What is the best fast clock time to use. I use 10 time on my Eastern RR.
Most people who operate with time table and train orders have found a 3:1 or 4:1is about as fast as you can get and still have things work. 6:1 is about as fast as you can get with a signaled or Mother may I operation.
10:1 seems way fast especially if you are doing any switching at all.
Dave H.
For my operating times , I use the MINUTE hand as THE HOUR time on
the rail. More like 1 / 12 ratio. Each 5 minutes is an hour to the H O time.
Get a clock face with big numbers that is pretty cheap,a kitchen clock,
and just remove the hour hand. Make sure to label it as a MODEL CLOCK.
I was wondering are there clocks for sale that run fast ?
or how do you operators keep time during operations?
There have been a couple of articles in MR over the years on how to build your own fast clock. Most are electronic these days, not mechancal. I think one of those articles was actually for a clock with a variable speed knob on it. There may also have been an article for a master timing circuit rhat could drive multiple displays, so you could have synchronized clocks around the room.
For my railroad I’m thinking 10:1 or one hour every 6 minutes. That really isn’t all that bad, even if you are switching. A complicated set of moves could take 2 or 3 “hours”. If your railroad runs on a schedule, an apropriate amount of time should be built into the schedule to allow for it. I won’t be using a fixed schedule, with the exception of 2 passenger trains per day. This is actually more prototypical for modern railroading.
If you are running Digitrax DCC check your manual. There is a fast clock built into the system you can access and activate.
A guy named Mike Doad or something like that did the MR atricle on clocks. Seems like it was about 25 bucks for a kit to do 5 clocks… You just buy the 10 buck battery operated ones at Walmart and convert them… All speeds. If you need the article let me know and I will look it up for you
We use 6 to 1 on the WP, but only “time” the passenger trains. If you put the freights on a schedule they start running to fast… All freights on the WP are run as extras… We have full CTC with signals and do not think of it as "mother may I " , just the way railroads moved traffic for many years [:)]
WP Steve web site http://members.bigvalley.net/norma[
One manufacturer of fast clocks is GML Enterprises, located in Oxford, Michigan. He offers both digital and analog/“two-handed” fast clock systems that are driven by a central timebase running from one of six preset ratios (when you order it, you can specify which six ratios you want it to support).
They aren’t the most inexpensive soution- we replaced a bunch of digital fast clocks on a friend’s layout with a time base and eight remote analog clocks for about $450. They’ve been absolutely reliable for over two years, now.
GML also makes walkaround throttles for conventional DC-powered layouts. http://thegmlenterprises.com
For our Digitrax-equipped layout, we use the Loconet fast clocks sold by Logic Rail Technologies as our official clocks. http://www.logicrailtech.com/
Here is the link to Mike Dodd’s Virginian layout.:
Over on the left scroll down to PRODUCTS, and under that, click on FASTCLOCKS.
You’re welcome…[sigh]
Take the hour hand off any clock, use the minute hand for hours. 5 minutes = i hour.
Cheap and simple.
Bob Boudreau