Skip to main content

I took the opportunity to go down and run the layout during the intermission of the hockey game. It occured to me as I was running the trains that my favourite part of running trains when I was a kid was turning the lights off in the room and watching the headlight of the loco light up the layout.

I realized that I have never really spent much time running my layout with the room lights off so I gave it a try. I have to say that I got that same feeling back from when I was a kid, watching the headlights come toward me, seeing the shadows cast by the searchlight car and the lights on all the accessories. It was a blast.

I am sure there are many here who often run their layouts with the trainroom lights off, but it is something that I have just not done in a long time. The great fun I had was a reminder that sometimes it's the simple things that make us happy, and I thought I would share this with you in the hopes that it may inspire someone else to give it a try. After all, having fun is what this hobby is all about.

Jay in Ottawa

Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

I loved running my trains with the lights off when I was a kid. I loved seeing the trains and layout lights as the only light. Now I'm a senior citizen but I still love turning the room lights down and seeing all the light from the layout. I guess I'm still a kid at heart. I'm glad you rediscovered this simple pleasure, Jay.

One of the simple pleasures in life is to turn out all the lights and run trains.  Even before you fire 'em up, just the glow from the red/green bulbs on the O22 switch controllers, the red/green switch lanterns, the hum of the 494 beacons, all the lights in the houses and street lamps, and 260 bumpers is to be treasured.

SJS

Brent,

   Man you are bringing back some memories for me, I use to do the same thing in Slidell, La, when we were 1st building the NASA Space Shuttle.  I would come home to Slidell about 12:00 AM, after 2nd Shuft at the Michoud NASA Plant in East NO, open the Tripple Garage door, Crank up & run the big layout, with all the house lights out.  Just an incredible time, my neighbors would all start showing up, and of course my wife would break out the food and drinks.   Lights out except for the Train Layout, it was a great time.

PCRR/Dave

Last edited by Pine Creek Railroad

Any time I happen to run my layout in the evening, at some point I turn the room lights off.  I have several hundred lights on the layout; streetlights, flood lights, signs or interior lights.  Might as well enjoy them, too, for all the work that went into installing them.  And, as forpassenger trains, I know that the suppliers use too bright a lighting, but I like it.  It does kind of bring back memories of when I was a kid and trains were more popular.  It was a real treat to see a passenger train steaming along through the night with all of it's windows lit up.

Paul Fischer

Good thread.

When I do the lights out thing, I really like to see the smoke from the various locos.  Has anyone noticed or developed any good lighting effects for smoke?  The best smoke highlighter on my layout appears to be the lionel 195 / 6-14092. I have regular bulbs in it but have wondered what LEDs would do?  The 395 types don't put out enough light to illuminate the smoke at 14v.  (even right next to the track)  I guess I could change the stock bulbs to a lower voltage, I think the bulbs in them are rated 18v.

Any good ideas to illuminate smoke in a few regions of the track?

I'll admit I do like running my passenger trains with the lights off.

I put LEDs in one of my aluminum OK Engines coaches and with the lights out they give off a bluish tint, I think mainly because the seats are a blue color and the light is bouncing off them onto the aluminum interior.  I have a car with gray seats I need to try them in to see if it makes a difference.

I have LED headlights in all my steam and I'm surprised at how bright they are.

Definitely fun to do.  Hoping that when I build my basement layout I can get lights (LEDs? - anyone know of ready-made systems that do this?) that can do a realistic day-to night transition. Would love a faint, deep blue light - just enough to see where you're going as well as the scenery, but dim enough for the train's lights to cut through. 

Serenska posted:

One of the simple pleasures in life is to turn out all the lights and run trains.  Even before you fire 'em up, just the glow from the red/green bulbs on the O22 switch controllers, the red/green switch lanterns, the hum of the 494 beacons, all the lights in the houses and street lamps, and 260 bumpers is to be treasured.

SJS

Amen to that!!!

AGHRMatt posted:

We did it one Wednesday night. The trains running in pitch darkness (other than building lights and signals) was nice, but it was too dark for us to see anything else. We've been evaluating putting in solar lights to light up the aisles.

Matt,

Have you looked into the ones with downward facing shades meant for decks? Seems like they might be just what you need.

Add Reply

Post

OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Ste 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×