Will soon wrap up a year long project of building an eight track storage yard with reverse loop under the layout (Having done the helix the year before). Though there is enough ambient light to see things somewhat I want to illuminate it so I can detect engine numbers, etc. What have you done to "light things up"? Thnx all.
This is a great time of the year to get LED's at fairly reasonable prices. I use clear christmas light strands (Lowes, Home Depot or whatever big-box store you have), secured to the underside of the upper deck. Some people use the rope lights (which can be found on evil bay). Doesn't take much lighting, but helps alot.
Terry
Inspired by Addiction
See more on my YouTube Channel
A string of LED's seem like the no brainer choice right now. Just staple gun them above the tracks and boom, where is my staples button! If there are inexpensive Christmas light white LEDS, even nicer.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
riogrande5761A string of LED's seem like the no brainer choice right now.
Add one more vote for the LED christmas lights. Just wait until next week to buy them.
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My only reservation with the Xmas tree lights is once a bulb goes out it throws out a section or all of the strand. Would like to climb under and install just once. But I will consider.
Tophias My only reservation with the Xmas tree lights is once a bulb goes out it throws out a section or all of the strand. Would like to climb under and install just once. But I will consider.
Tophias My only reservation with the Xmas tree lights is once a bulb goes out it throws out a section or all of the strand.
My only reservation with the Xmas tree lights is once a bulb goes out it throws out a section or all of the strand.
That's old school (incandescent). Welcome to the new world of Light Emitting Diodes.....if the bulb ever does burn out (unlikely), it doesn't effect the whole strand.
PennCentral99 Tophias My only reservation with the Xmas tree lights is once a bulb goes out it throws out a section or all of the strand. That's old school (incandescent). Welcome to the new world of Light Emitting Diodes.....if the bulb ever does burn out (unlikely), it doesn't effect the whole strand.
Sorta. I've noted that the LED holiday lighting still suggests replacing dead lamps ASAP. The reason is slightly different, but the results are trhe same. A light string is engineered so that the total load of the lighting is correct as made. With old school lamps, the filamets of the lamps end up getting too bright as the same volatge goes through and eventually start burning out. If not fixed with new bulbs, the voltage gets high enough to burn them all.
With LEDs, there is the "lump" that is essentially an AC to DC convertor. As LEDs go out, the supply see higher amperage and the voltage output goes up and they start going out. (been on the road the last few hours and that's best I can explain in my caffeine-addled brain right now -- if it needs it, just correct and move on -- results are what matter here, not theory.)
The key is that LEDs last much longer before the first one goes out in most cases. You usually still find a couple of spares (not always) in with LED strings, just as you found with lamps. It's preferrable to use the ones supplied as they are the same as are in the string. In a pinch, you can sub any LED that fits the holder.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
I use mini-strings of the old incandescent icicle lamps, but each lamp is powered down to 1.6V (from 2.2V) - four across the 6.3Vac output of a filament transformer.
One of each four lamps is a panel indicator. The other three act as dropping resistors and, simultaneously, light up the netherworld. Since I bought them for about 2 cents a light, putting them in series is actually cheaper than using dropping resistors. The store I worked at was dumping them the week after Christmas, and I got my employee discount on top of that.
If one ever burns out the other three in series will get brighter, but will still not be above their rated voltage - hasn't happened yet, but I have easy access and plenty of spares.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - on the cheap)
Hi,
Now is the time to get strings of clear LED Christmas lights which are inexpensive (Walmart) and will give plenty of light, are easy to string up, and use little juice.
I've had mine for two years, and its made a wonderful difference.
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
The mini-Christmas lights that have been popular for the last 30 or 40 years is an AWFUL design. It's the old cursed "one light goes out, all go out in a section". I have a pre-light artificial tree at home my sister got me and my wife for our first Christmas in hour townhome and it wasn't long before a section of the tree went out. This year rather than throw the whole tree out, we removed the lights one clip at a time so we could toss the lights that would never work - and I did try to find the bad bulb but never did.
If the LED type are more reliable, then RIP incandescent mini's - curse them!
riogrande5761If the LED type are more reliable, then RIP incandescent mini's - curse them!
Most of the LED sets now come wired specifically so that one out doesn't kill the whole string. So it's easy to find and replace the offending light. A string that has a light out also seems slightly brighter than the other strings (assuming they are all the same lights.) Which does make it easier to comply with the advice to R&R bad ones in order to preserve the good ones.
Thnx all for your I out. I wasn't aware that some tree lights now come as led's. I just came from Home Cheapo and got a couple of strings. Unfortunately I find they just aren't bright enough. So I guess I'll stick with my original plan under-cabinet puck light. They're much brighter, but will come to be 3-4 time more $$. Oh well, one time investment. Merry Xmas to you all.
You have to use a lot of LED's, best to wait till right after X-mas but even now some places are trying to unload.
Thanks to all who offered advise. Just completed installing my 6 under cabinet led puck lights. I cut small squares of luan and mounted each puck to one at the workbench, then screwed the squares to underside of the layout. This was much easier than trying to screw the small mounting tabs directly to the layout. The lighting is quite nice. Thnx again to all.