MODEL RAILWAY SHUNTING PUZZLES

SHUNTING PUZZLES

Shunting puzzles are fairly compact layouts which, as their name indicates, have two basic characteristics:

First of all, they are concerned with shunting, meaning that they are conceived and built to allow rolling stock to be moved around on an appropriate track layout with sidings. On its own, this is simply the definition of a shunting layout.

Secondly, this shunting is not done according to spontaneous decisions of the operator but rather follows a set framework of rules which creates a shunting order (usually by random selection of both the cars to be shunted and where they are to go), i.e. the operator is told what to do. This deliberately introduces a range of more or less difficult constellations of rolling stock which is to be shunted, and thus creates the challenge of successfully tackling the given shunting order. It is this second aspect which is the key element in turning a shunting layout into a shunting puzzle.

A third characteristic, although arguably a matter of taste, is that shunting puzzles provide the most fun and sustained interest in operating per square inch of model railway layout ...

Shunting in progress in the sidings at Little Bazeley, a 00 scale UK shunting puzzle based on Inglenook Sidings

It will probably never be possible to determine where and when a railway modeller had the idea to turn a shunting layout into a shunting puzzle for the first time. Most certainly, it was someone who was looking for ways to make operating the layout more fun, and probably also someone who liked playing games (the first example I know of is Alan Wright's way of operating his Wright Lines layout in the 1950s).

[If you'd like to know more about the way shunting puzzles work from a systematic point of view (a bit like taking apart the clock to see how the little bits and pieces interact), you can read on here.]

THE CLASSICS

THE TIMESAVER

The classic and by far the best known shunting puzzle: John Allen's Timesaver, which was originally presented in the November 1972 issue of Model Railroader.

INGLENOOK SIDINGS

The classic British shunting puzzle is Alan Wright's Inglenook Sidings, which dates back to 1978 but the scheme to which it is run actually goes back to Alan Wright's 1950s layout Wright Lines.

Page created: 23/SEP/2002
Last revised:06/MAR/2006

THE TIMESAVER
		The classic and by far the best known shunting puzzle: John Allen's Timesaver, which was originally presented in the November 1972 issue of Model Railroader.

INGLENOOK SIDINGS
		The classic British shunting puzzle is Alan Wright's Inglenook Sidings, which dates back to 1978 but the scheme to which it is run actually goes back to Alan Wright's 1950s layout Wright Lines.