Trains.com

New Train Room Purchase

1865 views
20 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    January 2005
  • 1,991 posts
Posted by Frank53 on Thursday, January 18, 2007 1:17 PM
 jaabat wrote:

Did you do this project yourself, Frank? 

Jim 

in hindsight, I could have, but we had half a dozen electrical projects needing attention and I hired a guy to do them all in one shot. Was worth the extra dough.

  • Member since
    January 2005
  • From: New England
  • 6,241 posts
Posted by Jumijo on Thursday, January 18, 2007 12:29 PM

Ditto! I would like the extra light and the ability to aim it where I want.

Did you do this project yourself, Frank? 

Jim 

Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, January 18, 2007 11:58 AM
 jaabat wrote:

Bruce,

I believe it's "tubular track lighting". Smile [:)]

Jim 



OH MAN does that give me some ideas for lighting my train room!
  • Member since
    January 2005
  • 1,991 posts
Posted by Frank53 on Thursday, January 18, 2007 7:55 AM
 jaabat wrote:

Bruce,

I believe it's "tubular track lighting". Smile [:)]

Jim 

Since it took a year to finally get done, it sure ain't "FasTrack" Lighting.

  • Member since
    January 2005
  • From: New England
  • 6,241 posts
Posted by Jumijo on Thursday, January 18, 2007 7:51 AM

Bruce,

I believe it's "tubular track lighting". Smile [:)]

Jim 

Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, January 18, 2007 7:47 AM

Frank,

That certainly is a big improvement in lighting.  Aside from the better photos it must also be way easier on the eyes.  Judging from your previous pictures it's really made your layout jump to life.  As with others here, I'll use this type of illumination once I get to that point in the new layout room.  You've sold me.  Great job!

BTW, isn't any type of illumination for the layout called "track lighting"? Wink [;)]

Bruce Webster

  • Member since
    January 2005
  • 1,991 posts
Posted by Frank53 on Wednesday, January 17, 2007 10:13 PM
 Blueberryhill RR wrote:

p.s. I love your tubular track !!!

Chuck

you are not alone in that thought, Chuck! Big Smile [:D]

  • Member since
    October 2004
  • From: S.E. Ohio
  • 5,434 posts
Posted by Blueberryhill RR on Wednesday, January 17, 2007 9:33 PM

That really looks great , Frank.

p.s. I love your tubular track !!!

Chuck

Chuck # 3 I found my thrill on Blueberryhill !!
  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Near Atlanta, GA
  • 288 posts
Posted by luther_stanton on Wednesday, January 17, 2007 9:00 PM

Frank, 

 WOW!  The difference is amazing!

- Luther 

Luther Stanton ---------------------------------------------- ACL - The Standard Railroad of the South
  • Member since
    January 2005
  • 1,991 posts
Posted by Frank53 on Wednesday, January 17, 2007 8:14 PM
 Lisa-n-NC wrote:

Frank - WOW!  What a difference those lights made.  Noticed that you have a window there, as I do behind part of my layout.  I just went to Home Depot the other day and purchased the window film that is a blue sky with clouds.  Haven't put it up yet but I have used it on 2 skylights in my sunroom and love it.

BTW - did you get the campfire pic I sent you?

 

Lisa

I have to look into that - although I am thinking of extending teh backdrops in front of teh window.

Yes, I did get the photo - thank you. I thought I had responded to your email - didn't mean to seem impolite.

  • Member since
    March 2004
  • From: Jelloway Creek, OH - Elv. 1100
  • 7,578 posts
Posted by Buckeye Riveter on Wednesday, January 17, 2007 8:07 PM
 Frank53 wrote:
 Buckeye Riveter wrote:

Looks good Frank, now just put a dimmer on those lights and you will be in train layout heaven as the light twinkle from your great buildings. Thumbs Up [tup]

great minds clearly think alike Buckeye, as I had a dimmer installed and can really start to experiment on lighting for photo. These are halogen.

Frank, I'm looking forward to those night time shots of your train rolling past those building with their lights twinkling.  It makes low light photos work.   Bow [bow] 

Celebrating 18 years on the CTT Forum. Smile, Wink & Grin

Buckeye Riveter......... OTTS Charter Member, a Roseyville Raider and a member of the CTT Forum since 2004..

Jelloway Creek, OH - ELV 1,100 - Home of the Baltimore, Ohio & Wabash RR

TCA 09-64284

  • Member since
    November 2015
  • 3,584 posts
Posted by Sturgeon-Phish on Wednesday, January 17, 2007 8:01 PM

I've been thinking about track lights and you are inspiring me.  Currently I have a ceiling fan with lights and it is less than adequate.  This may be the start of something!

