I'm sure everyone on their layout has certain or special freight trains that run "under the cover of darkness".
I enjoy seeing the hundreds of little lights all over my layout.
What he said!
Our club has a "night" mode that we use for our open houses (though it's on the fritz at the moment) and I love the atmosphwere. Power move: Give an operating newbie an all-black train (say a steamer pulling a rake of express cars) without sound, wait until he goes into a tunnel, then cycle the lights to night and watch him frantically search for his train. Good times, good times!
Ed,Interesting subject.. On a ISL the lighting would be sparse on the rail dock side of a industry..Grain of wheat or grain of rice bulbs would be required over exit doors and maybe small security lights along the side of the building as needed.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
I must say, you folks have inspired me to take my lighting more seriously.
A couple of personal comments about olden times:
When I built my first steam engine (right there, it's obviously olden times), I figured it needed a headlight. In goes the grain-of-wheat. So cool. That bulb had (and still does) a built in headlight lens. So, at speed, there's quite a beam of light shining down the tracks. And onto the walls of the room. A veritable mobile flashlight.
My first "real" scratchbuilt building (as opposed to a little storage shed) was a two track enginehouse with a shop on the side (along the lines of a John Allen/Revell). It was wood-sided with big windows. A corrugated roof. An interior with benches and tools in the shop. AND about a dozen grain-of-wheats in the ceiling. My, that was beautiful all lit up. Oh, yeah. There was also a couple of lights out back up on a pole to light the building's "out back".
I, uh, unfortunately made a mistake on that building. I built the framing on the ends too tightly, and most of my engines wouldn't fit. Tres very bummer. I eventually scrapped it.
Still another remembrance about that building: I built it on a base so that I could have the outback (one track ran through). It extended about another 9". Well, I needed it to become dirt (my FIRST scenery attempt!). Well, dirt's brown, so I patrolled the house looking for "brown dirt". AHA! Got it. I found a bottle of dried mushroom powder. I spread some kind of glue on the base and sprinkled on the powder. VERY convincing. At least to a beginner. I put a couple splotches of lychen on for weeds. Looked great. In the winter. Summer (the real one, not the model one) came. We lived in Virginia, which has been known to be hot and humid. Yup, the mushroom powder had "somethin" in it, 'cause one day I look at my wonderful bare dirt, and it's covered about a quarter inch deep with fine grey weeds. ALL BY ITSELF!
As rewarding as that accidental experiment was, I still decided to henceforth minimize use of food products in my scenery.
Ed
As I was recovering from my wallow in The Olden Days, I recalled perhaps the absolute worst case of layout lighting ever.
Across the street, there lived a family. Which had one of those father people. Who decided to build an HO layout (unlike MY father!). So far, so good.
Except.
He had this Revell barn on the layout. Some of you may recall that it had wide-open doors on each end. Well, openings, anyways.
He decided to put lights on his layout. For the barn, he placed a light bulb and holder in the middle of the barn. On the "floor".
It looked absolutely like a UFO was hovering in there, waiting to abduct a human. Or maybe a cow. Hard to say.
Just another example of adults maybe not being as bright as I'd thought when I was much younger. My kids might endorse that concept today.
7j43kMy first "real" scratchbuilt building (as opposed to a little storage shed) was a two track enginehouse with a shop on the side (along the lines of a John Allen/Revell).SNIP Oh, yeah. There was also a couple of lights out back up on a pole to light the building's "out back". I, uh, unfortunately made a mistake on that building. I built the framing on the ends too tightly, and most of my engines wouldn't fit.
Ed,
Great stories! Glad I'd put my drink down when I read about the UFO in the barn or I would've splashed diet soda all over my keyboard from laughing.
