I have a 9' X 11' layout and use five 48" twin bulb fixtures covering the whole layout (less than $10.00 each from HD/Lowes) and use Full Spectrum lights in them (about $4 a twin pack). I feel these give a nice warm and natural white light that shows off everything well. You can see it here no flash or other lights used
These do not have the UV problems that regular fluorescent bulbs have. I am very happy and recommend them
ratled
Modeling the Klamath River area in HO on a proto-lanced sub of the SP “The State of Jefferson Line”
Since this thread seems to be recently active, I would like to ask a question about flouresecent lighting. I've read in several places in this Forum about the danger of UV rays coming from this lighting and washing out the colors on your layout. Although, this is supposed to be over period of years, I believe. At any rate, I looked at flouresecnt tube wraps with UV filtering and they are frightfully expensive. Even the regular tube wraps are pricey. So, what is the plan B? Do the lexan or plastic fixture wraps that come with the more "residential" vs. utility-type flourescent lights (T12 or T8 with 48 or 34 watt tube lights) help to alleviate the problem with the UV rays? They do seem to diffuse the light (that is their function) and maybe they tone down the UV? Your thoughts on this? Are there better ideas besides puck lights, Christmas lights, and LED rope lights?
Thanks!!
You might want to plan on one track head per two feet of length.
(Double what you are looking at.)
More heads give you more even lighting and if it's too bright you can use lower wattage bulbs like 50s instead of 75s or a dimmer all the time.
I use a 16 foot track with 16 heads (some aimed off of the ends) plus three eight foot double tube fluorescents in a 17 x 29 room. These are about four feet above the benchtop. Incident light is proportional to the inverse of the distance squared. In other words if you are twice as close you should have about four times the light hitting the surface.
The above comments about work lighting vs running lighting are good ones.
Good luck,
Karl
The mind is like a parachute. It works better when it's open. www.stremy.net
I have a train room 21' x 28' to light. I plan to use the lighting method described by David Barrow in Model Railroad Planning 2005 starting on page 78. This method uses single-tube fluorescent strip lights mounted to a 1" x 4" with a 12" wide valance attached to the edge of the 1" x 4". This whole assembly is then mounted to the ceiling so that it is in line with the front edge of the layout. He uses GE Chroma 50 (aka Sunshine) fluorescent tubes in the fixtures to produce a lighting very close to natural sunlight. I found these tubes in HD and Lowes in both 48" and 24" lengths in the T12 version. These tubes have a color temperature of 5000 K. and Color Rendition Index of 90-92. The color temperature of natural sunlight at noon is 5600 K. I believe Philips makes a fluorescent tube with similar color quality. I have done a mock-up of his lighting arrangement on a small section of my layout and like the resulting light intensity and color rendition. I'm using fluorescent lighting because it's cooler and draws less power. I have three switched 15 amp curcuits in the train room, two are for the lighting behind the valances for operation and one is for aisle lighting for when I'm working on the layout. The aisle lighting will be done with 2-tube fluorescent fixtures surface-mounted in the center of the aisles. At this time, I have no intention of doing night operations so I have no need for lights that can be dimmed. There is also information on using Chroma 50 fluorescent lighting for model RR photography in Model Railroad Planning 2007 in a box on page 38.
I know many people prefer incandescent lighting for operation because it's easily dimmed. However, as pointed out in the post above, they produce a large amount of heat and draw more amps. They also tend to produce multiple shadows on the layout which may detract from the realism. Fluorescent lighting gives you a light similar to that from the sun at noon on a slightly overcast day, i.e., no sharp shadows.
If anyone is interested in more specific information on how I plan to adapt Barrow's lighting to my layout, I'll be happy to provide it.
Bob
I used flourescent tubes end to end but I stopped 1' short at the ends and am sorrry I did. The lighting is great everywhere except at the end of the layout where the is a canyon, its a bit dark. the other end is part of the yard and there will be part of a cityscape there.
My layout is 15x17 and I used 2 on one side and 3 on the other. The lights are mounted near the facia.
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i250/exceller8/model%20trains/P1010012.jpg
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i250/exceller8/model%20trains/P1010222.jpg
Here is the dark side.
http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i250/exceller8/model%20trains/P1010062.jpg
I could add some spot lights but here in Riverside it gets way too hot.
John
You have several issues with light to take into account.
1. It will cost more than you calculate.
2. You'll need more than you think.
3. If you turn all the lights on it'll get hot in there quick if they're all incandescents.
4. The light will never be the right color.
I feel you have two different lighting needs for the layout. The first one is the lighting while you work on the layout. LOTS of light without cooking yourself. This usually means flourescents.
You then need lighting for when you're up and running, which usually means incandescents on a dimmer switch so you can control the time of day while you're operating.
I'd put the track lights in for the operations, and then suppliment them with some flourescents to use while you work on the layout.
Mark in Utah