Sam'sTrains vs. The Inglenook Shunting Challenge

My first ever attempt at the infamous Inglenook shunting challenge - and what fun it was!
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[@dasmann3904]

I love these, I’ve done a few at railway shows and never got bored.-Das Mann

[@SamsTrains]

Absolutely - I can't see myself getting bored of this either!! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@SimplyTakuma]

Sam : "I have all five together in order!" Me: "Well, it should beginn from the locomotive side...." Sam : "Oh...."

[@SamsTrains]

haha I guess it doesn't matter! ;D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@grahambo-42]

I was thinking something similar, but if the numbers are in the order of the drop offs going down a branch line, then the order (ascending or descending) would depend on the branch. First to drop on the end so they can just pull into a siding and uncouple the last car(s), or back onto a spur (either way. uncouple all the remaining cars, apply brakes, maneuver the cars down the spur, recouple to the rest of the train, continue on, or back the whole consist down the spur to drop the car(s) on the end.) I guess it would also depend on if there was a brake van or not.

[@RWblox]

Same Lol.

[@DADeathinacan]

Ooh, a shunting puzzle. I need to build one of those someday...

[@SamsTrains]

Yeahh!! Do it - it's so much fun! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@cec_oregon]

Did u ever end up building this?

[@DADeathinacan]

sadly no. Finally got the cash, but now ive got no space, not even for something that fits on a piece of printer paper.

[@datguymiller]

The music and explosion! It got me

[@SamsTrains]

haha I thought the video needed a bit of that ;) Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@SquidwardChat]

Oooo... definitely getting my mind racing. Time to set one of these up! I use OO gauge hook and chain couplings so this will be fun haha!

[@SamsTrains]

Have fun - so enjoyable!! haha that certainly will be fun... good luck!! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@SheffieldNo14Productions]

It’s 1:17 AM here for me and I’m so happy I stayed awake long enough to see this early Side Note: I’m totally gonna try this virtually cause I don’t have model trains 😭

[@SamsTrains]

haha awesome!! It'd be epic to try this in train simulator actually! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@SheffieldNo14Productions]

@@SamsTrains so I did end up trying it on my TRS19 and it was fun! Granted, the lines were slightly longer to allow trainz to change the points (it requires a certain distance for you to be able to switch points) but I didn’t cheat!

[@cheesekay7314]

@@SheffieldNo14Productions Nice Dude

[@RWblox]

@@SheffieldNo14Productions Cool.

[@RCassinello]

Sam: "I'm going to try something which I think is quite clever" Me: Headbutts table as Sam sandwiches 3 between 2 and 1 instead of just picking up 3 first, then 2... :)

[@SamsTrains]

haha that's basically it, lol! ;D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@grahamtravis]

I had to smile when I saw this. I worked as a university technician back in the 1970s and one of the other technicians had built something like this in O gauge, on a table with lots of old GPO relays and strowger selectors underneath. He had wired it into a simple computer. You dialled in (on an old telephone dial) the truck numbers in the order you wanted them, flicked a switch, then with a lot of whirring and clicking it automatically solved this puzzle and drove a locomotive around and shunted the trucks into the correct order. The only issue was that the automatic decoupler didn't always work. So 50 years later, you have done what a 1970s machine using 19th century technology could do. :-D

[@SamsTrains]

Oh wow that's absolutely incredible.... does the machine still exist today?!? Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@grahamtravis]

@@SamsTrains Very unlikely that it still exists. (I don't even know if the guy is still alive!) It was built as a demonstration of control engineering. It would be done with an arduino and a few power FETs nowadays. I will continue watching as long as you keep producing such interesting, entertaining and informative videos, Thanks

[@grahamtravis]

@@SamsTrains I just read up on the Inglenook puzzle, and it dates back to 1979, so what I saw wasn't identical, but it was very, very similar. On open days, the technician would ask members of the audience to shout out numbers and he would dial them in then stand back while the machine did its thing, much to the amazement of everyone watching. It certainly fascinated me and yet I had an idea how it worked.

