12874 County Road 314B Buena Vista, CO. 81211-9102 (719) 395-8076 (888) 393-1259 BKTruscale@aol.com www.TroutCreekEng.com

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BK all rail turnouts are made using Micro Engineering nickel silver non-weathered rail. The turnouts DO NOT have ties under them and are made to be laid by hand, usually on wood ties. Our line consists of 5 types of items:

Our turnouts should "mate" with most rail and/or flex track. There may have to be some height "adjustment" either with the flex track or with the ties under the turnout. Either the flex track may have to be shimmed up to meet the turnout, or the ties may have to be sanded. The adjustment should be small.

We make our turnouts with non-weathered rail - because of the difficulty in removing the weathering. Micro Engineering does make a weathering solution, or painting the turnout with Floquil "Roof Brown" paint will accomplish the same.

Many people are under the illusion that hand-laying track and turnouts by hand is difficult, tedious, nerve-wracking and a host of other adjectives. This is not the case. Hand laying is for those modelers who want to take the time to enjoy one of the finer arts of modeling. Many of our customers use flex track for the roadbed and hand-lay the turnouts. Granted, handlaying does take more time than using flex track and purchasing ready made turnouts. However, to go this route is just a matter of deciding what it is you want out of your hobby.

A good pair of needle nose pliers, 6" is suggested, some three point track gauges, and a NMRA standards gauge is about all that is needed. This plus some patience and a willing to keep the "art" in modeling.

If you have a DCC control system, it is IMPORTANT that there be gaps in front of the frog as well as behind the frog. Both the frog and the blades would have to be hot wired.

We do some custom work. Please contact us for more information.

Please note that there is a $6.00 shipping charge on all orders.

Prices are subject to change without notice.

After you have decided where the track is to be laid, mark the roadbed with a pencil where the ties should be placed (two parallel lines). Paint about 2 to 3 feet of roadbed with a watered down white glue, only enough so that it does not dry while you are working. Set the ties in position the full length of the painted section. Some hints, if we may: If you are putting down ties for a modern mainline, make them even and straight. If they are for an older line, sidings, branches and yards, do not lay the ties too straight. Should one or two be a bit out of line here or there, the trackwork will look more realistic.

A typical stretch of track will have ties in all stages of weathering because old ties are replaced only a few at a time. Ties are spaced about 3000 to the mile. This comes to about 68 ties per actual foot in TT scale standard gauge. Narrow gauge ties should be spaced a little farther apart. Ties should be a tie width or less apart on mainlines, and 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 tie widths apart on branch lines.

With the ties in position, sprinkle on the ballast. Some modellers use a salt shaker or similar device, some use a teaspoon; any method that works for you works. You will have to determine for yourself the length of roadbed that you can work without the glue drying. While this section is drying, you can move on to the next section. After a section is dry, re-move excess ballast with a small soft brush or a vacuum cleaner with a cloth tied over the nozzle. This excess ballast can be used again. There will always be spots where the ballast does not adhere, so fix these spots at this time. Also make sure that the ballast is not above the tops of the ties.

When completely dry, begin laying the rails. It is important to remember that turnout should be laid first, and then the rail laid to the turnouts, not the other way. Hold the needle nose pliers in a fist, thumb up and nose down. Push the spike in at a slight angle under the rail. It will not take long to get use to doing this.

Place the turnout on the ties using the frog as a center guide. Al-ways, and this is important, place the frog in position first, and spike it down. Then the stock rails may be spiked in place. We suggest using a least 2 3-point track gauges to keep the rails roughly in place and an NMRA Standards gauge for the final spiking. If you are using an assembled turn-out, remove the straps as you work. Always check and recheck the gauge with the Standards gauge.

We suggest using small or micro spikes for code 70. Code 40 and 55 should be glued, not spiked. Code 70 could also be glued.

NOTE!!!!! If ordering turnouts for crossovers, PLEASE state this on the order forms so that we can add length to the frog points.

Prices are subject to change without notice

Prices are subject to change without notice

The track laying test car is a piece of clear plastic on which trucks are mounted. It is used to see and feel the condition of the track being laid, especially turnouts. It allows you to see high and low spots, tight and narrow spots and other rough rail by being able to look straight down on the rail and by seeing the action of the trucks. It also allows you to feel the condition of the rail by lightly placing your fingers on the car and rolling it along the track. The following cars are available:

The following is, we believe, a complete list of available slow motion switch machines and hand throws that will work with our products. We es- pecially favor the slow motion machines over the twin coils because of the ease of their installation and their potential for far less maintenance problems. We can supply the Circuitron, Switchmaster, and Scale Shops and the Caboose Industries hand throws.

Prices are subject to change without notice