Timesaver

[2] It consists of a specific track layout, a set of initial conditions, a defined goal, and rules which must be obeyed while performing the shunting operations.

The standard layout consists of a simple yard, with five switches (three lefthand, two righthand), five spurs, and a runaround track at the center.

[3] Power is supplied to the track, sufficient to run a locomotive at a fixed slow speed, controlled by a simple center-off reversing switch.

[1] Optionally, two Timesaver layouts can be connected with an unpowered interchange track (adding a sixth switch to each), with space for a single car.

Timesaver was first published in the November 1972 issue of Model Railroader, in what would be Allen's last article; he died the following year.