[@John73John]

Here's how you could do it in fewer moves: 1. Take the 2 unwanted wagons from the main line and put them on the 2nd (empty) siding 2. Couple to the "4" and "3" wagons, move them to the 1st siding, and couple them to "2". 3. Bring 4, 3, and 2 onto the main line and couple them to 1. 4. Go back to the 1st siding and grab the unwanted wagon and wagon 5. Bring it onto the main line and couple to the already assembled 4/3/2/1. 5. You still have one unwanted wagon directly behind the loco, move it back to the siding and go back to your finished train on the mainline. (I'm really good at puzzles :))

[@ruffian2952]

I am a retired conductor and your solution is correct. On my railroad we had conductors and we had switchmen who were conductors who knew how to switch in economy of effort. Some conductors couldn't switch a flatcar out of a train of boxcars successfully. I was blessed with men who taught me to "look ahead" a few moves which contributed to my success as a switchman. Getting rid of those first two unwanted cars was critical. Nobody wants to see the same cars going back and forth. Get rid of the fat and attack the lean. I worked with a switchman early on who took the switching orders provided him at the start of the "trick" and went and had a few drinks as he analyzed the lists. He was a genius in my opinion. One last question. Are you married? If you are you have met the stumper of all puzzles as time will attest.

[@ddragxn]

I'd love to see you doing these live! Maybe a new "section" or interlude like El Cheapo?

[@SamsTrains]

I would too - it could definitely be fun!! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@MrBnsftrain]

This reminds me of a flash game I used to play as a kid called Railway Shunting Puzzle. But instead of wagons being numbered, you had to put each wagon of each design in its designated spot. An idea for a round 2 of this is to use the same wagons, but arrange them in alphabetical order by the name that is printed on the side. You would also try arranging them by size too.

[@SamsTrains]

Ooh interesting - I used to play one called railway valley - that sounds great fun! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@andrewpalm2103]

I've been working on a small HO Inglenook Sidings layout for the past several months. It is nearly complete and can be viewed on my Facebook page (just search my name). I've also written a browser program that can solve the puzzle using AI methods. For the 8 car version, every standard random start can be solved in 20 moves or less, but the bulk of them have solutions of 13 to 17 moves. Unfortunately, when I "wing it" on my own, my solutions can be a lot longer. There are other versions of the puzzle for 3 to 7 cars, with the siding capacities reduced, of course. Thanks so much for this video, Sam! Cheers from Wisconsin.

[@michaelschultz5127]

I always enjoyed your shunting videos. It looks like you got yourself a puzzle and a half.

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks so much - yeah this one sure is!! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@EthansTrains]

I tried this once when I was younger and I got confused pretty quickly 😂

[@SamsTrains]

haha yeah - I've done a bit of this in my own time, and it can get confusing!! xD Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@sathyasmodelrailway2023]

Excellent video Sam. I began my first step into model railway today by assembling the tracks for an inglenook and your video of solving the puzzle was really useful :) Thank you.m

[@andrewguttry6886]

So much fun! For an uncoupler I have used a short length of dowel with one end sanded to around 45 degees. Glue a small square of plasticard (ordinary card will do), to that end and it will swivel at the join and lift the couplers itself.

[@OlivierGabin]

I have a version of it on my smartphone, it is a very addictive game. And lots of modellers made scenic version of this puzzle, it's a classic. Excelent idea to show us your version, I love it !

[@SamsTrains]

Oh wow - I'd love to try a digital version!! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@daveday5507]

There have been other videos on KZbin which intended to show the Inglenook puzzle. Your's is the first of seen which actually makes sense. Thank you.

[@SamsTrains]

haha thanks Dave, that's very good to hear!! xD Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@iandean7129]

I loved this. My future layout will have a place for this for sure. I’ma try the 1 in front and 5 in the back though for the added challenge😂. Hope to see more of these

[@SamsTrains]

Sounds great Ian - endless fun really! Good luck! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@PeterJewell2]

Yeah, I think Sam cheated. Number one should have been next to the loco, which would have been a much bigger challenge! (However, I'm rather glad he did cheat: 14 minutes is quite long enough to watch someone else doing a puzzle!)

