Subject:
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Re: BrickFest TimeSaver Layout
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.trains.org
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Date:
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Tue, 30 Apr 2002 15:57:50 GMT
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Viewed:
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682 times
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In lugnet.trains.org, Tom Cook writes:
> In lugnet.trains.org, Larry Pieniazek writes:
> > In lugnet.trains.org, Tom Cook writes:
> > > As part of the Train activities for BrickFest, I am planning a switching
> > > puzzle game based on John Allen's TimeSaver layout.
> >
> > Note (to the uninitiated, everyone that knows who John Allen is already
> > knows this) TimeSaver is a bit of a misnomer, it's really MOVEsaver, as in
> > you are judged on total number of moves to solve the puzzle, not the elapsed
> > time. A move is a couple/uncouple or a direction reversal without
> > coupling/uncoupling, basically (someone could post the exact definition if
> > they Googled for it)
>
> Yes, typically that is how it is graded, however, I recently learned that
> the original article in the 1972 (I think) Model Railroader magazine called
> for it to be timed. So I think we can use whatever method works best.
I would strongly favor counting moves as uncoupling really could take a fair
bit of variable time. I also would not penalise someone for accidentally
recoupling right after uncoupling, it is SO easy with these speed regs to go
in the wrong direction.
Perhaps something where the puzzle participant calls out moves and someone
else executes them so there is no chance of "oops I didn't mean to do that".
Are you going to announce the puzzle in advance? That may not be a good idea
because I think there are programs out there that can solve these for you
and produce a list of moves.
>
> > > One attempt at a LEGO
> > > track plan is:
> > >
> > > http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=163126
> > >
> > > If you are interested, please take a look, and let me know what you think.
> >
> > Are you planning on supplying the rolling stock? These track lenghts seem
> > short for US prototype car lengths but seem about right for 2 axle eurotrash
> > stock.
> >
> > It probably is a good thing if you DO supply all the stock so that the sizes
> > are exactly uniform. The puzzle assumes a standard carlength after all.
>
> I agree, the spurs look short, but I assumed two LEGO track segments per
> car, and attempted to match the specified lengths, which are:
> Top two spurs: 3 cars each
> Run-around: 2 cars
> All other spurs: 2 cars each
> Please let me know if I messed it up.
Nope those are the lengths I remember too. My cars just all are way over 2
track lengths each :-) Stick to 2 coupler to coupler and you're fine.
> And yes, I plan on supplying the rolling stock and loco so everything is >equal.
Cool, are they going to be DCC? :-)
It may be fun to make the cars have big numbers embedded in the side of
their walls (or as part of the load) so when you say "car 1" it is blazingly
obvious which car is being referred to, because that car has a big 1 on the
way (the way I did my old old railbox with a big X on the side)
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Message has 2 Replies:
 | | Re: BrickFest TimeSaver Layout
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| Good idea about not publishing the rules ahead of time. The specific rules will not be revealed until "game time" to add to the challenge. Also, there might be an element of chance involved. I was thinking of color coding the cars, but they could be (...) (22 years ago, 30-Apr-02, to lugnet.trains.org)
| | | Re: BrickFest TimeSaver Layout
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| I have a question. If the points have to be operated manually (assuming 9v not 12v points) and the cars have to be uncoupled manually, what really is the point of a throttle? Move the cars by hand. Before I hear an outcry, think about it. There's (...) (22 years ago, 1-May-02, to lugnet.trains.org)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: BrickFest TimeSaver Layout
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| (...) Yes, typically that is how it is graded, however, I recently learned that the original article in the 1972 (I think) Model Railroader magazine called for it to be timed. So I think we can use whatever method works best. (...) I agree, the (...) (22 years ago, 30-Apr-02, to lugnet.trains.org)
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