Talk to me about Layout lighting

[Onewolf]

As others have already mentioned, there is room lighting for working on the layout and there is layout lighting for operating the layout. Usually they are not the same lights.  :)   I am using 14 4ft T8 fluorescent light fixtures (2 tube) with 6500K (daylight) tubes for room lighting when I work on the layout. At the time the room was built the 4ft LED fixtures were cost prohibitive and they don't put out nearly as much light as the T8 fluorescent lights.

However....  Until I get an LED light system installed the fluorescent room lights also provide layout lighting for the upper level of the layout as well well.

[riogrande5761]

Onewolf.  At my last layout, I had 5k led room lights and they were nice and bright but the scenicked parts of the layout looked washed out.  I'm thinking of 4k room lights for the basement I'm currently finishing.  Comments?

[60YOKID]

I am using inexpensive LED flood lights, installed in recessed can lights and positional track light fixtures for general ceiling light. I have three decks and use two parallel sets of LED stick-on strips between decks similar to Onewolf.  The LED's are bright, operate cool, are cheaper to operate, and are quite inexpensive to buy nowdays.  I think it's a no brainer. 

I also use some older (pre-existing) T8 florescent four foot 2-lamp strips for work lights.

[mlehman]

I have several tiers of lighting, due in part to experimenting. If I need them, I can turn them all on.

The first is the recessed overhead lighting in the suspended ceiling. It's flourescent tudes, but all are 5000K color temp based on the recommendation of the late Boone Morrison. Boone was an architect and very familiar with lighting. The almost official standard is GE Chroma 50 tubes, but most major tube makers have a version that is rated at 5000K and they are very similar. Pick the cheapest ones rated 5000K and you'll be fine. You can use other color temps, but higher ones will be bluer and lower temp ones will be yellower.  Interior designers work with 5000K so it will generally provide the most realistic rendering of color. I rarely use these nowadays as it requires about a kilowatt of power to run them.

I have a number of track lights. I'm down to about a dozen, but there are a total of about 40 available. Like Dave mentioned, some of the LED replacement bulbs for these sorts of fixtures still have some issues to work out as well as cost, but they are getting close. The remaining ones are still running the original halogens. The main reason for cutting back (other than more efficient light becoming available) was the excess heat the halogens generated. Once good quality, cool LED bulbs arrive, most of these will return to service.

My primary lighting are LED strip lights that are enclosed in a clear sheath that plugged right into 110V. Menards sold them, but recently went with the now more standard LED strip lights with a power supply. Depending on the depth and height of a scene, I make multiple runs overhead to get the intensity I need.

If you do buy the RGB type LED strip lights, check the color temp of the white output as it comes in various intensities. It's also the case that color temp ratings can be somewhat subjective. Try them out before you buy a bunch to be sure it meets your expectations.

What's really good about LED strips is that they make it easy to follow the layout and often work just fine without wiorrying about valances since they can sit right on the ceiling. The same properties allow them to be used in tight overhead areas. They are also aimmable, with a little care in fastening them, so try to point them at the area you wish to illuminate for best results.

Here's part of the Cascade Extension showing the overhead LEDs light strips.

This pic shows how I have LEDs lighting a very tight part of the layout that is only 10" tall at it's lowest under the main air duct in the house.

I used a narrow valance here because the LED strip is right at eye level. Note that I also use blue LED rope lights for a night effect, although I leave them on all the time.

[Medina1128]

I thought that fading was called "weathering"...