[@treaderz18]

Shunting wagons is my actual job for DB cargo in Kent. In general our longest road can handle 20 JNA/MLA (Falcons). Our shunt neck can handle 11 from the reception roads. Is a good puzzle some times but always have the option of a mainline shunt. Even if the signaler holds us waiting for passing trains

[@SniartekilI]

From the starting position, I would get wagons 4 and 5 (The original numbers), put them on the empty siding, get 2 and 3, couple them up to 8 put them on the "Mainline" and then get 7 and 6 and put 6 on the mainline and 7 back (I hope i didnt mess up) And put the website in the description pls

[@SamsTrains]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing - sounds good!! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@kmanison]

I love Inglenook puzzles. I have a couple of Inglenook Apps on my phone, great when waiting in lines at the checkout! But I number my train wagons with #1 at the loco, so I think you got it the wrong way round. Anyway here's another challenge. After you have mastered 5 wagons, then move up to 6, 7, and finally 8 wagon trains. The trick is to marshal the last five wagons in the long siding, and then build the rest of the consist in one of the other sidings. Then join them. Can be done. I'd love to see you give it a try.

[@SamsTrains]

Me too! I'll have to try one of those apps at some point! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@ModelRailwaysUnlimited]

Great stuff Sam, I love shunting. Working with an experienced shunter, it was always amazing how they minimized the number of moves to carry out the required shunt

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks a lot Mike - massive respect for them - no way I could ever be anything close to efficient! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@Gondarth]

This reminds me of 3D Ultra Train Town Deluxe. There are several anagram puzzles in that. It is quite literally several trains of hoppers or boxcars, each containing a letter, and you have to use the Diesel shunters, sidings, turntables, whatever, to rearrange the cars, and find the correct word in the time limit.

[@SamsTrains]

Ahh that sounds fantastic - I'll have to try that too! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@crsrdash-840b5]

It's interesting that UK calls it shunting and in North American its called switching. Also, both methods are totally different. My understanding of shunting is to shove and bump cars into the proper tracks (the reason for the buffer plates). Switching involves 'placing' or spotting the cars at their locations to prevent damage to cars and goods inside. While wagons see to be between 24-34 feet in length, most cars in North America range from the rare 40 ft to the standard 50ft to 89ft (depending on car type from box, flat, gondola, tank, or hopper).

[@musicalaebsrailways5615]

I believe you could have saved some moves by changing your first few moves to: Move 1:Taking just the unnumbered cars and put them in the siding(without car 4 like you did) Take wagon 3 and 4 onto wagon 2 and take them to the main Move wagon 5 onto the train with its unmarked car, and continue as you did in video.

[@SamsTrains]

Ahh very good thought... thanks for that! Like I say, terrible at puzzles! ;D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@HarryC_640]

Great work Sam! I would totally love to see more of these challenges. It makes you appreciate what it was like for people who worked in shunting yards. Their job was to literally solve the puzzle every day...under time pressure too!

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks so much Harry - it does actually, that's very true! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@GSD-hd1yh]

I have actually started to build a puzzle this week. My baseboard is constructed, and I have a coal mining theme in mind because I have an NCB Bellerophon on order. My father-in-law was an engineer for the Coal Board at Haydock, and actually repaired the engine and sometimes was allowed to drive it in the yard. The colliery branch had a road crossing with gates and a signal box which will be the subject of a second board sometime in the future.

[@tiddles4x4]

Welcome to the wonderful world of shunting puzzles and micro layouts. There is a 5 waggon version of Ingenook for a very small space. There are also some UK/US puzzles in a nice 8 by 2 foot shelf layout space. My current project is 5 by 1 foot and fits in my Japanese sports car, yet I can run my Big Boy on it! Sam give it a go and you will be a very happy man. If you do move house these layouts are easy to transport too.

[@StarWarsJay]

Would it work like this…take a picture of each wagon. Stick them on cards and shuffle them. Deal them out, then you have to rearrange the wagons as they are on the cards.

[@michaelschultz5127]

I love the giant brakeman, you best give him a good raise in pay.

[@SamsTrains]

haha I think he'd be happy with that! ;D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@leonardosouza6290]

I just play with the names(ex. box, tank, flatbed, gondola etc...) this is way more challenging! Thanks Sam's trains!

