Description
The Micro Engineering 14-716 is a HO Standard Gauge Code 83 #5d ME Intermediate Ladder left-hand turnout — DCC-friendly insulated points and cast-metal frog. Both ends have shortened frog and point geometry so the turnout overlaps the previous and next turnout in the ladder — this is what gives the ME system its 30% space saving.
About the ME Ladder Track System: Micro Engineering's #5 Ladder Track System is a series of five interrelated #5 turnouts (#5a Standard, #5b Curved Diverging, #5c Lead Ladder, #5d Intermediate Ladder, #5e Last Ladder) designed to combine into compact yard ladders — up to 30% more usable yard area than the same space built with ordinary #5 turnouts. The system achieves this through curved diverging routes (#5b), shortened frog ends, and overlapping geometries (#5d) that fit the NMRA minimum 2-1/16″ centre-to-centre body-track spacing.
Turnout features: Micro Engineering turnouts are DCC-friendly — the points are insulated to prevent shorts under DCC control. The frog is an insulated cast-metal piece (provides clean electrical pickup but isolated from the rest of the turnout circuit). Metal guard rails, scale tie plates and spikes, and brown ties. Ready to drop into a Code 83 / Code 70 layout.
About Micro Engineering Flex-Trak: Micro Engineering is the gold standard for prototypical fine-scale track among serious modellers. Distinguishing features — scale-size moulded ties, tie plates, and spike heads (real spike geometry, visible at viewing distance) and irregular tie spacing that matches real-railroad practice (uniform-spaced model track instantly reads as "model"; ME's variation reads as "real"). Natural brown tie colour, nickel-silver rail.
- Scale: HO Standard Gauge
- Rail: Code 83 (0.083") nickel-silver
- Hand: Left-hand
- Frog: #5d (ME Intermediate Ladder)
- Pairs with: #14-717 (RH version)
- Distributor SKU: 255-14716
In stock at Oakville Model Trains Depot.