The Time Saver is a well-known switching puzzle invented by the late John Allen (1917-1973) and published in the November 1972 issue of Model Railroader. The premise was based on switching cars around in the least amount of time. The goal was efficiency as a real railroad desires. Time is money! This original premise encourages the least amount of moves as this saves time. (Of course, with a model railroad, it is less about money and more about bragging rights!)

This time-based premise assumes that the track work is adequate, and the absence of defects on all rolling stock, including couplers. In N Scale, this can be somewhat problematic as errors can be magnified, especially with track work.

To level the “switching field’, an attempt is made to eliminate this factor while competing. Penalties derived from derailments caused by the layout or rolling stock are not counted. This is the basis of a “new” type of Timesaver: counting reversing moves. Although probably not a new method to score in this way, this updated Timesaver uses this concept, a “Move saver”.

To make this new Timesaver more realistic, an interchange was added to store incoming cars from elsewhere. The goal of the participant is to swap out cars from the interchange to the three industries. The basic Timesaver layout is still present, so nothing precludes one from doing a classic Timesaver if desired.

Scoring

Scoring is accomplished by counting the number of reversing moves. When an engine reverses, that counts as a point. Any move can also be counted and then divided by 2 to get a consistent score.

When a derailment occurs, there is no penalty. However, if a turnout is misaligned, the moves needed to get out of the misaligned switch are counted.

An Example Setup

This example setup consists of adding a single car to each industry, and an engine with three cars in the interchange. It is recommended to use different types of cars for each industry with different colors to avoid confusion.

In the interchange, to be consistent so that everyone has the same setup, it is recommended that the order of cars be the same, however, if one is doing a solo run, or is practicing switching moves, this order can be varied for operational interest.

In this example, here is the order of cars in the interchange:

Industry C, Industry B, Industry A

• Industry C consists of a 33,000 gallon Tank car (Propane, empty)
• Industry B consists of a 50’ high cube box car (Paper Rolls, empty)
• Industry C consists of a 2 bay covered hopper (Cement, full)

As mentioned previously, the goal is to swap out the cars from the interchange to the three different industries.

As mentioned previously, the goal is to swap out the cars from the interchange to the three different industries.

Switch Run Story

Here is a fun story to illustrate switching out the setup described previously. Enjoy!

Setting the Scene

The phone rings at 5:00AM and you must report to the yard in an hour. You quickly shower, get dressed, grab your grip, and head out the door. The Eastern Tennessee air is damp from dew, and you know it is going to be a hot and sticky July day.

At about sunrise, you get to the yard in time, and you check in at the yardmaster’s office. The foreman and brakeman are there drinking coffee with the yardmaster. You grab a cup of coffee, and the yardmaster hands the foreman copies of the switch list. While looking over the switch list, the foreman pops a stick of gum in his mouth.

NS dropped off a set of cars at the interchange last evening in the desired order (how often does this happen?) and you proceed to the engine with your foreman and brakeman.

“Let’s go! The morning is wasting!” the Foreman barks. Time to start your shift.

The original manifest in the Interchange:

Industry C

The foreman gives you and your brakeman a copy of the switch list. It shows to first swap out the tank car at the Propane Distributor (Industry C) south of the main, so you call the dispatcher for a block permit to pull the train on the main. Traffic is light this morning and the permit is given immediately for a couple of hours. You got a good, experienced ground crew, so you are expecting a smooth morning. The brakeman is younger and is known to be a jokester. The foreman is older and close to retirement. He can be somewhat cantankerous and has little patience for shenanigans. When these two are on the crew, the day can be quite interesting.

The foreman and brakeman walk toward the switch. The brakeman unlocks the switch and bends the rails to the main. He checks the points and signals the go ahead to move forward. Two quick pulls on the horn, you switch the reverser to forward and ease the SW1500 towards the main. The foreman climbs aboard with the switch list in his bib’s front pocket.

Count 1

Count 2

Once on the main, the brakeman bends the rails back and signals to move ‘em on back. You switch the reverser and three pulls on the horn you start easing the train back while the brakeman swings aboard the tanker. He gets off well before the industry track and signals a halt, walks back to the switch, unlocks it, and lines up for the industry. He ensures both the couplers are open. He signals to back up and hops on the full tanker.

As you get closer to the empty, he calls out the gap. You ease the train closer to the tanker, and make a nice, gentle joint. “That’ll do, stretch it!” the brakeman radios. Once done, your brakeman asks for protection, so you apply the brakes, center the reverser, and open the generator field.

Your brakeman makes sure the pins are dropped properly and climbs aboard the empty tanker to release the brakes.