[@stephenjames4937]

I'm surprised that you're only now getting around to operational running, Sam, though obviously, it's not for everyone. We all like different things about the hobby: some are in it for making scenery, others for just letting the trains run around a lovely big loop, and others devise timetables and detailed goods trains, and deliver specific wagons to certain types of industry. I'd certainly like to see more of this please, Sam, as shunting is the first thing I'd do on a layout of my own!

[@EdwardsDayOut]

I love shunting puzzles. They make you feel like a real engine driver

[@ruffian2952]

American here. Respectfully, engine drivers have little concept of what switching cars entails. All they need to know is how to make engine movements at the direction of the train conductor. It is up to the conductor to make the switching "shell game" succeed. I know because I am a retired conductor.

[@EdwardsDayOut]

@@ruffian2952 well, then it makes you feel like a real conductor

[@ruffian2952]

@@EdwardsDayOut Actually, lad, my statement is the result of the historical antagonism that has flourished between operating crafts since the golden spike was driven. My favorite answer to an enquiring engineman..." just take a motion ( hand motion conveying engine movement)". Teach them all they know but not all you know.

[@Breadstick783]

these videos are the best all these videos have inspired me to get back to model trains I can't wait to get HO gauge it seems the best I only have O gauge. thank you Sam you make the best videos

[@SamsTrains]

Thank you so much - that's lovely to hear!! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@duck1946]

Good one Sam,shows that you can have an interesting operation in a small space, mine is HO North American on a 4x1 base fully sceniced, i have added a kick back siding for scenic effect on the mainlne end ,i station my switcher on it, it has no other use .I use 35ft hoppers and 40ft box cars and can only accomodate 5 of them and hand operated points with KD couplers, it can eaily waste 20 mins of my time!!! I also have another one 7ft long by 8 inch wide built out of scrap materials fully sceniced and this will hold 11 cars at max!! There is a US layout on YT which is 14ft x 1ft its a 3 siding true Inglnook,looks simple but services industrial buildings with a variety of rolling stock,the fun is the puzzle plus spotting the cars at the correct doors, loads in empty out. be prepared to be amazed!!!!

[@richardclowes6123]

Hi Sam, I was routing for you all the way. Yea, turning them all round to be numbered the other way would be an epic adventure. Can we have more of this, every now and then please. Loved it.

[@ricktownend9144]

Great idea! - very watchable; please do some more. I remember in 1950s a Rupert Bear annual had a puzzle, centred around a 'Y' (i.e. three points with short curves making a triangle. Leading from the three points of the triangle are one short siding (room for an 0-4-0 engine and a truck, or 2 trucks) and two long ends (representing the 'main line') on each of which is a train (engine + 3 trucks) facing each other. The puzzle is how to get the two trains past each other and facing away from the Y. That was in the days of clockwork trains - it may be more difficult to wire up a 'Y' for 2-rail, and you might have to use DCC to control each engine separately!

[@muir8009]

I've seen that puzzle (and variations thereof) and oval puzzles etc published in 80 to 90 year old magazines, using 3 rail, obviously (like clockwork) obviating any need for special wiring. well spotted :)

[@davidhinks8384]

Who doesn't love a bit of shunting! still have my Hornby 0-4-0 no 27 from (ahem) 1975... Nice evocative session thanks Sam

[@trainzdude3342]

I love this, i think combining trains and puzzles is super fun. You should do some more!

[@SamsTrains]

I think so too - crazy that I've never tried it before!! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@eddyweller4503]

Yes Sam do more, I've made a shunting puzzle for the grandkids, it's a huge success loads of fun

[@SamsTrains]

That sounds fantastic Eddy - great to hear it went down well! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@lapiswake6583]

Cool video, I've built one in 00 and one in N, but I've hardly used them as a shunting puzzle, them usually just being display pieces. If you'd picked up wagon 3 from the first siding then picked up wagon 2 from the second, you could've done it a little quicker. An interesting challenge would be to upscale it to the scale of a marshalling yard, using a larger loco to shunt longer rakes of wagons around. But of course, not many modellers have space for that, and this type of layout was developed for small spaces with loads of operational interest.