Jim 

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, January 17, 2007 7:44 PM

Frank - WOW!  What a difference those lights made.  Noticed that you have a window there, as I do behind part of my layout.  I just went to Home Depot the other day and purchased the window film that is a blue sky with clouds.  Haven't put it up yet but I have used it on 2 skylights in my sunroom and love it.

BTW - did you get the campfire pic I sent you?

 

Lisa

  • Member since
    January 2005
  • 1,991 posts
Posted by Frank53 on Wednesday, January 17, 2007 7:16 PM
 Buckeye Riveter wrote:

Looks good Frank, now just put a dimmer on those lights and you will be in train layout heaven as the light twinkle from your great buildings. Thumbs Up [tup]

great minds clearly think alike Buckeye, as I had a dimmer installed and can really start to experiment on lighting for photo. These are halogen.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Pisa, IT
  • 1,474 posts
Posted by RR Redneck on Wednesday, January 17, 2007 4:21 PM
Frank, the track lighting looks good. I prefer it to florecent becuase of the fact that it is softer and becuase it can be adjusted to a certain "brightness" to illuminate a scene. If you ever want to run some trains drop me a line.

Lionel collector, stuck in an N scaler's modelling space.

  • Member since
    January 2006
  • From: Mid Atlantic
  • 614 posts
Posted by Birds on Wednesday, January 17, 2007 4:17 PM

Looks great! 

Track lighting is great.  If you want even more lighting effects for your layout you can get a different range of spots, floods, narrow floods, etc.  Company's such as Luttron also make programmable lighting centers that will allow you to simulate morning, day time, and evening on your layout.  Some of the magazines have had articles in the past about doing lighting like this for the train room.  (But I run toy trains, so I use lava lamps)

I've done a couple of the homes we've lived in with track lighting from Home Depot.  One of the hidden "gotchas" that I ran into has to do with the "T" connectors when making an "H" track pattern on the ceiling.

The "T" connectors are not wired to make an "H" because of the location of the grounding tab on the "T" connector and the track (it makes sense when you look at them).  To do so, you have to take one of the two "T" connectors apart, move the arms, and rewire the arms.  Once you do this the grounds will be lined up correctly and you can make an "H".  This is easy to do - especially for model train folks!

Chris 

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • 1,821 posts
Posted by underworld on Wednesday, January 17, 2007 4:05 PM

Looks great! Are those halogen or standard incandescent???

 

underworldBig Smile [:D]Big Smile [:D]Big Smile [:D]Big Smile [:D]Big Smile [:D]

currently on Tour with Sleeper Cell myspace.com/sleepercellrock Sleeper Cell is @ Checkers in Bowling Green Ohio 12/31/2009 come on out to the party!!! we will be shooting more video for MTVs The Making of a Metal Band
  • Member since
    January 2005
  • From: New England
  • 6,241 posts
Posted by Jumijo on Wednesday, January 17, 2007 2:57 PM

P.S. I love the illusion of depth you've created in that last photo. Really well done!

Jim 

Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale

  • Member since
    March 2004
  • From: Jelloway Creek, OH - Elv. 1100
  • 7,578 posts
Posted by Buckeye Riveter on Wednesday, January 17, 2007 2:55 PM

Looks good Frank, now just put a dimmer on those lights and you will be in train layout heaven as the light twinkle from your great buildings. Thumbs Up [tup]

BTW, my camera has a setting for incandescent lighting.  It really works.

Celebrating 18 years on the CTT Forum. Smile, Wink & Grin

Buckeye Riveter......... OTTS Charter Member, a Roseyville Raider and a member of the CTT Forum since 2004..

Jelloway Creek, OH - ELV 1,100 - Home of the Baltimore, Ohio & Wabash RR

TCA 09-64284

  • Member since
    January 2005
  • From: New England
  • 6,241 posts
Posted by Jumijo on Wednesday, January 17, 2007 2:55 PM

Frank,

You've inspired me. My train room is lit by only 2 can-style fixtures recessed in the ceiling. It never ever seems bright enough down there. I'm going to have track lighting installed to brighten the place up. Maybe go halogen? Seriously, I'm going to do it. You sold me!

Jim 

Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale

  • Member since
    January 2005
  • 1,991 posts
New Train Room Purchase
Posted by Frank53 on Wednesday, January 17, 2007 2:46 PM

Here's something I just upgraded that I should have done a year or so ago.

The room had this single flouresent light fixture, which was just overhwelming. Felt like a scene out of "Joe & The Volcano in there:

Just had these new lights installed - what a huge difference:

Sure does help the photos:

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

FREE EMAIL NEWSLETTER

Get the Classic Toy Trains newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month