01-02-2015, 03:54 AM
Before I start this discussion I would ask that all responders leave their flame throwers outside as I don't want to see a flame war started here.
Now,on this site and others that I was on I often saw many switching layouts labeled as either Time savers or Inglenook puzzle layouts,especially those layouts that
were linear in their design-be it a straight layout,L-shaped or one with an island added to it. I think this way of thinking is a load of crap.
I did a search for both Time saver and Inglenook and what I found was this- both types of these switching layout puzzles have a specific set of guide lines that need
to followed. These include the track plan,number of switches to be used,number of cars to be used and track capacities.
Now if someone designs a layout that either follows a prototype location or a fictional one and they contain some of the elements of the two types of puzzles that I mentioned
then that is what the modeler was trying to achieve. That's his decision. If we look at his track plan and make some suggestions that may or may not improve operation
fine,but I feel that to label them as a puzzle layout be it Time saver or Inglenook is not right. I will admit that to some extent that a switching layout is a sort of puzzle in that we need
to figure out how to get cars in and out of sidings without fouling other tracks,but I think this is as far as the puzzle thing goes.
Well I think I shot my mouth off enough on this topic. I will now go and put on my flame proof suit and see what happens.
Now,on this site and others that I was on I often saw many switching layouts labeled as either Time savers or Inglenook puzzle layouts,especially those layouts that
were linear in their design-be it a straight layout,L-shaped or one with an island added to it. I think this way of thinking is a load of crap.
I did a search for both Time saver and Inglenook and what I found was this- both types of these switching layout puzzles have a specific set of guide lines that need
to followed. These include the track plan,number of switches to be used,number of cars to be used and track capacities.
Now if someone designs a layout that either follows a prototype location or a fictional one and they contain some of the elements of the two types of puzzles that I mentioned
then that is what the modeler was trying to achieve. That's his decision. If we look at his track plan and make some suggestions that may or may not improve operation
fine,but I feel that to label them as a puzzle layout be it Time saver or Inglenook is not right. I will admit that to some extent that a switching layout is a sort of puzzle in that we need
to figure out how to get cars in and out of sidings without fouling other tracks,but I think this is as far as the puzzle thing goes.
Well I think I shot my mouth off enough on this topic. I will now go and put on my flame proof suit and see what happens.
"My railroad is a figment of my imagination"
BobS
BobS