[@aleopardstail]

its amazing how easy it is to include this into a larger layout and how it provides "something to do" while other trains circle. my own layout is getting similar but with Mk1 parcels coaches

[@SamsTrains]

Very much so - I'm seeing them everywhere I look now I'm familiar with the challenge! That's excellent - great idea! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@talesfromsodor]

Yes, do it again-this was brilliant! Do it with Thomas characters and rolling stock! Do it in train simulator! Incorporate the sidings on your main layout and have a larger engine take the newly assembled train away! The possibilities are endless!

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks so much - a Thomas version would be epic! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@cheesekay7314]

This is amazing, I do this challenge sometimes and I usually just finish in 2 hours!! (But I do use 27 wagons on 5 sidings)

[@SamsTrains]

Oh wow!! That sounds way more challenging!! xD Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@lukebarber9511]

Have you ever heard of the Timesaver puzzle? That's the most popular model train puzzle among American modellers.

[@SamsTrains]

I've only heard of it today for the first time - will definitely look it up! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@bow-tiedengineer4453]

inverting the numbers would be fairly easy, actually. Move 3, 4, 5 to the middle siding, grab 1 and 2, move 5 to the bottom, move 4 to the bottom, move 3 to the bottom, drop 1 off in the middle siding, move 2 to the bottom, move 1 to the bottom, done.

[@allaboardwithkayos1545]

Great video dude, this looks like a cool challenge to do. Shunting is always good fun and this just brings a whole new dynamic to it. Well done for bossing it first time around

[@greghilton7797]

Who wants to be a top line driver when shunting exercises are so much fun. Please do more Sam. Cheers

[@SamsTrains]

haha exactly!! Thanks a lot Greg! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@lewiscartwright3609]

Hi Sam today I have Double headed my Mainline 4mt with my Hornby 0-6-0 cadley hill colliery cadley hill No.1 and I couple 3 mk1 coaches and BR Blue and Grey Mail coach and then a triang Hornby BR maroon mk1 Full brake coach and to form "The Shropshire pioneer Express" and the Shropshire pioneer Express can either be pulled by a Diesel locomotive and or by a Steam locomotive but today's service is pulled by Steam because My Diesel locomotives have entered a permanent retirement so they can Sit Back and relax and I am planning on getting a Lima Class 50 50 020 "Revenge" and a Lima Class 55 Deltic "Fife and Fortar Yeomanry"

[@eugeniomarins2936]

Dear Sir, I have perused through most of the comments and saw no mention of the theoretical aspects behind this excellent game. Me weak maths tells me that you could play it an astronomical number of times without ever repeating a configuration. Combinatorial problems are so hard to solve that people usually employ heuristic methods to obtain "ok" or "good" solutions. So, if this is your cuppa ('your beach," in Rio's Portuguese), small space, endless fun! Cheers from Brazil! Edit: Compare it to the "Tower of Hanoi" problem, i do not know if they are isomorphic, but there are similarities, for sure.

[@Doritune.rcdrift]

I’ve started to build a shunting puzzle layout for indoors... having a full loop in my house isn’t an option for me right now and the loop for in the summer house is too cold in the winter months... I’ve done months of testing and planning and the layout is exactly what I want... easy to store, fun and light.. just getting started on the scenery but I’d recommend to anyone... you can have hours of fun on a couple Of feet of track great vid sam 👍

[@briancjohnson]

A thing Sam did not mention is that you can also play this with a 'fixed' setup, and count the number of 'moves' (couple, uncouple, direction change, and movement). Then you can compare your score (the lower the better) to others! Real life shunter/switchers want to be efficient! Next up, Sam takes on a Tymesaver (timesaver) shunting puzzle?! Let's hope!

[@SamsTrains]

That's a great idea Brian - you could make it a bit more competitive with that! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@SushiDoge]

This was a fun and interesting video! Thanks for this Sam lol.

