[Toy train hobby]

There was Super O and now it's FasTrack, but wonder if anyone is using Lionel Trutrack System on their layout exclusively?

Photo taken from the 1973 catalog.

 

[TripleO]

I have never seen or heard of tru track before, but to tell the truth, I kind of like the looks of it. Was it ever produced?

 

[c.midland]

Yes, it was produced. It was very undependable, and to my knowledge, no turnouts were ever offered. The rails were aluminum and oxidized quickly. The pins didn't hold the track together very well. It was a neat idea, but poorly executed.

 

[Toy train hobby]

Back in the day, the local hobby shop owner said it was available, but it was pricey.

 

[Millstonemike]

Yes, it was produced. It was very undependable, and to my knowledge, no turnouts were ever offered. The rails were aluminum and oxidized quickly. The pins didn't hold the track together very well. It was a neat idea, but poorly executed.

Aluminum is highly conductive. Maybe the reason Lionel chose to use it.

But one of the benefits of aluminum is it oxidizes very quickly in air. And that oxidation is a thin, resilient layer that prevents further oxidation. So it has numerous applications such as traffic lights poles, highway sign structure, etc. But the oxidized layer is an insulator, not conductive - very poor for running trains.

That seems like a "big picture" fail from Lionel product engineering.