Thanks for the comments. I enjoy shunting puzzles because you have to think and forward plan movements. My other aim is to debunk those who say having a model railway is SO expensive. Of course a big layout with sound locos costs, but small shunting layouts take little room and can be done at low cost. As you say 'Switching' I assume you're in the US ? Even American switchers are big !! Great hobby anyway !

Thanks for your reply, @@dad1ipms! I can understand and appreciate the need for small layouts. As a former European, my first layout was a very tiny shelf on a wall: lots of operation packed into a really small space. Once up in the Great White North I wanted something bigger, but not so big to take over my entire basement. You can shove a lot in eight feet and most of it is dedicated to so called "white space." You are right, North American switchers are huge in comparison and I do like running mine in pairs which eats up a lot of space, but a small price to pay for that level of satisfaction. Keep up the good work, looking forward to more switching--or shall I say, shunting?

Thanks, pinch away, anything you can use, or modify. Any chance you can send us some sunshine ?

@@dad1ipms Ahh…, wish I could or be easier lol Sitting now in front of the sea still bathing in the late sun is almost as good as model railroading! Be healthy!

Thanks for the kind comment Chris. I've made 3 different shunting layouts all fun to drive, but also small enough to tidy away and get out easily. The length limit is 50", just short enough to get along the back seat of a car.

The slightly stretched head shunt will take 4 wagons & the loco. By having 9 wagons the number of spare places is 2, it simply won't work with 10 waggons, 1 spare place is not enough, I have tried !! Cards for individual wagons gives a higher number of possible Puzzles, but with a club layout they would loose one or more. With set cards of the 5 required wagons should they loose one. or two it won't matter. They are brilliant 'Time wasters', I'll just do 1 puzzle can easily run into an hour

It's 48" long, the standard width of a full sheet of ply, but just 16" deep. It's very tight lengthwise to fit in the two points, using Peco short live frog type. Why live frog ? because you're running so slowly with short wheel base locomotives that they would be prone to stalling problems if insulated frog points are used.

How do you get the auto-couplers to work like that? Do you sell these kinds of layouts. I'm in the USA.

I currently have 6 layputs, recently given my big one away to a friend who worked on it with me over 15 years ago. I don't make for sale, they are for personal use and as per this last weekend a 2 day exhibition with my 'Thomas' layout.

Copy Away - I tend to post things on KZfaq to encourage others to make & enjoy making railway layouts. For a novice I'll really only give one piece of advice. "Use live frog points" there is no difficulty with wiring, in fact 'Frog' switching while advisable is not 100% necessary. What you MUST do is have insulated rail joiners on both rails running out from the common crossing.