Where can I get a real fast-clock (not virtual), and do I even need one?

[Anonymous]

I'm just getting to the operations stage of my first real layout, and I'm a total newbie at it. I know nothing about timetable, fast clock operations, waybills, etc. I do have the MicroMark card system, but I haven't finished assigning cards to all my cars yet. I'm looking for a copy of Tony Koester's book on operations, but while I'm searching, can anyone tell me where to buy a fast clock, since I have no internet or computer in the basement, and if I even need one since I'm just getting my feet wet. thanks

[Anonymous]

Pick yourself up a cheapo battery operated analog clock, one with a second hand. Remove the hour hand. Use the minute hand as an hour hand - five real minutes will equal one hour. Simple and cheap as that! I've bought such clocks at local Dollar Stores.

A friend does this on his large layout, and has clocks all around the place. He replaced the battery with some wires to each battery contact, all running to the dipatchers' office, then to a larger battery (D size) to power all of the clocks. There is a switch in the wire allowing all of the clocks to be turned on and off at the end of a session.

Bob Boudreau

[cuyama]

On my humble opinion, a fast clock is not necessary for many operating layouts. You can work with 1:1 (normal) time, a sequence timetable, etc.

I talked about some of the alternatives on my website:
http://www.modelrail.us/id27.html

If you eventually decide that an analog fast clock is something you want, Mike Dodd offers some great options, both built-up and kit.
http://home.earthlink.net/~mmmdodd/fastclok_index.html

Regards,

Byron

[Texas Zepher]

QUOTE: Originally posted by yankeejwb
can anyone tell me where to buy a fast clock, since I have no internet or computer in the basement, and if I even need one since I'm just getting my feet wet.

Well you defininitely don't "need" one. The only real reason for a fast clock is to make it seem like it takes longer to get from one place to another. In real life they would be miles or tens of miles apart. If we had real 10 smiles between towns it would take the same real time in scale as it does in real life. Most layouts have towns that aren't more than a few feet from each other. So, to make it take 30 minutes to go between the towns we speed up the clock. You can simply choose to ignore this anomally and set up your schedule with real time. Or you can just make up a ratio and count every five real minutes as fifteen or twenty, or whatever suites your layout.

[Paul3]

Yankeejwb,
You didn't mention how you are controlling your layout, but it you have DCC, some systems have a fast clock built into it. Digitrax has it in each throttle, and IIRC the Prodigy Advance has it as well. I'm not sure of the other systems, but dimes to donuts they have a fast clock, too.

Other than that, if you want a fully programmable fast clock (to be able to be set at any time ratio), it'll cost you. These are around $80, I think. You could also build your own (look in the MR Index on this website for magazine articles).

I personally enjoy fast clock operations, not so much because of the compressed time, but because it forces one to operate with some urgency. No wondering off to drink coffee or grab a donut, you've got a train to run on time. And that sense of urgency is very prototypical for most Class 1's.

Paul A. Cutler III
*****************
Weather Or No Go New Haven
*****************

[jfugate]

We use an 8:1 fast clock on the Siskiyou Line, the one you can download for free from here, in fact: http://model-trains-video.com ...



I like the fast clock because it makes the times we record on track warrants sound more prototypical, and it gives us approximate call times for trains. We are not slaves to the fast clock, however, and we let jobs take as long as they take, without insisting that the operators feel rushed. Only the dispatcher and the yardmaster care what time it is, and even then if things slip, they slip.

Because of the way we operate, having the dispatcher keep a laptop handy with the fastclock program going works pretty well. Once in a while the dispatcher will report the time over the radio to the crews, and also once in a great while one of the crew will ask the dispatcher for a "time check" to learn the current time.

So unless you are running time table and train order, you really don't even need a fast clock display in the layout room. If you operate with a dispatcher and radios, having the fast clock software is good enough.

Or, download the fast clock program and play with it for a while to get some idea of how you like a fast clock. Then order one of the hardware fast clocks after you've had a chance to see how you like a fast clock, what time ratio you prefer, etc.

[Piedsou]

I finally, after many years, ordered a fast clock system from GML Enterprises and it's works great. You can select what ratio you want to operate at.
I got a control unit and 3 clocks. I also ordered some pushbuttons and DPDT switches and they were very inexpensive compared to Radio Shack.

The website is www.theGMLenterprises.com

Great service and a great product line.

Dale Latham