Lionel pw-taffrail

LIONEL TAFFRAIL - U.S. NAVY SURPLUS

The taffrail is the aftermost railing around the stern of a ship, to which a log could be mounted with a clamping mechanism. These instruments were mechanical and torpedo-shaped, and were dragged from the stern of a ship in order to determine the vessel's speed through the water. The taffrail log consists of a propeller, or rotator, with four vanes, a reading dial, and a stiff braided line that connects the two parts. As the propeller rotates, it exerts torque on the braided line, which the dial in turn registers. On the taffrail log, knots are shown in two ways - knots and tenths of a knot. Using this method, a ship's speed could be calculated over distances of up to 100 miles. Lionel manufactured these pieces for the U.S. Navy between 1941 and 1942.

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