While I haven't used the new ME switches, I'm really pleased with their products. I use Fast Tracks jigs and ME rail for building turnouts. That said, Yes they do and No they don't, save yard space. Yard space is determined SOLELY by frog number and C-C spacing. What the ME turnouts do is make it easier to build a more compact ladder. You could do exactly the same with an RTR switch, say an Atlas 562, by cutting back the ends and diverging route, fixing the ties, etc. ME has just done that work for you.