Source for a fast clock?
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Just take the hour hand off a regular clock (leaving the minute hand) and make a new face where 1 hour = 5 minutes. Gives you a 12:1 fast clock.
Also, Google for - model railroad fast clock software
Bob Delbridge posted:Just take the hour hand off a regular clock (leaving the minute hand) and make a new face where 1 hour = 5 minutes. Gives you a 12:1 fast clock.
12:1 works great for road freights... sucks for switching. (Too much time compression.)
In the past I've used 12:1. On my upcoming layout, I'm still debating.
Andre
Hummm.. Thanks so far......Any way to use digital clocks?
How would one get minute timing with just a one handed clock?
I am trying to develop a passenger schedule between 10 stations on several secondary branch lines. I am thinking I will need some form of minute display. Never used a fast clock schedule so my questions may be flat out dumb.
You might be better off using sequential running, i.e., Train 1, then Train 2, then Train3, etc.
Ed
Leave the minute and second hands on the clock.
With a 12:1 clock, 1 hour would be 12 hours. 5 minutes of real time (300 seconds) would be 1 hour so 1 minute of real time would be 12 minutes of fast time, therefore 5 seconds of real time would be 1 minute of fast time. On the new face make every 5 minutes an hour and every 5 seconds 1 minute.
My head hurts, somebody check my work!!!
Seems like I did use a digital clock once, but can't recall what I did, don't think I used anything but hours.
Andre...just don't use it for switching, phase in/out of real time/fast time. I do it all the time 
Tom, JMRI has a fast clock built into its software, that can be set to any popular ratio you want. There are ways to have that drive digital displays located around the layout.
I happen to have a set of analog fast clocks, that use a master controller. I think they are still being made.
http://www.thegmlenterprises.com/index.html
the above link to GML Enterprises. They mfg (in the USA) fast clocks and DC throttles. A number of local modelers use their clocks. You can have a bunch of digital outputs around the layout run by one master clock. They aslo do analog fast clocks I think.
I have used their throttles and their customer service and support has been superb.
If any of you young whippersnappers have a real pendulum clock around, simply take the pendulum off and restart the clock.
