M o o s e r 's T r a in T im e

D if f ic
to F o
u lt y : C
ld : ~ 2 h o u r s
o m p le x ( lo w c o m p le x )
R e d u c t io n R a t io : .6
C o m p le x D ia g r a m s V 1 .2 © 2 0 1 3 - J C N o la n P a p e r : T r im m e d 2 x 1 r e c t a n g le ( v a r ie s )

M o o s e r 's T r a in h a s in s p ir e d a n d c h a lle n g e d f o ld e r s f o r n e a r ly f iv e d e c a d e s . F o r t h e f ir s t f iv e y e a r s a f t e r
it s c r e a t io n t h e o n ly e x is t in g d o c u m e n t a t io n w a s a h a n d - w r it t e n c r e a s e m a p w it h n o in s t r u c t io n s
w h a t s o e v e r . L a t e r , in 1 9 6 7 , h a n d - w r it t e n n o t e s w e r e a d d e d b y R a y m o n d M c L a in b u t it w a s s t ill le f t u p t o
t h e r e a d e r t o d e c ip h e r a f o ld in g s e q u e n c e o n t h e ir o w n . I t w a s n o t u n t il 2 5 y e a r s la t e r t h a t t h e n o t e s
b e c a m e w id e ly a v a ila b le a n d f a r m o r e r e a d a b le w h e n D r . R o b e r t L a n g r e p r o d u c e d c la r if ie d v e r s io n s in
h is b o o k " O r ig a m i D e s ig n S e c r e t s " in it s e x c e lle n t c h a p t e r o n b o x p le a t in g . It w a s n o t u n t il la t e 2 0 1 2 w h e n
m y f r ie n d H a n k S im o n g e n e r o u s ly a r r a n g e d t o h a v e d ia g r a m s p r o d u c e d a n d m a d e a v a ila b le f o r
e v e r y o n e . I h o p e t h e s e p a g e s m a k e t h e m o d e l f u n a n d a p p r o a c h a b le f o r f o ld e r s o f a ll a g e s . - J C N o la n ,

A b b r e v ia t e d d i a g r a m s fr o m " M o o s e r 's T r a in : T h e O r ig a m i T r a in S e t "

w w w .t in y u r l.c o m /g a m it r a in b o o k . F u ll v e r s io n in c lu d e s v a r ia t io n s ,
p h o t o -s t e p fo ld s o t h e r e x t e n d e d t e c h n iq u e s . C o p i e s o f t h e s e
d ia g r a m s , c r e a s e m a p s a n d o t h e r r e s o u r c e s a t
w w w .t in y u r l.c o m /g a m it r a in

C r e d it s T a b le o f C o n t e n t s
O r ig in a l D e s ig n : D r . E m m a n u e l M o o s e r ( c . 1 9 6 2 ) In tr o d u c t io n ... i
O r ig in a l D ia g r a m s : R a y m o n d K . M c L a in ( 1 9 6 7 ) F o ld in g S tr a t e g y ... ii
R e a r L o c k in g S e q u e n c e : A n d r e w H u d s o n ( c . 2 0 0 6 ) B o x c a r / C a b o o s e ... iii
C o a l C a r V a r ia t io n : G r e g B u b n ia k ( c . 2 0 0 4 ) L o c o m o t iv e ... v ii
E x t e n d e d C a b V a r ia t io n : M ik e J it t lo v ( c . 2 0 0 5 ) F o ld in g T e m p la t e s ... x ii
C a b o o s e / F u e l C a r V a r ia t io n s : J C N o la n ( 2 0 1 3 )
D ia g r a m s : J C N o la n ( 2 0 1 2 - 2 0 1 3 )

h t t p :/ / t in y u r l.c o m / g a m it r a in .c o m i M o o s e r 's T r a in / D r . E m m a n u e l M o o s e r
 S o h o w d o e s o n e a p p r o a c h t h is m o d e l? M c L a in 's in s t r u c t io n s g a v e g e n e ra l c lu e s o n h o w to a p p r o a c h th e w o r k b u t fo r
p u r p o s e s o f s im p lic it y it is m u c h e a s ie r t o a t t a c k t h e w o r k in s e p a r a t e p o r t io n s. R a th e r t h a n t r y in g t o e x e c u te th e e n t ir e
m o d e l a ll in o n e la r g e c o lla p s e , it is m u c h e a s ie r t o b r e a k t h e w o r k u p in t o it s se p a r a te c o m p o n e n ts a n d b e c o m e f a m ilia r
w it h t h e in d iv id u a l f o ld in g s e q u e n c e s f ir s t - t h e n t h e e n t ir e w o r k c a n b e a tte m p te d o n a s in g le s h e e t o f p a p e r. T h is is t h e
a p p r o a c h th a t h a s tr a d it io n a lly b e e n u s e d b y p e o p le s h a r in g t h e w o r k w it h e a c h o th e r a n d th e o n e th a t w e ta k e h e re .

