Who makes the slowest switcher ?

[Jim Duda]

Wayne...we may be on the bottom but I'll bet our timing instruments are the most accurate...! HA!

Tom - now you can brag that you're TWO INCHES shorter than Chiefie...!

[webenda]

QUOTE: Originally posted by spankybird

BTW - with our company being both QS and TS quilifitied, our CMM our ceritfied every 6 months. Our PPM our under 50.

Oh! Sorry, I did not know, otherwise I never would have requested proof. I know that when you pay a third party auditor to give you QS or TS registration, no one else needs to question the validity of your measurements. My apologies.

[webenda]

Spankybird,

I was waiting until I could retreive my NIST ruler from work.
If I ignore Rule 10 and do the best I can with Rule 4...
K-Line Plymouth Switcher
Northbound 98 in/min (std dev 6.8)
Southbound 64 in/min (std dev 11)
Average 81 in/min
Looks like I am second to last.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
garyseven------Kessel____________<12 parsecs (that's less than zero, right?)
Dr. John---------Lionel 040___________0
Spankybird-----MTH PS2 Diesel______20 in/min
spankybird-----PS2 Hudson_________20 in/min
ChiefEagles---MTH PS2____________22 in/min
FJ and G--------MTH SW-9___________22 in/min
webenda-------MTH Plymouth Switcher_ 81 in/min
Jim Duda-------K-Line Scale Hudson__240 in/min

[spankybird]

Wayne - We still haven't seen the results of your test, even if it is with just a tape measure.

BTW - with our company being both QS and TS quilifitied, our CMM our ceritfied every 6 months. Our PPM our under 50.

[macdannyk1]

QUOTE: Originally posted by garyseven

I made the Kessel Run in under 12 parsecs! [;)]

She's fast enough for you, old man...
:)

[Jim Duda]

Well...I thought I'd calibrate my yardstick the old fashioned way...I duct taped a flashlight to one end of it and a mirror
to each end. Then I borrowed my neighbor's vacuum pump and evacuated all the air out of the train room until I had a
perfect vacuum. Since the speed of light is believed to be constant (in a vacuum) I would just count the number of times
the light beam bounced back and forth between the mirrors in one second. I would simply lengthen or shorten the distance between the mirrors and when the number of "bounces" was correct, I should theoretically have the distance dead-on!

I asked my other neighber what the speed of light is per yard (36.000000~inches) and she told me
327.857019 MHZ. So I think once you got exactly 327,857,019 "bounces" in a second, you could say the distance between
your mirrors was 36.00000~ inches...or 983,571,057 'bounces" per foot.

Alas, since I can't count reliably past 20, and since my stopwatch has low batteries and it's accuracy is not traceable
back to NIST, I'm afraid I won't be able to contribute any meaningful data...

Sorry Idaho Tim et al...

Shucks!!! I guess I'll just have to run switching operations at what speed looks "right" to me...(wink)

[webenda]

Interesting. How was your Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) calibrated? Ball Bar or Ball Plate standard? Who calibrated the standard used to calibrate the CMM? Just saying the CMM is calibrated and certified does not prove traceability. You will need to show how it is traceable to an artifact calibrated and certified by NIST (formerly NBS) for the measurement to qualify (Rule 10.) Also, you should include information on the date of calibration and when it is due for calibration again. If the calibration on the CMM is overdue, your data will be in limbo until the CMM is recalibrated to determine if it was in or out of tolerance at the time you measured your cut and ground length of steel. The alternative is to calibrate the CMM before use. In that case due date does not apply.

Does your CMM use a laser interferometer to measure distance? If so, you might claim that it is an intrinsic standard (measurements based on speed of light) and does not require rule 10 compliance.

For those with access to a calibrated length measuring machine at work, it might be easier to take your ruler to work, verify its accuracy, and then use it for this contest. You might also be surprized at how accurate rulers purchased at stationary, hardware, supermarket, etc., stores are.

Reference, http://search.nist.gov/search?q=cache:tva3BPViwl4J:emtoolbox.nist.gov/Publications/MSCProceedings94.pdf+plastic+rulers&access=p&output=xml_no_dtd&site=default_collection&oe=UTF-8&client=default_frontend&proxystylesheet=default_frontend

[spankybird]

HA but Wayne, you are mistaken, on the second test, we used a block of Cold Roll Steel, cut and ground to the lenght of travel and then took it to our work place and had it measured on our calabrated and ceritifed CMM machine.

[webenda]

Spankybird,

It is Rule 10 that is causing a problem. No one is worried about how long their ruler is. We all trust our rulers. But rule 10 is one of those non-value-added requirements that has been imposed on us by the rule makers. And we all signed up for it, right? Now that it has been written and agreed upon, no report of slowness can be accepted without a statement of traceability to NIST.

[Jim Duda]

All - I only have one TMCC engine (K-Line Scale Hudson, pre cruise control) so it would probably go about 240 inches in 60 seconds...

A better comparison if someone would measure their results with TMCC/Oddysey or their "slowest" switcher in command or conventional mode.

Remember, this is for a SWITCHER type, so big diesels, steamers, etc. are disqualified...(wink)

[spankybird]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Jim Duda

What combination of equipment can beat Tom's 20 inches in 60 seconds...? Any takers?

Gee Jim, everyone is worried about how long there ruler is. [}:)]

I alos tested one of my PS2 Husdson's at 1 SMPH and had the same result.

Jim, why don't you test one of your TMCC engines on it's slowest setting and tell us the results. [:D]

tom

[lionelsoni]

I recommend Revision A to Mr. Benda's Revision A of Mr. Duda's Rules, revising it to be a recommendation of Revision B to Mr. Duda's Rules, since Revision A has already been accepted by Mr. Duda, being replacement of the word "greatest" by the word "slowest", and to correct the spelling of Mr. Duda's name.

