A small track plan for a shunting game – the idea comes from legendary US model railroaders John Allen. His idea, known as the “Time Saver,” dates back to the 1970s. The purpose is to carry out shunting tasks such as train composition with as few steps as possible. The game and track plan can be adapted to the respective conditions and designed as a landscape with buildings, for example as a factory railway, harbor railway, or a simple small freight station. It works analogously as digitally controlled with a “hand coupling,” with coupling tracks, or with a locomotive equipped with an automatic coupling.
The plan can be implemented as a small module – or as a carpet railway. The graphic shows a possible implementation with C track (H0), but it can of course also be done with other manufacturers and gauges. Coupling tracks can be positioned according to the degree of difficulty, and the number of wagons can be varied.
Time Saver has a worldwide fan base, and there are even competitions. When shunting with the model locomotive, players are only allowed to switch the uncouplers electronically or touch them by hand, but not the wagons.