In t h e o r ig in a l 1 2 x 3 2 c re a s e m a p e a c h p o r t io n a n d th e v a r io u s p a r ts o f e a c h c a re a re e a s ily id e n t if ie d : 1 0 s q u a r e s fo r
e a c h o f th e b o x c a rs a n d a s s o c ia te d c o u p le r s a n d 1 2 fo r t h e lo c o m o t iv e . N o t e t h a t t h is m e a n s th a t th e lo c o m o t iv e is
f o ld e d f r o m a p ro p e r 1 2 x 1 2 sq u a re w h e r e th e b o x c a rs a r e f o ld e d fr o m s lig h t ly s m a lle r 1 0 x 1 2 r e c ta n g le s. T h e m a p
c a n b e fu r th e r b ro ke n d o w n in t o th e v a r io u s p o r t io n s w h ic h m a k e u p th e c a r s : s id e s , c o u p le r s , fr o n t/ r e a r, e tc .

W h e e l W h e e l W h e e l W h e e l W h e e l W h e e l W h e e l

C o w -C a t c h e r
S id e S id e S id e

R e a r T o p F ro n t R e a r T o p F ro n t R e a r T o p T a n k ST t aa nc k

S id e S id e S id e

C o w -C a t c h e r
W h e e l W h e e l W h e e l W h e e l W h e e l W h e e l W h e e l

R e a r C a r M id C a r L o c o m o tiv e
(1 0 sq u a re s) (1 0 sq u a re s) (1 2 sq u a re s)

R a th e r th a n g o in g t h r o u g h t h e p r o c e s s o f c
re a t in g a 3 2 x 1 2 p a t t e r n a n d ly in g in t h e a s so c ia te d c r e a se p a tte r n s h e r e
w e 'v e p r o v id e d c o lo r iz e d t e m p la t e s w h ic h th e f o ld e r is e n c o u r a g e d t o d u p lic a t e o r d o w n lo a d , c u t o u t a n d t h e n f o ld
d ir e c t ly . A d d it io n a lly , w e b r e a k d o w n e a c h m a p in t o s e v e r a l in d e p e n d e n t s e q u e n c e s w h ic h c a n b e fo ld e d s e p a r a t e ly
a n d th e n a d d e d t o g e t h e r . T h is a llo w s t h e fo ld e r t o g e t f a m ilia r w it h t h e se q u e n c e s a n d g e t a b e tte r u n d e r s t a n d in g o f
th e o v e r a ll s e q u e n c e b e f o r e a t t e m p t in g t h e w o r k o n a s in g le s h e e t .

L a t e r , w h e n t h e f o ld e r w o r k s w it h " r e a l" p a p e r it is r e c o m m e n d e d t h a t a c r e a s e m a p s t ill b e u s e d b u t in t h is c a s e

t r a n s f e r r e d d ir e c t ly o n b a c k o f t h e s h e e t u s in g s e w in g p a p e r a n d t r a c in g t o o ls w h ic h a r e d e s ig n e d t o m a r k c lo t h
w h ic h c a n b e p u r c h a s e d in e x p e n s iv e ly a t a n y s e w in g s t o r e . I t is im p o r t a n t t o n o t e t h a t t h e c r e a s e m a p s in t h e s e
d ia g r a m s a r e a ll f r o m t h e b o t t o m o f t h e m o d e l r a t h e r t h a n t h e t o p . T h e d ia g r a m s a n d a s s o c ia t e d t e m p la t e s u t iliz e
c o lo r t o in d ic a t e v a lle y ( b lu e ) a n d m o u n t a in f o ld s ( r e d ) . D e p e n d in g o n w h e r e w e a r e in t h e s e q u e n c e , fo r p u r p o s e s
o f c la r it y t h e c r e a s e lin e s m a y o r m a y n o t b e s h o w n a s d a s h e d t o in d ic a t e o n ly t h e m o s t im p o r t a n t f o ld s in e a c h s t e p .
T h is a llo w s t h e f o ld e r t o f o c u s o n t h e m o s t im p o r t a n t f o ld s in e a c h d ia g r a m f o r e a c h s t e p .

