Model Railroader, October 1976
(click for larger image)

Although obviously best known for the various versions of his Gorre & Daphetid layout (pronounced, in a twist of humour typical of Allen, as "Gory and Defeated") his Timesaver is a truly classic switching puzzle - devised by Allen as a game to relax and divert fellow modellers who would join him in operating the G&D (you'll find detailed information and insights on the G&D at Peter T. Prunka's G&D Tribute Website). In the end, this little puzzle held a fascination by itself.

"Often one plans and builds something that later shows itself to be less interesting or of less value than originally anticipated. Occasionally the reverse is true: the product proves better than hoped for." (John Allen, Model Railroader, November 1972 issue) 

The layout's operating philosophy became even more of a household name in model railroading after Russ Cain, a member of John Allen's Gorre & Daphetid operating crew, published an article in the October 1976 issue of Model Railroader on building the "Timesaver" using easily available standard snap-track components and Kadee couplers.

Most people are introduced to switching puzzles by the "Timesaver", and the underlying ideas of how to create and sustain operating interest on a minimum-space layout have influenced innumerable layouts, even though Allen devised it as a separate puzzle and not a layout design element, which is why he - a master of model scenery- left it bare and completely unscenicked.

The original "Timesaver" layout was suuplemented by an identical twin layout built by Bill Corsa, a member of the G&D operating team, so that two contestants could try to beat the clock by working together.