how fast were drum memories?

[Chuck Guzis]

On 05/10/2018 01:17 PM, Jack Harper via cctalk wrote:
> 
> 
> Chuck, do you know if the story that the FASTRAND drum was fabricated
> from milled/machined sewer pipe is true???
> 

I remember hearing the joke that the  (2 counter-rotating) drums were
chrome-plated sewer pipe, but I would find that hard to believe.

IIT, I think it was, had one installed on their 1108, which was on the
second floor of a refurbished old building.  I heard a story that pretty
early on, the Univac field people were mystified by clusters of "pings"
on the FASTRAND.   It turned out that every time a good-sized truck went
down S. Michigan Ave, the pinging would start.

--Chuck