R e a r S id e C o u p le r a n d S id e C o u p le r a n d L o c o m o t iv e L o c o m o t iv e /
(3 sq u a re s) (4 sq u a re s) fro n t/ b a c k (4 sq u a re s) fro n t/ b a c k M a in b o d y F ro n t / S ta c k
(6 sq u a re s ) (6 s q u a re s) (9 sq u a re s) (3 sq u a re s)

h t t p :/ / t in y u r l.c o m / g a m it r a in .c o m ii M o o s e r 's T r a in / D r . E m m a n u e l M o o s e r
 B o x c a r / C a b o o s e

 
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A d d t h e c r e a s e s , in t h e o r d e r s h o w n : h o r iz - C r im p o n t h e o u t e r h o r iz o n t a l c r e a s e s .
o n t a ls , t h e n v e r t ic a ls a n d t h e d ia g o n a ls la s t .

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S t a r t t h e c o lla p s e b y p in c h in g t o g e t h e r
a t e a c h p a ir o f d o t s a s e a c h p a ir o f X s M id - f o ld
m o v e s to w a r d e a c h o th e r .

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O u t s id e v ie w , n o w u n f o ld t h e w h o le t h in g .
L ik e t h is , n e x t v ie w is f r o m t h e o u t s id e .

h t t p :/ / t in y u r l.c o m / g a m it r a in .c o m iii M o o s e r 's T r a in / D r . E m m a n u e l M o o s e r

 C o lla p s e a g a in o n t h e s a m e c r e a s e s a s b e f o r e .
A d d t h e r e m a in in g c r e a s e s . N o n e o f t h e n e w c r e a s e s a r e a d d e d in y e t .

P a r t ia lly u n f o ld ju s t o n e c o r n e r .

P o p p o in t X u p f r o m u n d e r n e a t h
in t e g r a t in g m o u n t a in f o ld s , n o t e
o n ly c r it ic a l c r e a s e s a r e s h o w n .

F o ld b a c k u p o n e x is t in g c r e a s e s , R e p e a t th e s e q u e n c e o n
in t e g r a t in g t h e n e w o n e s . r e m a in in g t h r e e w h e e ls .

h t t p :/ / t in y u r l.c o m / g a m it r a in .c o m iv M o o s e r 's T r a in / D r . E m m a n u e l M o o s e r
 L ik e t h is , n e x t v ie w f r o m t h e b o t t o m .
O p e n o u t , ju s t a b it .

X Y

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T u r n t h e t w o p o in t s in s id e o u t a n d p le a t b a c k u p o n R e p e a t o n o th e r s id e . N o t e t h a t t r ia n g u la r a r e a in d i-
c r e a s e s . T h is o n e w ill w r e s t le a b it b u t o n c e a c h ie v e d c a te d b y a r r o w o n t h e r ig h t m a y n o t lie t o t a lly f la t , w ill
is p r e t t y s im p le . B a s ic a lly , w e a r e ju s t t u r n in g t h e lin e lik e ly b e r o u n d e d . Y o u m a y a t y o u r o p t io n lie in th e
X Y in s id e o u t t o f r e e u p a t r a p p e d la y e r in t h e f o ld s t r ia n g u la r c r e a s e s t o f la t t e n it o u t a n d t ig h t e n b a c k o f
t o a llo w t h e m t o b e t u c k e d in s id e in t h e f o llo w in g s t e p . th e c a b o o s e , b u t it w ill s t ill n o t lie f la t .

R e p e a t o n o t h e r s id e
C lo s e u p t h e b o t t o m .

h t t p :/ / t in y u r l.c o m / g a m it r a in .c o m v M o o s e r 's T r a in / D r . E m m a n u e l M o o s e r
 L ik e t h is , n e x t v ie w is f r o m t h e b o t t o m . G e n t ly o p e n o u t t h e t o p la y e r s o n ly .

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T u c k a ll la y e r s a t t w o p o in t s d e e p in s id e . C o m p le t e t h e lo c k b y t u c k in g t h e t w o f la p s u n d e r ..

L ik e t h is , n e x t v ie w is f r o m t h e s id e .
L ik e t h is , n e x t w e o p e n o u t t h e w h e e ls .

