Micro Engineering Turnouts
Summary: Micro Engineering's turnout is easily adapted to Digital Command Control.
Micro Engineering turnouts are, like their flex track, well-engineered and constructed. Of particular interest to modellers is their series of ladder turnouts for constructing a yard ladder using less space than a standard turnout would.
Micro Engineering turnouts are compatible with Digital Command Control. Their turnouts are manufactured so the stock rails and their adjacent closure rails and switch rails have the same phase. This assures that if a metal wheel contacts the stock rail and its adjacent switch rail at the same time, it will not short.
Another feature is an electrically isolated frog which is necessary to avoid shorts where rails with opposite phase join the frog.
Wiring an ME Turnout
- Stock Rails: DCC power via feeders to the stock rails
- Point Rails: (Incorrectly identified as "frog rails")
- Feeder wire soldered to each point rail
- Jumper wires from the correct stock rail
- Conductive rail joiners from connected track
- Frog (optional): The metal frog can be powered or left unpowered
- Closure Rails: Wire jumpers from the adjacent stock rails provide power
- Switch Rails: Power is provided via the hinges on the closure rails
Powered or Unpowered Frog
The turnout as supplied has an unpowered frog.
Some short wheelbase locomotives may have issues when crossing the unpowered frog at slow speeds. Micro Engineering turnouts use a metal frog which offers the option of powering the frog. Soldering a wire to the frog allows control of the frog's phasing from the electrical contacts of a switch machine or a manually operated toggle switch. A small metal tab is provided on the underside of the frog for this purpose.
Change of Ownership
Micro Engineering announced on August 13 2022 that the company had new ownership.
Their manufacturing operations may move in the future, but the website will be revamped and improved. The current focus is on filling back orders.