFI&t=4s

You have to remember that many a prewar collector dismissed Super O back in the day. At the time Lionel was starting to lose market share of the toy industry dollars. I believe if Super O was market correctly and was offered with larger diameters and more detailed engines and equipment it may have survived the times. Lionel was at the time more a toy manufacture than a scale manufacture.

I believe the engineers that were developing Super O had anticipate the need for two rail cars not engines to operated on Super O. That’s why the early 112 switches had the extra ground contact rail copper strip; plastic wheels and insulated axels back into the switch would throw the switch to the correct branch.

Super O is flexible so track geometry can be *******ized to some extent which is a plus. Regards Rob W.

OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

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