Tom,
What you showed in pictures was fine, as far as the “Timesaver” being set up with our GGRC club layout. However, that is not what we will be bringing to the NNGC. Many times the people that try their hand at the puzzle are young people and I have had many of them come back year after as they grow. Most displays are totally hands off, but with the Timesaver, we have had as many as 4 kids working on the layout at one time. One on the throttle, one uncoupling, on throwing the turnouts and one directing the movement of the engine with proper hand signals and a flashlight.
http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/jgolding/2010%20Easter%20J%20016.jpg
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These pictures were already submitted, but everything on Page 2 is new.
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This is what the puzzle will look like at the show
http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/rgolding/090331%20028.jpg
http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/rgolding/090331%20029.jpg
The best compliment I could ever imagine to get came from Bill of the Central Connecticut Club, when he said, “Oh, you’ve got the point to point railroad”. Heck, I just thought of it as a switching puzzle. The kids gathered round and most got a chance at the throttle, if they proved they could follow instructions. We can get up to 3 working at one time, with one being the engineer, one the switchman and one the brakeman giving movement signals with a flash light. It’s a lot of fun. http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/rgolding/090331%20002.jpg
http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/rgolding/090331%20004.jpg
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http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/rgolding/090331%20008.jpg
Also, over the weekend, we had some kids come by that have been hanging around the last couple of years and took over while I took a break. That’s cool!
http://lscdata.com/users/rgolding/070401%20006.jpg
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In these pictures you’ll see Andy C. instructing a young man in the art of the switching movements. All the people that help man the booth give me a little time to see some of the show and buy those things I just have to have.
http://lscdata.com/users/rgolding/070401%20015.jpg
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And then, more instruction for the young railroaders. You can’t imagine how much fun this is. The kids catch on very quickly and are quite enthusiastic.
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This was Jennifer, I had an email from her dad thanking us for letting her operate the Timesaver. She was a natural.
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Here is Matt Radder working on his own figure at Bob Temper’s table in the Alcove. There was a constant crowd of people learning how to make figures and Bob has really become a master and is willing to share his art. People just can’t understand why he does it for free and that he is not selling something. We get the same questions about the switching puzzle, but sharing the knowledge makes it a hobby not a job.
http://lscdata.com/users/rgolding/070401%20001.jpg
And Jon Radder manning the “Friends of the East Broad Top” display we set up in the alcove.
http://lscdata.com/users/rgolding/070401%20002.jpg
Tom, You have on what you sent me from the site example a question - Ric,
Please let me know what you want written here. How about something like this
Timesaver – What is it?
John Allen’s “Timesaver” was very specific in his HO puzzle. It was used as a means of competition after his “Ops Sessions”. The participants would compete against each other by the number of moves or the amount of time needed to complete the puzzle. But they soon wanted more, so they built two puzzles, so people could compete against each other and then even worked together as a team exchanging cars from one puzzle to the other, if the two puzzles were connected together.
The basic premise of our puzzle is to exchange like pieces of rolling stock for different pieces of similar rolling stock. It is created in #1 gauge and at a scale of 1:20.3, which is easier for little hands and older eyes. Though many people like to play the game against time or the number of moves it takes to complete the task. When the Kaskaskia Valley Railway version of the puzzle is played at train shows or as part of an operating session, our only goal is to complete the puzzle and have fun. ************************************************************************************************************************* I know this is a lot, but I hope will give you a better idea of what we have and what we offer. One of the pictures you showed would be great to show how it hooks into our club layout, but what we are bringing to the show is so much more. I don’t mean to take up so much of your time with this and I feel I am failing to get across what we have, please bare with me. 
Your statement on the webpage -
The model contest will have an “Operating Module” category should you desire to enter. Plaques will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.
Is an “Operating Module” a layout that goes round and round or a layout that you can “operate as a railroad or switching yard”? I would probably enter the “operating as a railroad or switching puzzle”, but not much interested in competing against the roundy rounds and perfect scenery. That doesn’t do much for me.
Smooth Sailing,Ric GoldingKaskaskia Valley RailwayCarlyle, Illinois