I would also like to point out that it is possible to calibrate one's ruler over the internet: The meter is now defined as 1/299792458 of the distance that light travels in a second in a vacuum. Therefore one need only place a mirror at a distance from one's computer monitor such that the reflection of the clock from the NIST changes exactly 1 second after the image viewed directly from the screen. The mirror is then 149896229 meters away. The inch is defined as exactly .0254 meter and the foot as .3048 meter; so their length can be also be determined. The slight slowing of the light over the short fraction of its path that is through the earth's atmosphere may be tolerated, since its overall effect is to make the locomotive appear to be moving ever so slightly faster than it actually is, therefore giving no advantage to anyone whose ruler is calibrated in this way.

[webenda]

Recommend Revision A of the Rules for Slowest Record (Jim Dudda)

(Appologies for the typo Jim. I cannot change it or Lionelsoni's post would not make sense.)

WAS:
Your distance measuring device and chronometer must be calibrated and certified by the National Bureau of Standards.

IS:
Your distance measuring device and chronometer must be calibrated and certified by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

REASON:
NBS became the National Institute of Standards and Technology, or NIST, in 1988

You can calibrate your chronograph or chronometer by going to
http://nist.time.gov/
and comparing the NIST clock to your chronograph or chronometer.

At the present time you cannot calibrate your scale / ruler over the internet. Your best bet here is to contact NIST and request a free NIST ruler. (They are promotional give-a-ways.) You can either use the NIST ruler (your primary standard) or compare it to the one you are using now, which will become a secondary standard after the comparison.

Public Inquiries Unit
NIST, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 1070, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-1070
Email: [e-mail]
Phone: (301) 975-NIST (6478) or TTY [phone]

[Jim Duda]

What combination of equipment can beat Tom's 20 inches in 60 seconds...? Any takers?

[Anonymous]

What have I started?????????.... Tim

[garyseven]

I made the Kessel Run in under 12 parsecs! [;)]

[csxt30]

OH, NO...!!! I see snow in the forecast when the Chief returns & sees that!![:(]

[1688torpedo]

LOL ! The wit & wisdom of Jim Duda overfloweth on this post. You gotta love it.[;)][:)] ....................Keith

[spankybird]

QUOTE: New test: How many worms can Chiefie get on his hook in 60 seconds?

answer: NONE - he would put them in his BBQ.

[Jim Duda]

Thanks Tom - that'll be our benchmark...20.000 inches in 60.0000seconds. You have the Blue Ribbon (for now)...(wink)

New test: How many worms can Chiefie get on his hook in 60 seconds?
Next New Test: How many words can he read in 60 seconds? Betcha' Buckeye can beat him!

[spankybird]

Well we had to try the test. So after adjusting out room temp and humdity, check the track and post war ZW, on the track went our MTH PS2 Desiel. Under DCS command mode at 1SMPH our engine traveled 20" in 60 seconds. [;)]

So

QUOTE: A scale mile is 110 feet, divide by 60, and you get just under 2 feet per minute, 1.83333 FPM to be exact. by BigBoy

it looks like MTH scale miles per hour is pretty close. [^]

Do I Win something for being the first one to do the test [?]

[Anonymous]

Good advice Bennie.

[ben10ben]

QUOTE: chronometer must be calibrated and certified by the National Bureau of Standards.

Whatever happened to the Swiss board of standards?

And a minor point, if I may. I believe that what you want is a chronograph rather than a chronometer. A chronograph is what is commonly called a stop watch, that is to say it can be stopped and started at will, and compares the time to the starting time. A chronometer is a very accurate clock or watch that is guaranteed not to lose or gain more than a certain amount of time over a period of days.

As for other standardized conditions, I propose the following:
1.Power should come from a postwar ZW
2.All connections to track should be made with four feet of the OGR paired 16 gauge wire
3.A line voltage reading should be taken at the time of testing, and computed into a "handicap" factor for each participant
4.Each engine should have had at least 10 hours of prior running time
5.Lubrication should be performed just before testing
6.Track should be cleaned between each test using laboratory-grade ethyl alcohol and rinsed with distilled water
7.Traction tires(if so equipped) should be changed before the test
8.All other wheels should be cleaned using laboratory grade ethyl alcohol and rinsed with distilled water
9.All ZWs used should have recently replaced carbon rollers

[Anonymous]

Jim, we're looking for someone in the QA department to write procedures...are you interested in a part time job?

[Jim Duda]

HA! Well...crap! Too many years of trying to be the fastest shows it's ugly head. Thanks Bob - I edited my post.

...the smallest distance would win, of course...

[lionelsoni]

Greatest distance, Jim?

[FJ and G]

and no distractions from watching ladies mowing their lawns

[Jim Duda]

I'm lovin' this - nobody likes to race more than I do! ...but we gotta have some rules so everything is equal...don'tcha think?
1. Distance travelled in 60 seconds - smallest distance wins.
2. Straight course only - no curves!
3. New, tinplate O gauge track only.
4. Course must be dead level + or - .001 in. rise or fall in 100 feet
5. Diesel power units only... steamers and tender only - no cars!
6. AC or DC motors (no clockwork) with or without tach readers (command or conventional) are eligible...
7. Ambient temp must be 70 deg F...+ or - .25 deg F over the entire course
8. Humidity must be 68% over the entire course
9. Locos cannot stop, resume, or jerk in any way
10. Your distance measuring device and chronometer must be calibrated and certified by the National Bureau of Standards.

See how many variables can be involved and how subjective this can get?...(wink)

"Slow and Steady wins the race..."

[Big_Boy_4005]

Anyone can set up a course Dave. All you need is a ruler and a watch. Go for one minute, as slowly as you can, and measure.