The Inglenook Sidings

The Classic 3-3-5 Switching Puzzle

Preview of the Inglenook Sidings

Layout Description

First popularized by the British model railroader Allen Wright, the Inglenook Sidings is a classic switching puzzle.

The goal is to take an assortment of railroad cars and switch them onto the proper tracks in the proper order. This mimics the job of a real train crew whether is classifying cuts of cars in the yard, or blocking cars to be spotted at an industry.

The challenge comes from the limited amount of space available. Two of the sidings can only accommodate three cars. The longer siding can only hold five. And the switching lead is only long enough to handle the locomotive and three cars.

To see where each car must be spotted; hold the mouse over the railcar and its destination will be displayed.

Use the links below to view the layout in VRML. The first option is for users with a VRML browser plugin installed on their system. This option will open the layout inside an HTML container. The second option is for users with stand-alone VRML players. It is a direct link to the VRML file that can be copied and pasted into the appropriate field for the player.

If you do not have a VRML browser, or browser plugin, installed on your system, please click here for information on how to install one.

Open the layout in an HTML container
Direct link for external browsers