Yard Pictures and exterior building lights

[jbinkley60]

 

I am working on my yard right now.  One thing dawned on me is that I don't have any good pictures of rail yards.  Does anyone have some that they have used to model after ?  On a related topic I am looking to add exterior lights to some buildings.  What have folks used ?  I could just glue a microbulb to the outside ane make it look like an incandescant bulb in a socket but I was looking for fixtures that would go on industrial buildings.  The only things I found in the Walthers catalog was for residential buildings. 

 

[CSXFan]

This may not be what you're looking for, but here are some pics I took while railfanning in various parts of Michigan. (Taken with permission)

Sorry about the file size. This is a great sight for finding prototype pics http://www.railpictures.net/

Also a HUGE thanks to the CSX employees who gave me a tour of the yard, plus a cab ride!

I hope this helps. 

 

 

[RR Redneck]

Well pardner, I dont think that was what he's lookin fer, but I'll tell ya. Those is some darn nice shots.

[jbinkley60]

Actually that is exactly what I was looking for.  I wanted to confirm that in the yard the ties were right on the dirt and no elevation or ballast.  Also just a little bit of greenery around.     I was also looking to see any fences to stop trespassers and to see what any roads looked like in the yard for vehicles.

 

[pcarrell]

Right side of Hawthorn yard in Indianapolis, Indiana;

Click any pic to enlarge (Warning, some of these pics are HUGE)

And the left side;

Here's Waycross Hump Yard from the air;

Hobbs Station has a couple of typical lights on it over the double doors and by the pole;

[Anonymous]

 

For the lights, check out Ngineering's:

 http://www.ngineering.com/HO_Photo.htm

 

Mike Tennent

[nbrodar]

How about these ones taken from my tower:

Nick

[Dave-the-Train]

Actually that is exactly what I was looking for.  I wanted to confirm that in the yard the ties were right on the dirt and no elevation or ballast.  Also just a little bit of greenery around.     I was also looking to see any fences to stop trespassers and to see what any roads looked like in the yard for vehicles.

PLEASE look again... there is ballast there.

The effect of laying track "right on the dirt" and running a heavy train on it is like puttying a plate of jelly on a shiney pastic tray and trying to run along a slalom course.

Ballast does three main things...

• It provides an element of flex between the semi rigid-track and the rigid, semi-rigid or not-very rigid planet.
• It provides drainage.
• It provides both longitudinal and lateral hold to stop the track moving around (i.e. to stop the plate skidding around on the tray).

If you look at the pics you will see texture differences between the immediate track areas and the surrounding ground... which is up to the top level of the ballast.  I must admit that this isn't very clear in most of the pics...(which isn't unusual)... ballast has often spread away from the track on the surface and dirt from the surrounding area has got into the track... making it all blend together quite a bit...

looked at another way, track just on the ground would show all of all of the ties.  This does occur but extremely rarely.

Hope that this helps.

[Dave-the-Train]

 

For the lights, check out Ngineering's:

 http://www.ngineering.com/HO_Photo.htm

 

Mike Tennent

Do they have a general site please?

[tstage]

On a related topic I am looking to add exterior lights to some buildings.  What have folks used ?  I could just glue a microbulb to the outside ane make it look like an incandescant bulb in a socket but I was looking for fixtures that would go on industrial buildings.  The only things I found in the Walthers catalog was for residential buildings.

Jeff,

I don't know if this is what you are looking for.  Click on the link at the bottom of my post and go to the "How to" Instructional Series: 1. Exterior Light Poles link on the left side of my web page.  It contains a step-by-step tutorial and a list of the items needed for making inexpensive light poles.

Click to enlarge picture(s) 

They may be a bit simplistic looking, but they do work well.  The design can also be adapted for use on sides of buidlings, too.  I also really like the fixtures in the link that Mike provided.

Tom

[jbinkley60]

On a related topic I am looking to add exterior lights to some buildings.  What have folks used ?  I could just glue a microbulb to the outside ane make it look like an incandescant bulb in a socket but I was looking for fixtures that would go on industrial buildings.  The only things I found in the Walthers catalog was for residential buildings.

Jeff,

I don't know if this is what you are looking for.  Click on the link at the bottom of my post and go to the "How to" Instructional Series: 1. Exterior Light Poles link on the left side of my web page.  It contains a step-by-step tutorial and a list of the items needed for making inexpensive light poles.

They may be a bit simplistic looking, but they do work well.  The design can also be adapted for use on sides of buidlings, too.  I also really like the fixtures in the link that Mike provided.

Tom

Tom,

I am looking for lights that go on buildings along the exterior.  For instance next to an entrance door.  I have the larger yard lights to light the yard but am looking for light fixtures that affix to buildings, preferably preassembled.

 

[tstage]

As I mentioned, Jeff, the design is adaptable.  By leaving the poles off altogether, you can just:

1. Drill the 3/64" (0.047") hole into your building
2. Prebend the stiffened light wires with CA and let dry
3. Feed the wires into the hole
4. Add the exterior shade, and

Voila! - You have yourself an exterior light on the side of a building.  (Leave it loose in the hole so that you can remove it when it burns out.)

I did that to my FM coaling tower by adding (4) Minitronics 1.5A N-scale light fixtures* to it a few months ago.  (These particular sized lights come with the shades already attached.)

