Hartford Time Switch Donation

Marcus Bush of Houston, Texas recently donated a Model 1909 Hartford Time Switch to the museum. The switch was restored to function by Wayne Denton of Santa Fe, Texas, and delivered to the museum on Wednesday, June 6. Bush and Denton are members of the 139th Chapter of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors. The 139th also restored and donated the museum's Seth Thomas Model 2 clock in the West Ticket Office.

Mechanical time switches turn electricity on and off through a timer. The clockwork inside the switch moves a copper arm to complete or break a circuit at preprogrammed times. Hartford switches were prized for their reliability, and for the fact that they only had to be wound once per week. Given their durability, this model was popular with railroad companies. We will use this switch to power the museum's railroad signal displays in the depot.