Hey guys, i want to install some kind of lighting in my N scale roundhouse stalls...What should i be looking at? Thanks!
Trainzman2435Hey guys, i want to install some kind of lighting in my N scale roundhouse stalls...What should i be looking at? Thanks!
They cost me about $5 on sale the day after Christmas. I stripped off the rope and the snowflake and was left with this:
And here's how it looked with the roundhouse basically complete (but before sealing of light leaks and such):
I put a resistor decade box in line with a wall wart and cut resistance in and out of the circuit until I got a brightness I liked.
Probably doesn't matter too much what scale you're in.
Mark P.
Website: http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.comVideos: https://www.youtube.com/user/mabrunton
Pruitt
Rich
Alton Junction
I used LEDS from China along with products from Ngineering and ended up with this. I like things to pass muster in photos and though not perfect we are getting there.
Mockup
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
I used mostly the string LEDs similar to what Mark has but I bought mine from Amazon and they were just plain SMDs wired to a pair of copper wires:
RH_lights5 by Edmund, on Flickr
They have a nice golden glow. I just strip off the insulation and size-up the proper resistor for the number of LEDs I want on that circuit, usually no more than seven.
IMG_4762 by Edmund, on Flickr
The gooseneck lamps were from WeHonest or one of the similar suppliers. Of course, N scale would be a different animal altogether:
RH_lamp2 by Edmund, on Flickr
I didn't spend as much effort to hide the wiring as Brent did but I tucked as much as possible up into the rafters.
I saw some roundhouse interior photos showing lights on the columns shining toward the running gear. I wanted to replicate these as well:
RH_lights4 by Edmund, on Flickr
RH_floor_night_18k by Edmund, on Flickr
Roundhouse1 by Edmund, on Flickr
The overall effect is very pleasing.
Q_on_TT by Edmund, on Flickr
Thanks, Ed
I wanted the 50s look for my roundhouse and LEDs just don’t do it for me. My roundhouse is HO scale and size probably does make a difference but I went with 12 volt Grain of Wheat bulbs operating at 70% brightness to get the 50s realistic incandescent look.I ran bare copper wires spaced at about ¼” and soldered the 3mm GOW bulbs to the wires. Four bulbs over each stall. The bulbs draw about 50ma each at 8½ volts or 70% brightness for a total of 1 amp. I run all incandescent bulbs for my structure lighting so I’m setup for high current lighting and the extra current or heat isn’t a problem for me. It’s the price I pay for more realistic looking lighting, I have hundreds of GOW bulbs on my layout and running at the lower voltage I haven’t had to replace a bulb in 33 years.Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
Wow, you guys have now 100% convinced me that I will need to light my roundhouse interior.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
SeeYou190 Wow, you guys have now 100% convinced me that I will need to light my roundhouse interior. -Kevin
Think about what you will be doing before you put the structure together, it will make the job easier.
Or at least before you put the roof on!
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Just a thought guys. If you are modeling steam era there will be plenty of smoke. The lights will be rather dull. As the building will have been there a number of years, the brickwork will be smoky black. Any windows will be smoky.
Most real buildings on a railroad are older than any of us. Nothing is 'straight out of the box'.
Happy modeling.
David
To the world you are someone. To someone you are the world
I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought
NorthBrit As the building will have been there a number of years, the brickwork will be smoky black. Any windows will be smoky.
Sometimes, yes — sometimes, not so much.
I still recall visiting the Western Maryland's roundhouse in Hagerstown, and it was nearly spotless inside. Walls and ceilings brightly whitewashed. Bessemer & Lake Erie's Greenville, PA roundhouse was also another one very well maintained and the light fixtures were cleaned on a regular basis.
Some of the photos I've seen of Nickel Plate Road roundhoused in Conneaut and Bellevue, Ohio also showed that these were kept very clean and well lit. The Bellevue roundhouse was fairly new with glass-block walls and fluorescent lights.
Cheers, Ed
NorthBritThe lights will be rather dull. As the building will have been there a number of years, the brickwork will be smoky black. Any windows will be smoky.
I love the grime and I am working on but like to do it in concert with the surrounding area on the layout, it will come.
I can control the brightness of the lights with one of these. I bought a bunch for $2.00 ea.
gmpullman Sometimes, yes — sometimes, not so much. Cheers, Ed
I have never seen a 'clean one'.
I guess it is a case of checking the actual roundhouse that is being modeled.
This is the look I want. CPR Vancouver RH.
http://www.trainweb.org/oldtimetrains/photos/drake_street/roundhouse.htm
BATMAN NorthBrit The lights will be rather dull. As the building will have been there a number of years, the brickwork will be smoky black. Any windows will be smoky. I love the grime and I am working on but like to do it in concert with the surrounding area on the layout, it will come. I can control the brightness of the lights with one of these. I bought a bunch for $2.00 ea.
NorthBrit The lights will be rather dull. As the building will have been there a number of years, the brickwork will be smoky black. Any windows will be smoky.
rrebellWhere did you get and what is it called.
I ordered 500 LEDs for $2.50 several rolls of copper tape for $8.00 and a bunch of these voltage regulators for $2.00ea from China. It took 11 days to get here.
BATMAN NorthBrit The lights will be rather dull. As the building will have been there a number of years, the brickwork will be smoky black. Any windows will be smoky. I love the grime and I am working on but like to do it in concert with the surrounding area on the layout, it will come.
Looking really good BATMAN. Well done.
NorthBritLooking really good BATMAN. Well done. David
Thanks David, it was a successful experiment.
BATMAN
Ok I found the exact ones you got, how many led's can you run though one and dose a person vari the brightness with just the board or are some done with resistors through the same unit to make different led's diferent brightness without multiple boards in a building or area ?
Great pictures of the CPR shops Brent!
Here is a clickable link:
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Brent,
You and I are doing the same thing with the regulators. I use two of them for my buildings. One is for the LEDs which I hide up in the rafters where no one can see them. They provide lots of light in the structure.
Then I use a separate circuit for a string of incandescent light shades that give the old time feel I am after. They don't provide enough light when used alone but in combination with the LEDs above them it turns out pretty well. These are on a separate regulator running slightly under voltage...
Here is an example:
Pruitt – I really like the look of those LEDs, the light looks great in the structure. I model much danker, darker engine houses so the look is not for me, but I really like what you have done.
Guy
see stuff at: the Willoughby Line Site
rrebell Ok I found the exact ones you got, how many led's can you run though one and dose a person vari the brightness with just the board or are some done with resistors through the same unit to make different led's diferent brightness without multiple boards in a building or area ?
I use this array wizard and combined with the step down converter I fumbled through and have been successful in my lighting projects.
http://led.linear1.org/led.wiz
To power the step down converter I have kept every adapter from electronics that have passed away. I have a list that tells me the power specs of everyone of them. Once I know I have the one I need I dig through the box to look for it.
POST HOGG!
I also made a jig where I stuck strips of copper tape on a board with a different size resistor soldered to the end of each strip. This allows me to actually see how bright the LED will be with each resistor. I use a step down converter to power that as well as it allows me to see what I can achieve.
If my tech brains were dynomite, I wouldn't have enough to blow my hat off.