thanks chuck..I'll consider the tower, any other thought about the lighting out there?
Transition-era yards were illuminated (dimly) by light towers, which looked rather like transmission towers with fixtures on top or like the contemporary light towers for smaller baseball and football stadia. Relying on 60 year old memories, they were 80-100 feet tall and had multiple light fixtures/floodlights pointed downward to form a cone of light around each tower. The illumination level was bright enough to read reporting marks and to light up anything big enough to trip over, but probably wasn't bright enough to read small print in a newspaper. It wasn't bright enough to wash out turnout lamps or brakemen's lanterns.
Hope this helps.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
I want to get some ideas of yard lighting for 1940's to 50's HO layout. I ve seen lighting fixtures on coaling towers and a few lights on roundhouse entry doors. I can't recall seeing any type lampost on any model railroad yards. I'll also have small diesel service area but model mostly steam era. Roundhouse, coaling tower, water tank, ash pit, sand house area and small repair building off to side of roundhouse. Any ideas and types fixtures. Thanks Bud