Count 3

The signal is given to move ahead, and the brakeman climbs back aboard the empty tanker, ducking the branches from overgrowth as they pass by. You have done this move so many times you already know what to expect, but you always wait for the appropriate signals. Heading back on the main, the brakeman hops off and lines up the industry switch back to the main. The foreman quietly chews on his gum.

“CSX Jacksonville Dispatcher to CSX 1108, over” is announced on the radio.

“CSX Dispatcher, CSX 1108, over”.

“Uh yeah, we have to change the block permit to an hour and a half, the crew for Q209 in Kingsport showed up earlier than expected so will be moving through your area sooner than originally planned, over.”

“Ok, we will work as best we can to clear, go ahead with the new permit details, over.”

You proceed to copy the new block permit and read it back.

The brakeman breaks in on the radio, “Cutting it close, aren’t we?”

“Yeah, but we have done this before. That’s railroading!” you reply.

Count 4

The foreman grabs the radio, “Enough chit-chat, we have a job to do!”

Okay… someone had a late night.

“Roger that chief, ok, back her up” the brakeman radios.  Easing back on the main, the brakeman yells “clear!” so you stop the train. The brakeman climbs back up on the empty and applies the brakes and pulls the pin.

Count 5 and 6

“Ok, take her forward.”  You move the train clear of the switch and stop when the brakeman signals. He bends the rails back to the industry track, hops back on the full tanker, and radios for you to back up.

Calling out car lengths to the spot, you keep easing the train back. “That’ll do” he radios, you stop the engine.  Your brakeman climbs aboard the spotted car and applies the brake.

“Not bad for a greenhorn!” the brakeman radios. You look over at your foreman who is marking the switch list and see him chomping on his gum a little harder.

“Been railroading since you’ve been in diapers kid” you reply, smiling. The foreman shakes his head in exasperation. You suppress a grin; you know you and your brakeman are getting under his skin.

Count 7

After climbing back aboard, the brakeman signals to move back to the main. Once clear of the switch, he hops off, throws the switch, and locks it back up. Time to pick up the empty on the main.

Count 8

After picking up the empty, you wait for the brakeman to line up the interchange, once done, you back up the empty to the interchange while the brakeman hops on the boxcar.

Industry A

First swap done, now the fun begins. You remember a few years back while doing this exact same job, a 2-bay hopper picked the east siding switch when backing up, so a little anxiety builds every time you do this move. It hasn’t happened since they rebuilt the switch, but you still remember that morning and how long it tied up the main. But that was then, time to focus on the work at hand.

Count 9

Pulling back out onto the main, the brakeman hops off and throws the east siding switch. You look back in the mirror and see the reflective switch stand marker go from green to red.

Count 10

Instead of using the radio, the switchman shows he knows how to do hand signals to back up.  You blow the horn three times and start moving the train back. “Ok, that’ll do” the radio squawks.

Count 11

Brakes applied to the boxcar, the brakeman pulls the pin, grabs onto the hopper, and signals the go ahead. Back out to the mainline you go.

Count 12

Your brakeman lines the switch back to the main and signals to back it up. He hops on as you start moving back on the main to the west side of the siding.

“CSX Jacksonville Dispatcher to CSX 1108, over”

“CSX 1108 to Jacksonville Dispatcher, over”

“Yeah, about the Q209, looks like there is an issue with the DPU not communicating with the head end so it is stuck in Kingsport. We have a maintenance crew coming out to look so you should be good for a while. Let me know if we need to issue a new permit if you don’t get done in time, over.”

“We will if you two stops screwing around” the foreman growled to himself.

“Roger that, will let you know, over.”

“I heard that!” the brakeman broke over the radio. The foreman looks over at you somewhat surprised, as if the brakeman had ears in the cab.

“How did you know?” you radio back.

“I just had a feeling” the brakeman joked.  The foreman starts turning red.

This is too easy!

“Ok, you’re good!”

You stop the train.

Count 13

The brakeman walks towards the front of the train to take care of the west siding switch, grinning up at the foreman as he walks by his side of the engine. “Kids today” the foreman says under his breath, looking at the “kid” walking toward the west siding switch. The brakeman looks back at the engine with a big grin.

He proceeds down the line of switches and lines them all up for the industries north of the siding. Slowly you creep through the switches to the industrial track that serves two industries. The cement plant (Industry A) to the west, and the paper mill (Industry B) to the east.

Count 14

Once the industry track switch is lined up, the signal is indicated to back up towards the cement plant.

“Hold one, the coupler is not set. Give me a few” the brakeman calls out on the radio.

“What the heck does he mean? It should be fine!”

