Train shunting puzzles, also often called railway shunting puzzles or railroad switching puzzles, are a type of puzzle.
Shunting puzzles usually consist of a specific track layout, a set of initial conditions (typically the starting place of each item of
rolling stock
The term rolling stock in the rail transport industry refers to railway vehicles, including both powered and unpowered vehicles: for example, locomotives, freight and passenger cars (or coaches), and non-revenue cars. Passenger vehicles can ...
), a defined goal (the finishing place of each rolling stock item), and rules which must be obeyed while performing the shunting operations.
There are often constraints such as making the minimum number of couplings and uncouplings, or making the minimum number of junction direction changes, or completing the puzzle within a specified time limit.
Other important factors may include the lengths of tracks limiting the number of rolling stock vehicles which can be placed along them. Some shunting puzzles allow certain types of rolling stock to navigate a particular section of track but not other types of rolling stock, for example a
locomotive might not be allowed to pass below a low bridge whereas
wagons
A wagon or waggon is a heavy four-wheeled vehicle pulled by draught animals or on occasion by humans, used for transporting goods, commodities, agricultural materials, supplies and sometimes people.
Wagons are immediately distinguished from ...
are allowed, or a particularly heavy wagon might not be allowed across a weak bridge, or a particularly tall wagon might not be allowed to pass through a tunnel.
Some train shunting puzzles have been developed as add-ons for railway simulator computer programs such as Auran's
Trainz
''Trainz'' is a series of 3D train simulator video games. The Australian studio Auran (since 2007 N3V Games) released the first game in 2001.
The simulators consist of route and session editors called ''Surveyor'', and the ''Driver'' module, ...
and
Microsoft Train Simulator
''Microsoft Train Simulator'' is a 2001 train simulator developed for Microsoft Windows. It was released on May 31, 2001, and developed by the UK-based company Kuju Entertainment. It sold one million units worldwide by 2005.
Features
Microsoft ...
.
Categories
Shunting puzzles tend to fall into the following categories, but this list is not intended to be exhaustive:
* Build up a train (known as a "consist" in Australian and North American railway terminology) in a specified order, picking up rolling stock from various locations such as sidings.
* Decompose a train, placing rolling stock items in specified locations.
* Devise the optimum sequence of rolling stock items in a train, so that it can be efficiently assembled at its starting point and decomposed at its destination(s).
* Devise a means by which two long trains can pass each other on a single track, for example the double saw-by manoeuvre at a
passing loop
A passing loop (UK usage) or passing siding (North America) (also called a crossing loop, crossing place, refuge loop or, colloquially, a hole) is a place on a single line railway or tramway, often located at or near a station, where trains or ...
, used when both of the trains are too long to fit into the loop. It may or may not be required to maintain the original sequence of rolling stock in each train.
* Run a locomotive around its passenger carriages at a terminus ready for the return journey.
* Reverse the direction of a train, for example at a
wye where the train is too long to fit into any of the individual sections of track.
Examples
Two of the best known model railway train shunting puzzles are:
* Alan Wright's "
Inglenook Sidings"
* John Allen's "
Timesaver
Timesaver is a well-known model railroad train shunting puzzle (U.S. English: switching puzzle) created by John Allen. It consists of a specific track layout, a set of initial conditions, a defined goal, and rules which must be obeyed while per ...
".
See also
*
Car spotting (positioning)
External links
Model Railways Shunting Puzzles Includes full descriptions of Inglenook Sidings and Timesaver.
nrich - Shunting Puzzle
Classic Shunting puzzles as computer game
Railroad Shunting Puzzle
Flash game about shunting puzzles
Shunting puzzles as a game app for tablet computers and smartphones
Logic puzzles
Shunting puzzles
Railroad games
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