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks so much - glad you liked it!! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@paulnicoll1791]

Years ago I operated a large N gauge exhibition layout and dispite the full seanery I incorporated one of these into the layout. I had a gauge master handheld controller on a 16 foot lead so children could use it from the 'public /viewing side' they loved it. Also using the same controller I was able at times allow children to drive the trains themselves. The kids were made up

[@theangelsmodellingandrailways]

That's what my lil layout is totally based on, got one extra siding though. It's a great thing to do for long periods. Moving loco at slow speeds, and having the other wagons placed on an odds/even mix when returning to sidings when your finished puzzle. It should be a success for your channel, once you start looking into the variations. All the best. Brian @ The Angels.

[@atlasthenumber5msr440]

Duck: i am a better shunter Peket: shunt better Duck: :[

[@SamsTrains]

haha!! xD

[@sirrliv]

Suggestion: Reverse your number choosing process; Number wagons 1-8 first, then draw numbers from the mug to create the order for your train. Also, I feel it should read from right to left, counting up rather than down, so the first wagon is the one nearest the points rather than the buffers. This was overall very enjoyable! I do hope you do more of these from time to time. Maybe even look into more complicated shunting challenge layouts like Timesaver. And gods, can you imagine doing this as a livestream where the chat controls the train? Twitch Plays Inglenook! Brilliant!

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks a lot for the suggestion - glad you enjoyed it too! I will definitely look into the Timesaver! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@nameless5413]

Pretty reasonable way to have railway fun. How about - left side 8 space (+locomotive) 8 tracks each with 3 wagons (except one which has to be completely void of anything just so that you have room to solve things), but only 4 spaces available Just to have added complexity.

[@LleshGordon2122]

You love it these are pretty good a characters hornby wagons is actually altogether.

[@williamkoch9977]

Yes, do more. For increased challenge you can make up a train of 6, 7, or 8 wagons rather than 5.

[@ruffian2952]

Well, Bill. I thought you preferred America's Cup sailing.

[@masterofsouthern5427]

I didn’t know there is such challenge called inglenook. Brilliant video mate 🙂

[@SamsTrains]

Ahh fantastic - something new for you then! Thank you - glad you liked it! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@gerhardtaljaard3705]

Awesome vid. So much fun to watch! Yes, please do more of them again!!

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks so much!! Sure - I'll do more!! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@poshingtonno1157]

Great video idea, I love inglenooks. I find adding a few wagons of different lengths can make it significantly harder and it once took me an hour and a half to complete when I limited the length of the headshunt to only 2 wagons.

[@LapizLazu1i]

There's nothing I love more on a model rail layout than shunting. It's even better with digital control, using decoupler tracks and digital couplings! So worth it. Are there digital couplings available for the hook and loop couplers you have? You should look into that someday.

[@PaulinesPastimes]

Great fun. It's all part of model train enjoyment and nice to see the 0-4-0 doing what it was designed to do. You could loose hours! 😊👍

[@michaelcunneen2665]

I am impressed that the loco ran across the points without stalling. Wish my small engines would do that.

[@gregmacdonald927]

Sam, you have been reading my mind! After moonlighting at a rival model train You-tuber (sorry!) I got interested in the idea, so am midway through building a small Inglenook-friendly industrial layout. Really enjoyed watching your experience and obvious enthusiasm. Def do more! As an aside, would the HM6000 not be ideal for this sort of thing? Maybe hunts couplings too. Keep it up!

[@SamsTrains]

haha thanks Greg - that sounds awesome - hope you have fun with it! Sure, the HM6000 would be grand for this - very good thought! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@cadetkohr5508]

This looks like a lot of fun, I would love to see more of these!

[@Foxy_Lightning]

Video paused at 4:38, haven't seen the rest yet. I'd do the following: - first two mainline-wagons (blue and grey) onto the upper siding - then take number 3 & 4, couple them to 2 and place the three of 'em back on the mainline - take the wagon on the lower siding (light grey) and put it on the upper siding along with the two wagons which are already there - take 5 and couple it to the rest of the mainline-wagons That would be my approach, but i'm really interested in how you did it, gonna unpause the video now...

[@thehobbyistden3720]

I always wanted to try shunting puzzles, think I'll set up some track as its a rainy day and all and give it a whirl. I'll film it too and share the disaster lol.

