[Kelpieflyer]

All,
I have some O Gauge track which appears to be Lionel. The track has black ties and black rails. None of it looks painted and it looks to be manufactured that way.

Anyone run into track like this before?

 

[TrainLarry]

A picture would help.

Larry

 

[Madman]

I can't say that I have ever seen track with black rails unless they were painted by the modeler. Come to think of it, did Lionel "T" track, pre-war have dark rails ?

 

[Lehigh74]

Sounds like TinMan3rail. They clean used track, paint it black and then remove paint from the top of the rails. They call it TinMan's Favorite.

 

[Kelpieflyer]

Here are some photos. The track looks factory to me... It came to me in a box with a Lionel 726 engine and cars from 1946.

 

[TrainLarry]

The track pins do not look like they are Lionel. The track may be of some unknown manufacture, and may have been painted by a previous owner.

Larry

 

[Lehigh74]

They don't look like the stainless pins that TinMan3rail uses either.

Standard 10” Straight Track (sold in groups of 10)

These tracks are sold in lots of 10 each

www.tinman3rail.com

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

The pictures are too small to really see any decent details.

 

[Kelpieflyer]

Here are the original photos.

 

[Millstonemike]

The track pins do not look like they are Lionel. The track may be of some unknown manufacture, and may have been painted by a previous owner.

Larry

They look like the business end of finishing nails.

 

[cole226]

I have had the odd piece of Lionel track that had a few of those "pointy" pins mixed in from prior user. No idea who made them. I also have seen some homemade from nails and/or rigid wire.

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

I think you're right Mike, I see the little notches in the side of them.

 

[T-Man]

I have some examples of Lionel Track

O scale

027 TRACK

 

[T-Man]

What you have is 1938 Americian Flyer O gage track. Identified with the holes on the outside of the rails. Their two rail ties have the same holes so I verified it on page 24 of the 1938 catalog on My Flyer Train

 

[Madman]

Here are the original photos.

View attachment 547147

View attachment 547148
View attachment 547149

I can say with almost 100% certainty that the track pictured is not Lionel. What gives it away are the ties. They look too narrow and I don't believe Lionel ever put holes for screws in the ends of the ties.

 

[Kelpieflyer]

Thanks for the comments. I removed one of the track pins, and they are definitely not made from finish nails. They look factory to me.
I would agree with T-Man, that it is likely pre war AF track.

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

Well, you're right, those aren't nails.

 

[T-Man]

This is great. I have not seen any AF O scale track. The pins are different too. I had to give up using finish nails when the brand changed their diameter. Thanks for posting this.

 

[Kelpieflyer]

Anyone know why they would have painted it black? None of the insulators have any paint on them so I figure it's factory.

 

[Millstonemike]

The insulators look like they were pushed into position as opposed to lifting the center rail out and then replacing them.

There could a be dozen reasons: cover sporadic oxidation, protection in a harsh environment (high humidity) and, of course aesthetic reasons.