Hello all!
I am a college student, and would like to know is anyone has recommendations on what material to purchase to build a portable HO scale John Allen Timesaver that I could bring with me to my dorm.
My father is a carpenter, thus the benchwork and the necessary lumber are not a concern.
In specific, I am wondering what track I should acquire to accommodate 40’ car-lengths.
Thank you in advance for any advice you can provide.
Here’s a good resource for shunting puzzles, including the Timesaver.
If you have the space, check out Scot Osterweil’s Highland Terminal.
Not just sure of the necessary length to accomodate the Timesaver. If it would fit, I would recommend a hollow core door with a sheet of 2" foam insulation on it. The doors are light and strong, thus fairly easy to navagate into a dorm room. The layout could be set up on a bed or desk to operate, if a more perminant location isn’t available, The foam allows you to have some below grade features. For strictly urban scenery, probably a 1" thick piece of foam would do, giving you depth for culverts and the like.
Don’t forget the studies.
Good luck,
Richard
Hi Peter;
I built a portable switching layout to show at train shows using 2 ready-to-install 1 foot by 3 foot painted MDF shelves. A simple switching plan was drawn and checked out. I used Atlas code 100 track - flex track, 3 - # 4 RH turnouts, 1 - # 4 LH turnout and a LH snap switch. Most 40 foot cars handle the switches very well as does the P2K S3 switcher. The code 100 track is used because it’s fairly inexpensive and reliable.
The one problem with the MDF base is trying to drive track nails into it. Perhaps gluing the track may be a better option.
I didn’t want to have to use many power tools and the only one needed was a cordless drill.
This just an explanation of what I did. You can do whatever you like.
Steve
If I remember correctly, the original Timesaver was buit on a piece of plywood. Everything was on top.
One 4x8 foot piece of 1/2" plywood. Cut of strips that are 3" wide to make a “box”, cover the top with more 1/2" plywood. Make two such platforms, each 1 x 3 feet in size, clamp together to form an 1 foot x 6 foot footprint, drill two holes through sides that go against each other, put bolts through.
Buy 3-4 turnouts and make a simple track plan - e.g. something like this: 
Plenty of room to do some modeling and detailing of industry buildings, and enough spots to do some interesting switching (the lack of a runaround just means that the engine will have to be on the right side of any cars that go into siding F-G).
Or expand each box to 4 feet long x 18" deep, or something. But the track plan do not have to be complex to provide quite a bit of switching interest.
Btw - a 40’ car is about 5.5" long in H0 scale - including couplers about 6.5". A short switcher (like an NW2) is about the same size as a 40-foot boxcar.
If you want to be able to pull a small engine and one boxcar past a switch before throwing it and going down the other branch of the switch, you need about 12.5" of track past the end of the switch.
To get enough clearance to have something branchin
hi
just a bit more complicated, a small removable cassette and a run-around are added to Stein’s design.
Now you can run around your train, you do not have to have your cars and engines in the right order before you start operating.
Again not a switching puzzle, more like a real railroad.
Smile
Paul
This page on the above site http://www.wymann.info/ShuntingPuzzles/Timesaver/timesaver-trackplan.html has the track plan.
The key is that various lengths are given in terms of cars being used and assume that the cars are same length and the switcher is the length of one car.
The plan can be handlaid or use commercial components. The actual cars and track components will determine the length. So the plan could use 36 ft old timers with #4 turnouts or modern 60 ft cars with #6 turnouts or whatever suits you.
Enjoy
Paul
If I might make a suggestion – John Allen’s Timesaver was deliberately designed to be DIFFICULT to operate. It wasn’t originally intended to be actually built; the concept was a thought experiment, as a setting for switching puzzles (which were quite popular back in the day). Then, people started to build Timesavers as modules or parts of larger layouts, thinking “Hey, that John Allen must know what he’s doing.” But no real railroad would build trackage that cramped and complicated! If you follow the Timesaver plan, you’ll probably get frustrated and bored with operations before too long. Other forum members above have presented simpler switching layout ideas for a similar space, and I’d take their advice if I were you. The Timesaver is great if you want a lot of trackage to display rolling stock on, or if you think you’d enjoy the railroad equivalent of a Rubik’s Cube, but there are better ways to go if you want a layout you can have fun operating.
I went to a mathematics fair and was pleasantly surprised to see John Allen’s timesaver presented by three grade six students. It was a good size fair with kids of all ages participating. The Timesaver was the most popular booth at the fair. I can imagine it would a lot of fun for visitors to his dorm room at collage.
That being said I think the OP would get bored real quick with it and should consider a type of module that would enable to work on all aspects of the hobby including structures and landscapes. The Timesaver puzzles I have seen have left little or no room for anything but the track. Just my [2c]
Brent
Well I don;t knwo about not intended to be built, because John DID build one, only it was compeltely seperate from teh G&D. As has been related by those who oeprated on the G&D, it was somethign they played with after an oeprating session, upstairs. The rest of it, people duplicating it because if John Allen did it, it must be good, is absolutely correct. As a switching puzzle/game, it’s rivaled only by the Inglenook, but it is by no means a realistic bit of railroad. Like most switching puzzles, the track lengths and car capacities are artificually contrived to make it difficult to perform the tasks. Making tracks longer or shorter makes in no longer a Timesaver. A more realistic plan like the ones presented by Stein and Paulus will offer much more satisfaction.
As this is a family forum I will keep the thought about the use of a Timesaver in a college environment to myself.
–Randy
Come on Randy, it’s either the Timesaver or a Toga party. Which one should a model railroader be attending to.[^o)]
Brent[:-,]
John Allen’s Timesaver is an Information Station download for only $5.95, and includes a half dozen articles touching upon various ways to plan, build, and operate the timesaver – With or without scenery.
The timesaver as shown in John Allen’s original article, was built as (2) 10"x56" grid-benchwork modules (HO Scale) to be bolted together for final operations – At college, this makes for easier storage. When each module is joined – The final dimensions require 20"x76" in HO Scale.
If space is an issue, John Allen’s article for N Scale plans each module at a minimum of 5.4"x30.5" with 10.8"x41.3" when joined together.
Grid benchwork is typically built with 1"x4" wood, but for this smaller layout, 1"x3" would more than suffice – Remember to plan for what goes underneath the benchwork. A suggested base of 1/2" plywood, or 1/2" homasote would provide a little more support than foam, that may be subject to bumps and dings moreso than plywood, or homasote. If you are just looking for function, without scenery and roadbed, the homasote is better for spiking track to the layout base. Of course, this is all your choice as to final materials for the layout.
LOL - I guessed pretty good then - I drew up an N scale and a H0 scale version earlier tonight, using 40-foot cars and Peco Medium turnouts - H0 scale version worked out to 77" of length, N scale version to 44" of length :
Grin,
Stein
Another issue had a plan for the Timesaver using Atlas sectional track. Somehwere at a train show I attended they were handing out a reprint of the article and I have one filed away somewhere.
OK, my idea was to involve a Timesaver as part of a drinking game. Use only junky train set locos and cars for this, as damage may (will) occur. Sure beats beer pong, for the train enthusiast.
–Randy
I have one 80% done. Let me know if you are interested.
Don’t know what to do with it otherwise.
Been sitting for years.
Designed to fold up- didn’t get that far.
Can be operational real easy, though.