On the enginehouse, perhaps it was built to Allen's plan. I think I recall that he built it for the HOn3 Hellengone & [whatever?], then simply relocated it to service standard gauge locos. They fit, but needed to be small. Meanwhile, people built them to spec to make discoveries like yours. Maybe simply a concidence? And I can't find my John Allen book right now to check my sources...Ahh, remembering the Olden Days means I mostly can't remember.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Mike,
I swear that's what it looked like when I ducked my head down to see it. Logically speaking, what else COULD it be: a large glowing orb hovering a couple of feet off the ground?
Nope, I didn't use not steenking plans when I built by enginehouse, Allen's or otherwise. Mighta turned out different if I had.
But maybe I really did screw up, because now I have my first HOn3 engine. And the little fella doesn't have a place to hang out. I coulda stripped the track out, relaid, and he'd have had a nice cushy place, with room for company.
Model railroading's first rule:
NEVER THROW ANYTHING AWAY!
Model railroading's second rule:
Ed, sounds like you had some "live" spores in that mushroom power if you'd left it you might've grown some mushrooms!
I concur with the statement, "NEVER THROW ANYTHING AWAY!!!" Because years later you'll regret it...
Steve
If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!
7j43kModel railroading's first rule: NEVER THROW ANYTHING AWAY! Model railroading's second rule: NEVER THROW ANYTHING AWAY!
Yep.
I was lucky enough to be able to preserve my Olden Days enginehouse, which was built from a plan. I just don't recall which one. I dusted it off, did a little restoration, then used it at Tefft when I installed the turntable there.
I added LEDs.
A Goose usually lives there now.
I have an off topic question. John Allen's famous two stall engine house was the prototype for an FSM kit released back in the 1980s, but it was also similar in design to both the Revell and Walthers brick enginehouses in the it had one through stall and one stub end. Was this a typical arrangement for two stall enginehouses or was John Allen's enginehouse the original source for this type of arrangement?
The "original source for this type of arrangement" is likely way back in the early 1800's. In the prototype world. It's kind of an obvious and convenient setup.
And, because it's obvious and convenient (and pretty neat looking), it's not a surprise that someone would model it.
When the Revell first came out, I did have the feeling that they copied Allen's general layout. Doesn't make it true,though--see second line of first paragraph.
I will say that when I decided to build my enginehouse, I did copy the layout of both. Again, see second line of first paragraph.
But one could ask: "Why did John Allen choose THIS particular arrangement?" The special and attractive part of the layout is the through track. I think usually there wasn't one. But I haven't made a proper survey. What's neat is that you can extend railroad activity out the back--lots of little details and stuff. And Mr. Allen DID like setting up little scenes.
Hello! I am reviving an old thread because of two reasons.
1) I just made a short video of Night time operations on my N scale layout and would love to share it so that some of you more experienced modelers could give me a little feedback and let me know what you think. (Disclaimer: I was operating at night by myself so I just put a couple of trains on cruise control while I shot the video with my smart phone. I am no professional, but I feel it gives you a good view of my working animations (crossbucks, neon signs, campfire, lighthouse beacon, flickering haunted house, arcwelder in shop, turntable, lineside and turnout signals) as well as my structure and street lighting and some custom light functions added to some of my locomotives. So please let me know what you think....
https://youtu.be/Z_8HT9ZlQas
2) I would love to see some photos and/or videos of other night layouts for some additional inspiration. I am really digging the night scene and love the way the layout becomes peaceful within a whole new dynamic.
I look forward to seeing what all you on this great forum have to share. Cheers!!
-John Collins
I dunno. I kinda miss Ed around here.
TF
irishRRHello! I am reviving an old thread because of two reasons. 1) I just made a short video of Night time operations on my N scale layout and would love to share it so that some of you more experienced modelers could give me a little feedback and let me know what you think.
Hi John,
If you are looking for advice I haven't any to offer, other than to keep up the good work! Your layout looks wonderful at night! You have obviously spent a lot of time installing lighting and interiors in your buildings. The street lighting is very effective as well!
You have set a high standard for night running. I hope our club can do half as well.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!