The picture above shows only the upper front and back lights on.  (You can actually see one of the OFF N-scale lights at the forefront and bottom portion of the coaling tower.)  They were very similar in shape and size to the faux light fixtures that came with the kit and put out a generous amount of light.  Just to give you some size of scale, the coaling tower is only 4" tall.

For what it's worth...

Tom

[jecorbett]

Here are a few pictures of the Walthers lights I installed on my commercial buildings.

[jbinkley60]

As I mentioned, Jeff, the design is adaptable.  By leaving the poles off altogether, you can just:

1. Drill the 3/64" (0.047") hole into your building
2. Prebend the stiffened light wires with CA and let dry
3. Feed the wires into the hole
4. Add the exterior shade, and

Voila! - You have yourself an exterior light on the side of a building.  (Leave it loose in the hole so that you can remove it when it burns out.)

I did that to my FM coaling tower by adding (4) Minitronics 1.5A N-scale light fixtures* to it a few months ago.  (These particular sized lights come with the shades already attached.)

The picture above shows only the upper front and back lights on.  (You can actually see one of the OFF N-scale lights at the forefront and bottom portion of the coaling tower.)  They were very similar in shape and size to the faux light fixtures that came with the kit and put out a generous amount of light.  Just to give you some size of scale, the coaling tower is only 4" tall.

For what it's worth...

Tom

Tom,

 

I ordered some brass shades as well as some Minatronics bulbs with the shades attached.  I'll post some results when I get something built.

 

[tstage]

Jeff,

I'll look forward to seeing them.

Tom 

[jbinkley60]

Jeff,

I'll look forward to seeing them.

Tom 

Tom,

I created my first exterior building light using your methodology.  Here's the results:

http://www.thebinks.com/trains/images/DSCN2247.jpg

I painted the brass shade gray.  I don't have all of the lights wired up yet.  I am hoping to post some night shots with more stuff completed on next weekend's weekend fun thread.

 

 

[tstage]

Good job, Jeff!   I really like the look of the curved conduit.   How were they for you to put together?  Are you happy with the result, as compared to buying them from a manufacturer?

My preference is to use the larger HO shades on the light poles and the smaller N-scale lights/shades for the buildings.  Even so, it will add a nice overall dimension to your layout.  Can't wait to see the night shots when you have time to post them.

Tom 

[jbinkley60]

Good job, Jeff!   I really like the look of the curved conduit.   How were they for you to put together?  Are you happy with the result, as compared to buying them from a manufacturer?

My preference is to use the larger HO shades on the light poles and the smaller N-scale lights/shades for the buildings.  Even so, it will add a nice overall dimension to your layout.  Can't wait to see the night shots when you have time to post them.

Tom 

Good point on the N scale shades for buildings.  Putting them together vs. buying the shades and lights together seems pretty much a wash.  The shades just slip over the wire.  I thought the curved conduit was a good touch.  Now that bad news is that I was taking pictures last night and it looks like the only light not working is the building exterior light.  I'll troubleshoot it tonight.

 

[jbinkley60]

 

Well the mystery of the light not worked has been discovered.  Somehow when I glued the building down I caught one of the wires to the light under the foundation and Gorilla Glue was unforgiving when I tugged on the wire.  So now I am experimenting with replacing it.  I pulled the old one off the building and drilled out the hole to ensure I could push the wires through easily.   I made a bigger hole in the benchwork so that I should be able to grab the wires inside the building from underneath.  The paint is drying on the new light so I'll know how well this will work.  If it does, I'll have light.  If not, this building may have a permanently burnt out front light.

 

[jbinkley60]

Ok, new light installed.  Here's a picture with the new light:

I am pleased with how it turned out.  I had to add a 47 ohm resistor since I use 14V for the feed for the yard lights and this is a 12V bulb.   

 

[tstage]

Ahhh...lights!  I love the difference they make on a layout.   Nice work, Jeff.   How many more buildings do you have plans for?  You can also try adding different resistor values so that your lights don't all look exactly the same.

I have my 12V interior lights wired up to the 15VDC terminals of an old power pack and run it at 55-60% power.  The lighting effect is softer and the bulbs last much longer.

Tom 

[jbinkley60]

Ahhh...lights!  I love the difference they make on a layout.   Nice work, Jeff.   How many more buildings do you have plans for?  You can also try adding different resistor values so that your lights don't all look exactly the same.

I have my 12V interior lights wired up to the 15VDC terminals of an old power pack and run it at 55-60% power.  The lighting effect is softer and the bulbs last much longer.

Tom 

What I have is a DCC controlled lighting system I designed.  It has switched off/on for things that have constant brightness (i.e. exterior lights on buildings, yard lights, parking lot lights etc..).  Then it has an adjustable outpuit for interior building lights that works off the throttle speed.  Most of my exterior lights are all 16V bulbs and I run them at 14V.  I am going to look at a larger resistor for this building.  Maybe a 68 ohm to 100 ohm range.  Right now it is at 12.1V.  A 68 ohn will drop it down to 11.5 or so.   A 100 ohm down to around 10.5V.  The current system I designed could handle 30 exterior and 30 interior lights.  I can upgrade the exterior portion easily to handle 100 or more.  I am waiting to see how many I end up with.  I have a small town yet to be built, which will consume a lot more lights than my coal mine and rail yard.