This is 1st experience building a Microengineering ladder yard. I have all the parts but I am lost. Does anyone have a photo of 5b,c,d etc. Shot could show them assembled or just laid end to end. Also what is the diveging stub for? Some tracks have thru track , diverging track and a diverging stub.
All of the ‘through’ routes should line up nicely, although in my case there will be a slight curve.
You assemble them a, b, c, etc…in order. When you assemble them in order, the diverging routes can lead to individual ladders, or to other turnouts that then split into ladders.
You actually don’t need the a or the b if you really want compression of the space.
I recommend you start with one c turnout and then add as many of the d units to create as many sidings as you wish, finishing off with one e turnout. The c unit starts the compressed sequence of c,d,and e with e being the last turnout in the string of d’s.
The a is just the standard #5 turnout, ME says it has a longer lead in but I doubt that. It has more ties there than the b. The b is a shortened a but with a curved diverging route.
Thats it. Easy peasy. Just build the c, d and e units first and decide whether you need a b or an a or one of each after you fit the ladder into your space.
I have two sets opposite hands as I intend to fill the space left by the one ladder with a ladder facing the other direction. That is a bit more complicated to envision.
Just lay out the yard with c,d and e and all will become clear.
The ME instructions say the 5c should be the opposite hand from the first turnout. A picture would have been worth 1000 words, but they were short on pictures.
Thanks to all of you. If you look at C and D they are “Y” shaped. At the narrow end you just connect another. The other end is like a rail and a half wide but still has only two rail connectores which are way apart. What is the deal here? What do you connect to this? The tracks are not even paralell.
Never mind
The frog provides the other two “rails”. The Y you refer to is the compressed part of the ladder.
You do not have to start the ladder with an opposite hand turnout but normally you would to get the more usual shape ladder.