Introduction

[Ag2000]

The Inglenook puzzle software is up and running. Initially there are some rough things around the edges, but it works.
I have not done exhaustive testing given there are eight factorial (40,320) ways to start the puzzle and just as many way to end the puzzle (well actually 8!-1 ways). If it took only one second to test each possibility it would take more than 51.5 years to thoroughly test all paths!
The testing issue is why there is a sub-forum “Inglenook Simulator Problems.” If you find a problem, please document it there.
There are two ways to think about the puzzle:

• Getting a five car train set up in a given order, and not worrying about where the three unused car end-up. This would be the real world problem. It should take only 17 or fewer moves to do this.
• Getting all eight cars in a given order on sidings 2 and 3. This should take 20 or fewer moves.

The next stage of this project is to use this software to control a model railroad, to mirror the graphics solving the inglenook puzzle. As a result, I really focus on getting all eight cars in a given order. That way from one run of the puzzle to the next, the HOG (hand of god) will not have to move the model railroad boxcars around.
Besides any cases where the software just goes south, I am sure there maybe cases where the puzzle is not solved in the minimum number of moves. Help finding, and reporting, these cases will be appreciated.

Non-error related comments, discussions can be posted here.