# Micro Engineering TOs



## Stejones82 (Dec 22, 2020)

HO scale: Still in planning and collecting mode. 

So I received my Micro Engineering Yard system C-70 TOs. Wow! Gorgeous things! And the added detail, Sehr Schoen! 

Questions:

1. How many of you use the included signal stands? If so, do they age well with the CA glue? 

2. How many add the detail pieces: 

Headstock extension? 

Guardrail clamps? 

Frog bolt heads? 

3. I am modeling the 1940s era. I'm thinking the guardrail clamps are not appropriate to the timeframe, but what about the frog bolts? 

4. How many of you power your frogs? I do plan to use 0-6-0 switchers in the yard. 

5. I have not decided on TO switch motor system, leaning towards Tam Valley/Walthers or Circuitron, so how many remove the point springs? 

6. Instructions recommend silicone caulk as an acceptable adhesive, but is latex caulk a better choice atop WS foam roadbed? 

Thanks much in advance for your timely and courteous responses!

Steve


*DISCLAIMER** I realize it is my RR and my rules, so will be bound by noone's opinion/mandate. Just gathering data for making my decisions.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Sorry. Beyond knowing the product and the company's reputation, I have no experience with ME turnouts.

For the Tam Valley turnout machines, and most likely the Walthers, since they're essentially the same, you will need to remove the springs. The actuating wire on the machine provides the spring force, and you don't want to apply more force than necessary to move the points by having to overcome a spring's resistance. The spring also ruins the realistically slow movement of the points.


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## mesenteria (Oct 29, 2015)

My P2K 'Heritage' 0-6-0 has no trouble negotiating my hand-laid #8 turnouts with dead frogs.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Stejones82 said:


> *DISCLAIMER** I realize it is my RR and my rules, so will be bound by noone's opinion/mandate. Just gathering data for making my decisions.


Don't misunderstand the concept. Your layout, your rules means no one can tell you that you should run your trains a certain way, or how faithful to the prototype you need to be, and so forth. It means we can't answer the question "What's the best...", because that's an individual value judgement.

Whether or not to use the includes switch targets is one of those things. We can tell you whether we found them easy to install, and whether they work properly, but whether you should use them or not, we can't say. It doesn't matter how many people use them. What matters most is whether you want to or not. 

That's why I explain my reasons for not liking sound, and for preferring MRC DCC systems (and hating touchscreen ones), but I don't tell people what to buy. We give you the info, you make the decisions.


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