[@SamsTrains]

Me too - it's 100% worth doing, trust me! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@alanthorne3921]

Never knew about this until I read about this in the March issue of Model Railroader.I love puzzles(much to the frustration of my missus,she has no patience)and of course model trains(even more frustration from the missus).So after watching your vid I am going to give it a go

[@SamsTrains]

Ahh fantastic Alan - definitely give it a go, it's great fun! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@alanswallow9033]

Good wee exercise! I would have thought that no. 1 would be the first wagon behind the locomotive, as in left to right but makes no difference for the exercise. Back in the 80s I used assign numbers to wagons and use the same amount of playing cards shuffle them then deal out the random cards for the train order maximum was 10

[@michaelschultz5127]

I like those puzzles, but I like regular shunting instead.

[@nicolaiitchenko7610]

Why not take the train with wagon 3 as the end wagon (which needs to join to wagon 2) into the third track? Take it to match with 2 on the second track and you have completed one move successfully creating a 3 2 1 train already for your final aim.

[@trainspotharv2208]

This is amazing. If you want to twist it up you could do it in the section of track under the table you do trucks and coaches or Evan make that shunting chalice layout Even bigger and have 1 rake of coaches and one rake of wagons.

[@allenshelly6272]

Awesome ... I have to do this with my America Flyers Definitely more of these on the program

[@SamsTrains]

Awesome!! And sure - more coming soon! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@antoinebesnehard]

Nice, Sam. Just one little detail : in the Inglenook puzzle, wagon #1 should be the first one immediately after the locomotive, followed by #2 etc with wagon #5 at the tail of the train. I have an Inglenook myself wit a Southern GE44t switcher and Norfolk and Western 40' boxcars. Nice game :-)

[@someguy2741]

You need to set up a "hump". Much more efficient :p set your switches and cut each car loose and gravity it to the appropriate track. Not sure if they use them where you are. The yard has a large hill and the guy has his shunter push the train to be sorted. He has an electronic board that tells him to let loose 1 or two or 4 cars. The shunter pushes the train, guy at the cars decouplesthe correct number and those cars roll by gravity and lets them run away to the waiting trains on separate lines at the bottom of the hill.

[@SamsTrains]

haha great idea - I'd love a layout designed like that one day! I think they did use those in the UK - pretty sure! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@thesudrianfemboy]

I can solve the inglenook at the beginning, and can explain how. Step 1 - Couple to Trucks 5 and 4 and shunt them to the far siding, Leave them there and move back to the front of the line. Step 2 - Couple to Trucks 3 and 2, pull them out and couple them to Truck 8 Step 3 - Pull Trucks 3, 2 and 8 out of the siding and couple them to Truck 1 and leave them. Step 4 - Pull Trucks 7 and 6 out of the middle siding and couple Truck 6 to Trucks 3, 2, 8 and 1, Leave these trucks on the main. Step 5 - Pull Truck 7 away from the other trucks and couple them to Trucks 5 and 4, Shunt Trucks 7, 5 and 4 into the Middle Siding.

[@SamsTrains]

Wow sounds great - reckon that's a lot simpler than my method! xD Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@sturmtigerking4263]

Ooh a different video. Great video. I liked this one actually. I could try one of these. "Get you guys to submit instructions" famous last words

[@SamsTrains]

haha I know... definitely a bad idea, but still a fun one! ;D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@richardserridge2767]

Glad you used an 0-4-0. They are made for the job! Hoping to build a siding layout based on my local (now closed) industrial railway. This would be a good challenge 🤔 They used andrew Barclay saddle tanks til the 1950s. Another great video!

[@SamsTrains]

Yeah absolutely - worked surprisingly well on those points! I'd love to do this with an Andrew barclay some time! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@soerenwizard]

Switching puzzles are great. Good to incorporate in your regular layout.

[@johngibson4641]

Hey Sam ,, you should do a loose shunting without touching the trains with no part of your body (obviously do it with horby uncouplers) after and before the points to be uncoupled. Cheers from John in Australia.

[@GWRFan281]

Nice one Sam. The only thing I might have done different was to pick up wagon 3 before wagon 2 at 6:40 then shunt them back to wagon 1. It can be tricky to do a shunting video though. I have only done one myself and I had to have it all planned out before I started.

