When the train - or part of it has been off air for more than 4 hours.
Interesting puzzle. Makes me glad that I rarely have to do much switching, and then it’s usually only a car or two.
Another way you could practice such moves would be via most any of the simulation programs. I know both MSTS and Trainz have a building mode that lets you create your own “layout.” Determining precise distances is something I haven’t worked out to my own satisfaction yet, but it’s not hard to duplicate most plants.
You can then assemble trains of your choice whereever you want them on the plant itself, or perhaps in staging yards from which the desired trains could then be moved.
I don’t know how to run the signals in Trainz like a CTC plant, but you can put in signals that will indicate clear routes when all the switches (and stars) align.
Train A’s conductor walks to his rear end to protect his shove completely back to the main behind C and clear of the CP. Train B pulls ahead to occupy as much space as is needed. While thats going on A’s conductor walks back to the head end. Once B clears the main, C goes on its way. Then A, then B. Why mess with the yard?
'cause it’s there.
True…but this one has the least walking involved & might be quickest.
You’re making the conductor walk to the rear and back to the head end again. The other way (pulling the head end 1000’ of train into the yard), means the conductor only has to walk 1000’ total. Like I said, no correct answer to this…
I missed the distance part…the joy of posting from my Android in the woods. I like puzzles like this, thanks to you for this example & the OP for the thread.
More!
Yep. He gets off the loco at the point where the cut is to be made, wait while engineer pulls past him until the rear is in the clear at CP Balt, make the cut, rides the end of the front cut down onto the yard lead, rides the end of the front backing up, and only has to walk the 1000’ back to the front.
Ironically, I did consider that solution, but dropped it because I figured that it still would put a train (the front 1000 feet of train B) on the yard lead, and I (mistakenly) thought you would have to do a brake test after reconnecting - with the conductor walking the whole train.
Cool scenario with a good learning effect. Got any more?
Smile,
Stein
Train B’s conductor is the only one who needs to hit the ground at any time and that is to make the cut on his train at Tree after hind end clears Balt and head end goes into the clear at yard…
Five thousand feet is almost a mile and would take 20 minutes to a half hour to walk in one direction, so why waste time having conductors walking.
With B on the siding between Tree and Balt and head end in the clear on the yard lead (which the diagram inedicates is three miles in length) both other trains can move on…or just the priorityy train then get B out of the yard as fast as possilbe, then let the other go.
Not only do you not want to waste the time of walking, anytime you put a man on the ground you increase the chance of injury at least.
I posted one or two more a year or 2 ago… I’ll have to dig around the board to see if I can find them - if they still exist. I could probably create some more if there is interest. Actually that is the part I miss most about switching around in the yard: the planning. The actual work wasn’t bad, but I always enjoyed when I could create a plan that worked like clockwork. And I had the bosses and yardmasters that allowed me the freedom to switch as I mostly wanted to, as long as the cars ended up in the right spots at the right time.
Searching, I see you had a thread called “Professor Zug’s Switching School” in december 2011 (http://cs.trains.com/trn/f/111/t/200183.aspx), but the pictures must have been deleted, moved or renamed on photobucket .
I’d like to see some more, if you have the time to make any.
Smile,
Stein
Aye. Brain teasers are almost always a welcome thing 
Good puzzle!
This is one I found online in armorgames. http://armorgames.com/play/7324/railroad-shunting-puzzle I have not been able to check this recently. The version saw was fun. And I’ve designed a few trackplans Have fun IGN
Fire that young snot nose super, it’s called a double saw by