does anyone know of any interactive switching layout site that you can "operate"? Game
Years ago there was one that i knew of & visited sometimes when things got slow at work. I can't remember the site name. Like any other video game each level got progressively harder as you moved thru the game
Here are some I found:
https://www.transum.org/Software/Shunting/Puzzles.asp
https://www.railserve.com/Computers/swf/switchman_train_game.html
I know there were others, including a couple of Timesavers.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
With the number of addictive puzzle games on line, I would think a railroad switching puzzle would be easier to find.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
SeeYou190 With the number of addictive puzzle games on line, I would think a railroad switching puzzle would be easier to find. -Kevin
Kevin, A lot of modelers are turn off to any type of switching including switching puzzles. As you may recall I would rather switch cars in a yard or a well thougt out ISL then just watch trains run endless loops.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Hi all
I like to be able to do some shunting on a layout but it should be an operational thing performing a drop off or pick up not a puzzle the real railways don't do shunting for fun it has a purpose that I like to reflect in model form.
I hate computer games to me they are time wasters that take time away from the model railway and associated activities.
Real railways look to minimize shunting as much as possible which is why a train is set up before it leaves and that is done with the minimum moves as well and no puzzles.
regards John
A little bit off-topic but about fifteen years when I was returning to the hobby there was a Model RR club at a University in Germany I believe that had HO and N scale layouts in a room with a camera set on them. You could click the mouse to make the trains start and stop. I am not sure whether it was tech or engineering students involved or maybe both.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
John BusbyReal railways look to minimize shunting as much as possible which is why a train is set up before it leaves and that is done with the minimum moves as well and no puzzles.
Indeed.. A lot of the major railroads are closing hump yards along with several once major yards that is no longer needed and going to flat switching in other areas.
I know of only one prototype switching problem and that was solved by having the engine in the middle of the urban local with a cabin car on both ends for the shove movements. Today there would be a engine on each end of the local.
Why did PRR use this unusual setup?
The industrial lead lacked a runaround.. The runaround was located beyond a embargoed bridge. There was no active customers beyond the bridge.
Brakie wrote: "I know of only one prototype switching problem and that was solved by having the engine in the middle of the urban local with a cabin car on both ends for the shove movements. Today there would be a engine on each end of the local. Why did PRR use this unusual setup? The industrial lead lacked a runaround.. The runaround was located beyond an embargoed bridge. There was no active customers beyond the bridge."
Back in the early-mid 1980's, that's how we switched the two customers in Wassaic (NY) on Conrail WNDA-1 out of Danbury (CT).
One customer was a box factory with a southward facing point switch. The other was a feed mill with a northward facing point switch.
There had been a runaround there, but it was out of service. So... the train was made up in Danbury yard with a caboose on each end. We took it out with a single engine, and ran to Dover Plains, about 5 miles south of Wassaic, where Metro-North ownership ended (and Conrail remained). We'd split the train and set it up with a caboose on each end with the engine in the middle, then shove north to Wassaic, switch the customers, return to Dover, and put the engine on the head end for the run back south.
An interesting job. In time, CR put the runaround back into service, and made it a lot easier until they sold the Danbury business to the Housatonic RR (which couldn't go to Wassaic, crews not certified on MN), and that was that for freight service to the north end of the line...
Search the Apple App Store for "john allen's timesaver".
There is a free "LITE" version and a paid version.
WS