“I think he means the car at the plant” you reply.

The foreman rolls his eyes.

“Ok, back her up” the brakeman radios.

Giving you the count, the brakeman guides you back to the empty. Nice joint, time for protection.

“Ok, let er rip” the brakeman calls out on the radio.

The foreman checks off the next item on the switch list with a sigh.

Count 15,16, and 17

The sun is getting higher in the sky as the temperature starts to rise. The foreman’s temperature also starts to heat up in the cab.

“This is taking too long. We used to kick cars to their spots in my day.”

“Yeah, times change.” you reply. The foreman ignores you.

The brakeman guides you through the next set of moves to swap out the empty with the loaded.

Count 18

Count 19

Count 20

Industry B

Count 21

Once through the hopper swap, the brakeman calls out on the radio, “Ok, let’s go get the box car and spot that.”

“Bout time” the foreman erupts.

The train gets closer to the boxcar on the siding, and you hit it a little too hard.

“What the hell!” the foreman shouts, looking over at you. You suppress another grin while the brakeman is laughing outside the engine.

“You are going to catch hell here soon!” the foreman yells out the window then proceeds to spit his gum out towards the brakeman. The brakeman deftly steps aside from the incoming missile and while still laughing, hops on the boxcar for the ride back to the main.

Count 22

Back out onto the main you go to swap out the empty box car on the siding with the loaded one at the mill. The brakeman is doing a fine job despite the foreman’s opinion.

“Looking good” you radio to the brakeman to agitate the foreman.

Count 23

The next set of moves proceed without incident and the foreman appears to be calming down. You and the brakeman poked the bear enough, time to give the old guy a break. Plus, you are getting closer to being done this morning and that always cheers him up.

Count 24 and 25

Count 26 and 27

Count 28

“CSX Dispatcher to CSX 1108, over”

“CSX 1108, Go ahead dispatcher, over.”

“How you guys doing out there?”

“We are almost done, is Q209 ready to head out?”

“Just about, you need me to make another block permit?”

“No, we just got our last pickup swapped out, just need to go grab it. About 10 more minutes.”

“Roger that, let me know if anything changes, over.”

“Will do. CSX 1108 out”

“CSX Jacksonville dispatcher, out”

Count 29

You execute your final east bound trip down the mainline to pick up the loaded boxcar on the siding.

“How things going in there?” the brakeman radios, an obvious grin in his voice.

“Things are starting to cool down up here, how things with you out there?”

“Other than a stray coyote walking by, not too bad. Seemed friendly enough.”

“Lucky you, I am stuck in here with a wild bear.”

With that, the foreman finally chuckles now that the job is nearly done.

“Let him know I will get him a soda afterwards” the brakeman offers.

The foreman shakes his head yes profusely.

“Make sure it’s cold!” he yells out the window.

The brakeman looks up and gives a thumbs up.

Count 30

Count 31

Count 32

The brakeman lines you back up to the interchange and back you go to connect with the first car swapped earlier this morning. Good joint, brakes applied, and glad hands connected.

You notify the dispatcher that you are clear of the main.

The brakeman climbs back aboard the engine.

“See, that wasn’t so bad!”

The foreman shakes his head and smiles.

“When I was your age, we had this done in half the time!”

“When you were my age, people lost fingers!”

Before things get heated up again you yell, “Time for beans!!”

While walking back to grab some food, Q209 rumbles by.

Finished!

The end of the switch run is complete. Tie down and head for beans! The new manifest in the interchange shows the cars in the same order as before but swapped out.

Compare to the original manifest.

Divide the total count of 32 by 2 gives the number of reversing moves: 16. Not bad! The yard master should be pleased, of course, is there any time the yard master is pleased?

Variations

Presented here is one example setup for the updated Timesaver with a fun story included. In the example, the longest car is reserved for industry C, the second longest industry B, and the smallest is industry A. This can be mixed up for operational variety.

Other variations which can add to very interesting operational challenges:

• Change the order of the cars in the interchange (rarely are incoming cars ordered properly).
• Have an incorrect car spotted at an industry.
• Penalties for not sounding the horn appropriately (for sound engines, two for forward, three for reverse).
• Penalties for not providing protection at appropriate times (putting the throttle in neutral/brake on, for example, a Digitrax Zephyr).
• Add a caboose.
• Instead of one car in an industry, add an additional one.
• Use longer cars for all industries.
• Add an additional industry at the west (left) end of the mainline.
• And of course, you can do a classic Timesaver!

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed the Updated Timesaver (and the story). The Timesaver is a classic, but we think with a couple of improvements, it can be more enjoyable with operational varieties, and give a better representation of your club’s