What is a fast clock and why is it used?
I saw in a photo a strange device. It was right next to the track, a tall pole with a horizontal bar which extended over the tracks. On the horizontal bar were what looked like metal rods hanging down which looked sort of like a comb. Can anyone tell me what that is and what it’s used for?
Thanks.
The time necessary to do things on a Model Railroad often take a much shorter amount of time than on the prototype. Example; Train leaves Station A and 1 minute later, its at Station B. A fast clock, that is one set to run faster than normal time. A ratio of 6:1 gives fast 5 minutes in one real minute. Fast clocks are simply used to allow a more “prototypical” span of time to accomplish something on the schedule.
That, Paul, is called a Tell-Tale. Its a warning device to any carman on top of a car that an obstruction is coming up. It could be a bridge, tunnel or anything that could injure the carman. When he felt them he knew that he either needed to get to a ladder or at least lay down on the car until the obstruction was cleared.They were generally knoptted ropes that hung down from the crossbar.
Because the distances between towns on our layouts are considerably compressed, the time it takes our model trains to get from town to town is also compressed, even if traveling at scale speed. A fast clock is a clock set to run fast to account for this compression.
Those rods are called tell tales and were used in the day when rail workers would walk on the rooftops of freight cars. They were there to warn them of upcoming tunnels or other hazards.
ETA: Dang. Beaten to the punch by Carey.
Steve S
Sure, The second question is what is called a tell tail it was used to warn the brakemen walking the top of the train that a tunnel or other low clearance item was approaching so they could get down. The brakeman’s job was probably the most dangerous job in the steam era.
Now the first question: the fast clock is used in operations to help scale down time as I understand it. I have never used one but what may take you two actual minutes to switch out a boxcar would be several minutes on a fast clock depending on what ratio you have it set for ( 4:1, 6:1, etc.).if one of the other modelers can explain it better please feel free. Otto
Paul,
Fast clocks are used in model railroad operations. They move faster than a real clock, as often an ops scheme squeezes 24 hour schedule into say, 4 hours. So the fast clock would be a 6:1 ratio
The device you’re discussing is called a tell-tale. They were used to warn crew on top of the cars that an obstructions is ahead – Duck!
No longer used since it’s against regs to be on top of a moving train and most cars no longer have a roofwalk except what’s needed for loading/unloading.
Thank you all for your answers! I appreciate it.
A tell-tale, sure would want that if I was up there!
Gidday Paul, unless repeatedly asked there is , in my opinion, no such thing as a dumb question, if we don’t know and don’t ask then that is Dumb.
Regarding Question 1, "Fast Clocks" can be used for model railroad operationing sessions, fitting a 24 hour schedule into an afternoon for instance. There are pros and cons, personally on this I’m a fence sitter. Here’s a link to a recent thread.
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/196940.aspx
Regarding question 2, here’s a link to “Tell Tales”…
http://trn.trains.com/en/Railroad%20Reference/ABCs%20of%20Railroading/2006/05/Tell-tales.aspx
and a photo taken from this site…
http://www.buffalocreekandgauley.com/STRUCTURES/DUNDON/BOStation/Telltale_at_Dundon.jpg
Cheers, the Bear.
You haven’t spent much time on the internet. It is the official collection agency for dumb questions.
By the way the questions in this thread were not dumb by any means.
Fast clocks can be pretty controversial. Some people have strong feelings one way or the other. The idea is to make schedules seem more realistic. Since model locations are often only a minute or less apart, it makes a schedule seem less real. So the fast clock is used to make it appear to take more time stretching the 1 or 2 actual minutes to several minutes fast time, making the timetable seem more realistic.
One of the keys to using a fast clock successfully is to not compress the actual events to match the fast clock time. You maintain the pace of the actual events and adjust the timetable to match the fast clock as opposed to keeping the timetable steady and adjusting the actual events to match the fast clock.
In today’s railroading, no one is allowed on the roofs of cars – the walkways have been removed and ladders are not long enough to reach the roof, so tell-tales are disappearing from the railroad scene.
[#offtopic] I guess you’re right Dave, [sigh] I’m a self confessed “technologocal luddite”, and even though the regulatory body of the industry I’m in say that I should have internet access at my place of w**k , I refuse to do so, a computer may be a useful tool ???, but not as useful too me as the tools in my actual tool box, and they’re of little use if they’re not in use!!!
Besides we have a saying that " The Stupid question is the one asked after t**he incident / accident."
Cheers, the Bear.