C lo s e u p o f w h e e l s t e m a s s h o w n . P u s h t h e c e n t e r la y e r in w a r d a s t h e o u t e r
e d g e s s p r e a d t o r o u n d o u t t h e s h a p e o f t h e w h e e l. R e p e a t o n a ll f o u r w h e e ls .

h t t p :/ / t in y u r l.c o m / g a m it r a in .c o m v i M o o s e r 's T r a in / D r . E m m a n u e l M o o s e r
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A d d t h e c r e a s e s , in t h e o r d e r s h o w n . N o t e C r im p o n t h e o u t e r h o r iz o n t a l c r e a s e s
t h a t t h e c e n t e r t w o h o r iz o n t a ls d o n o t g o a ll
t h e w a y t o t h e e d g e o f t h e p a p e r ..

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S a m e c o lla p s e a s w it h t h e b o x c a r . P in c h M id - f o ld . N o t e t h a t t h e h o r iz o n t a l c r e a s e s
t o g e t h e r a t e a c h p a ir o f d o t s a s e a c h p a ir o n ly g o p a r t w a y t o t h e r ig h t e d g e a s t h a t
o f X s m o v e s to w a r d e a c h o th e r . a r e a w ill la t e r b e u s e d f o r t h e c o w c a t c h e r .

X
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L ik e t h is , n e x t v ie w is f r o m t h e o u t s id e . O u t s id e v ie w . U n f o ld e n t ir e ly .

h t t p :/ / t in y u r l.c o m / g a m it r a in .c o m v ii M o o s e r 's T r a in / D r . E m m a n u e l M o o s e r
 A d d t h e n e x t la y e r o f c r e a s e s . F o ld t h e m o d e l b a c k u p o n t h e e x is t in g
c r e a s e s s t a r t in g w it h t h e o u t e r p le a t s .

M id - f o ld . N o t e a g a in t h a t t h e m id d le c r e a s e s
d o n o t g o a ll t h e w a y t o t h e r ig h t e d g e . N e x t
v ie w f r o m t h e o u t s id e .
K e e p g o in g ... in t e g r a t in g t h e n e w
c r e a s e s , p u s h in g in a t t h e a r r o w s
a n d p in c h in g a t t h e d o t s .

O u t s id e v ie w . L ie in t h e a d d it io n a l L ik e t h is , u n f o ld c o m p le t e ly o n e la s t t im e .
c r e a s e s o n e a c h s id e o f t h e m o d e l.

h t t p :/ / t in y u r l.c o m / g a m it r a in .c o m v iii M o o s e r 's T r a in / D r . E m m a n u e l M o o s e r

 N e x t , la y in t h e c r e a s e s f o r t h e w h e e ls , t h e n a d d in t h e la s t s e t f o r t h e c o w c a t h c e r a n d s t a c k .
S t a r t t h e c o lla p s e b y p le a t in g u p t h e s id e s s t a r t in g t o in t e g r a t e t h e c r e a s e s a t t h e r e a r .

X
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T h is is n o t n e a r ly a s h a rd a s it lo o k s . S t a r t b y p le a t in g u p t h e a r e a s a t t h e f r o n t w h ic h w ill b e c o m e t h e c o w -
c a tc h e r. T h e n c o lla p s e b y g e n t ly p u s h in g in w a r d w h e r e in d ic a t e d , b r in g in g p o in t s X t o w a r d t o w a r d e a c h
o th e r w h ile s im u lt a n e o u s ly in t e g r a t in g t h e f o ld s f r o m p r e v io u s s t e p s . P o in t Y is t h e s m o k e s t a c k a n d it w ill
n a tu r a lly s w in g u n d e r a s y o u g o .

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A b o v e v ie w , s w in g t h e s t a c k u p w a r d M id - f o ld v ie w f r o m t h e s id e .
a s y o u b r in g t h e t w o p o r t io n s o f t h e
c o w - c a tc h e r to w a r d e a c h o th e r .

h t t p :/ / t in y u r l.c o m / g a m it r a in .c o m ix M o o s e r 's T r a in / D r . E m m a n u e l M o o s e r
 Y

L ik e t h is , n e x t w e a d d t h e w h e e ls . It is u p t o t h e
f o ld e r t o d e c id e w h e t h e r t o u n f o ld t h e m o d e l a n d O p e n t h e m o d e l ju s t s lig h t p y a n d p o p
in t e g r a t e t h e w h e e l c r e a s e s o r a d d t h e m in lin e . t h e p o in t X u p w a r d f r o m u n d e r n e a t h .