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks a lot mate - and appreciate the tip... no guarantee I'll get better at these, as I really am terrible at puzzles! ;D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@Nubfist]

I just found a way you could have completed it in less than 10 moves! I just wish i had enough 4 wheel rolling stock to make the puzzel actually work. Keep it up, I'd love to see a new seires call "Sam's Shunting."

[@PebProductions46]

I love this! I might have to give this a try myself, though I'll have to dismantle my layout to get some switches.

[@SamsTrains]

Awesome! I'd highly recommend it - genuinely so much fun! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@rebelyank6361]

This is available as a phone app so you can play it whenever and wherever.

[@PalmersPhotos]

Always a fun little challenge. I wonder if you could make it more difficult by adding automatic uncouplers and limiting the use of the "Hand of God"?

[@MorrisModelling]

So, i feel you overcomplicated the shunt by moving 4 away, heres what i would have personally done: Part 1 - move the 2 numberless wagons to the free siding Part 2 - Moved 3 & 4 to couple to 2 then bring them all back to 1 Part 3 - Move the last numberless wagon with five to couple to 4 then moved the last numberless wagon with its numberless counterparts a total of 6 moves (1 move being a forwards and backwards motion including either a couple or uncouple) from what ive counted you had 10 moves going by what i said in the brackets i will wholely admit i'm not familiar with the rules and i'm unsure if moving 3 numbered wagons together is against them, just thought i''d give my thoughts, want to help with streamlining the operation where i can :P

[@diedertspijkerboer]

I actually foubd an app that allowed you to play this puzzle on your phone with different lengths of the sidings and trains. Sad, after I played it for a while, I figured out what the basic strategy for the game is, but it was fun while it lasted.

[@christoph7395]

It looks tricky when you get to the third wagon. Personally I would have left wagon 1 where it was, moved the train of other wagons away from it. Picked up wagon 1 again and connected it to wagon 2. Oh right, wagon 1 should be at the end. That is different then.

[@TossiCheeser]

If you can completely reverse the order of cars on the 5 cars track then theoretically you should be able to solve any other puzzle in this setting.

[@rockingtherails1261]

I would love to see you do more of these they are very entertaining and mind-boggling at the same time. Also quoted from season 12 episode one (peckit on the points). Lol. Absolutely great episode keep up the good work

[@SamsTrains]

Thanks so much Stewart - yeah definitely a little bit mind-boggling!! ;D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@davidjackson9317]

You should try the "Timesaver" next. Very challenging!

[@SamsTrains]

I've heard about that!! Where did it get that name?! Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@matthewneleigh567]

@@SamsTrains It can be run competitively with the solution requiring the least time being the winner. Or at least that's how I've seen it done- in that case everyone starts with the same initial setup, of course.

[@raymondsommerfeldt769]

You should try John Allen's Timesaver. It's an American shunting puzzle. I think that you should be able to find the plans and rules online .

[@SamsTrains]

I'm hearing a lot about that today - sounds well worth a try! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@michaelschultz5127]

Where did you get that tool. It sure would help me.

[@EsotericArctos]

Shunting is something you either love or loathe. I don't think there is any middle ground. I think it is fun though. Definitely be a good live challenge. Shunting the Egg Vans could be fun, maybe using your little Terrier that always likes to behave in it's own way :)

[@SamsTrains]

haha I guess I love it then - very much so! Would be a grand live challenge too! :D Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@lewiscartwright3609]

Hi Sam I did a video on my 0-6-0 saddle tank shunting 3 BR maroon mk1 coaches but it went horribly wrong and the Loco cut out halfway round the track and so I did take 2 but I didn't realise my thumb was partially covering the camera

[@SamsTrains]

That sounds bad Lewis! I'll have to look at that!! :O Thanks for watching, Sam :)

[@lewiscartwright3609]

@@SamsTrains hi Sam my video was just filmed on my Camera but once I have sorted my KZbin channel I will upload the video Cheers. Lewis 👍

[@grahamariss2111]

I built one a few years ago, like you I found it not as hard as I expected, may be you could expand it to 16 wagons building a train of 10, with a 10/6/6 layout, that i think would be a significant challenge.