X
F o ld b a c k u p w it h t h e O p e n u p a g a in , t h e
n e w ly a r r a n g e d c r e a s e s . r e a r f la p s w in g s f la t .

A g a in , p o p t h e p o in t F o ld b a c k u p o n t h e c r e a s e s
u p w a r d fr o m u n d e r n e a th . p in c h in g w h e r e in d ic a t e d t o
c r e a te th e w h e e l s te m .

O p e n a g a in , o n e la s t t im e . P o p t h e la s t p o in t in t o p la c e ...

h t t p :/ / t in y u r l.c o m / g a m it r a in .c o m x M o o s e r 's T r a in / D r . E m m a n u e l M o o s e r
 ...a n d s w in g in t o p la c e , p in c h in g w h e r e in d ic a t e d . F in a liz e b y p o p p in g u p t h e c e n t e r o f t h e t a n k , f la t t in g o u t
t h e c a b p o r t io n ( o n t h e le f t ) a n d o p e n in g t h e w h e e ls .

T w o - c u t s ta c k W r a p - a r o u n d s ta c k

T h e re a r e tw o w a y s to c o m p le t e th e s ta c k . M c L a in 's o r ig in a l in s t r u c t io n s c a lle d f o r m a k in g a s m a ll c u t in t h e f r o n t o f t h e
ta n k a n d a n o t h e r in t h e to p a n d t u c k in g t h e s t a c k th r o u g h w h ile J it lo v 's v e r s io n u s e d a w r a p - a r o u n d a p p r o a c h , b o t h a r e
illu s t r a t e d in t h e f in a l p h o to s . A s f o r f in a l f in is h in g a n d se c u r in g t h e s t a c k / b o d y , it is u p t o t h e f o ld e r w h e t h e r t a p e , t is s u e
f o il, w e t - f o ld in g o r s o m e o th e r m e c h a n is m is u s e d to r e t a in t h e f in a l s h a p e .

D ia g r a m s fr o m " M o o s e r 's T r a in : T h e O r ig a m i T r a in S e t" . F u ll

p a p e r b a c k v e r s io n in c lu d in g c a r v a r ia tio n s , p h o to s te p -fo ld s ,
b ill-fo ld v e r s io n a n d o th e r a d v a n c e d te c h n iq u e s a v a ila b le a t
w w w .tin y u r l.c o m /g a m itr a in b o o k

S c a la b le te m p la te s , c r e a s e -m a p s a n d o th e r
r e s o u r c e s a t w w w .t in y u r l.c o m /g a m it r a in

D ia g r a m s V 1 .2 © 2 0 1 3 - J C N o la n .

h t t p :/ / t in y u r l.c o m / g a m it r a in .c o m x i M o o s e r 's T r a in / D r . E m m a n u e l M o o s e r
 M o o s e r 's T r a in - B o x c a r / C a b o o s e M a p

F o r p u r p o s e s o f s im p lic it y , w h e n le a r n in g t o w o r k w it h
t h is m o d e l: d u p lic a t e t h is p a g e , c u t o u t t h e t e m p la t e
a n d w o r k d ir e c t ly f r o m t h a t .

C o lo r iz e d c o p ie s o f a ll t e m p la t e s a n d d ia g r a m s c a n
b e f o u n d a t h t t p :/ / t in y u r l.c o m / g a m it r a in . F u ll e d it io n
a v a ila b le a t h t t p :/ / t in y u r l.c o m / g a m it r a in b o o k .

h t t p :/ / t in y u r l.c o m / g a m it r a in .c o m x ii M o o s e r 's T r a in / D r . E m m a n u e l M o o s e r
 M o o s e r 's T r a in - L o c o m o t iv e M a p

F o r p u r p o s e s o f s im p lic it y , w h e n le a r n in g t o w o r k w it h
t h is m o d e l: d u p lic a t e t h is p a g e , c u t o u t t h e t e m p la t e
a n d w o r k d ir e c t ly f r o m t h a t .

C o lo r iz e d c o p ie s o f a ll t e m p la t e s a n d d ia g r a m s c a n
b e f o u n d a t h t t p :/ / t in y u r l.c o m / g a m it r a in . F u ll e d it io n
a v a ila b le a t h t t p :/ / t in y u r l.c o m / g a m it r a in b o o k .

h t t p :/ / t in y u r l.c o m / g a m it r a in .c o m x iii M o o s e r 's T r a in / D r . E m m a n u e l M o o s e r