What type of ceiling lights in trainroom

We used good ole fashioned can lights. The lighting is uniform and has worked well for us for 9 years. The ceiling height is 8 1/2 ft. If I were to do it over again, I would not change a thing.

I'm using LED'S.

In my view, a well designed track light system is the best way to go if the room and layout do not conflict.

At the club we are installing track lighting this summer in anticipation of the layout rebuild next summer.

The main features are the track is over the aisle walkways, with the heads aiming into the layout. This way, you are not looking into lights or the shadow side of any structures/ scenery. Anywhere you look from you will see a well lit layout.

We will be using dimmable LED BR30 bulbs, in warm white.

Another feature , we are using a double circuit track. So 1 circuit will have white lights, the second circuit will be blue gels over the fixtures. The entire track light system is divided into three sections, so we will be able to simulate night moving across the layout and building by use of dimmers.

Will gladly share more information.  

I used fluorescent lighting for overall illumination, but will add track lighting to highlight key areas.  Proper room lighting is one of the most over looked area of layout design in my opinion.  I'm sure some will say that fluorescent lights will fade the paint and maybe it will.  But having adequate lighting levels is very important for enjoying your trains and critical for good photography.  Make sure you have the right color temperature for your lights too.  I chose 3,000K for my fluorescent lights to more closely replicate sun light and not that white, hospital look of many fluorescent lighting.  

Good luck.

Art

Incandescent sconce lights at each end of the trainroom, Florescent mini-floods in can lights down the center, adjustable direction HID track lights over the main "island", and rope lights around the perimeter above and below the layout. 

We went this route (The PAR38 big ones on the right) with a vaulted ceiling. 30+ light cans, and on a dimmer. It looks like daylight in the train room when it's time to work. They are dimmable CFL's and are now about 3 1/2 years old. You can get LED's now for the same price we paid for these back then. They key is to use something dimmable.

I have recessed dimmable LEDs for two reasons:

1. I have a 12 lights above the train layout that was providing to be too much for a light switch for incandescent bulbs.

2. Cooler.  12 incandescent bulbs blazing away produces a lot of heat.

3. Energy efficiency of course.

-Ed

Dimmable LED track lights in my train room.

When I built my train room I removed the can lights in the drop ceiling and went with surface mount swivel spots.  Originally they had halogen bulbs in them but I changed those out to dimmable LED bulbs. I can move them if I want more or less light on a section and they are extremely handy when I'm working on something on the layout I can put the light right where I need it!  I also have them on dimmers to bring out the lights and signs on the layout. 

In my last train room I had track lighting and I added some blue rope lights around the top of the room for a night time effect. Wish I could of split the track lighting into 2 circuits, one for regular and one for low light effect, but the slanted ceiling was almost 14 feet in some areas.

Now I have a flat ceiling and I am looking into the lighting for my new train room. Will have to wait until done moving everything in.

Lee Fritz

This is a You Tube Video, that I put together about antique lighting for a Train Room.

This is used for night operations. Great for passenger cars & viewing structures.

Also use Track & Can Lighting.

I currently have 4' fluorescent fixtures with 5000k bulbs. My eyes don't work as well as they used to and lots of light helps when working on something. I don't know if they fade the paint on the trains or not? Haven't noticed any fading in about 3-4 years, but the lights are only on when I am in the rain area.   

Some dimmable track lighting may be added later on, if my layout ever becomes worthy of something nice in the way of lighting. I would probably use LED's with the track lighting for energy savings, heat reduction and longevity. We have almost converted the whole house upstairs to LEDs.

The leds seem like the way to go although they are still a little pricey. Heat is a factor  here in Georgia so leds are even more attractive.

Regardless of the type of lamps, how do I figure out how many lamps I need to cover a given area. Since it will be track lighting I guess I can just add more as needed. I am just trying to figure out approximate costs for some of the ideas posted. 

I will be keeping the fluorescents as work lights.  The track lights will be a seperate circuit and are simply for a softer look.

Thanks,

Ed

My train building has skylights. I mostly work on trains during the day so I don't worry too much about artificial light. Right now I'm using the lights on the ceiling fans but I do plan to put in track lighting eventually.

Since your trains are in a separate, above-ground building, you might want to think about skylights. They give a bright, diffused, natural light that's great for working on the layout. Whether they are worthwhile depends on how much sunlight you get and how much time you spend in the train room during the day vs. at night. 

If you have a Costco in your area, the LEDs are very reasonably priced there. They have both small and large spots as well as regular bulbs. They may have more online, I haven't looked there. 

Check this site out......

http://www.conservationmart.co...-br40-led-3000k.aspx

Those are pricey but......blasters!   2550 lumens.   About a year ago, I went with their 1600lumen 25K WW bulb. I have 3 in cans above my layout. Bright and dimmable. Before I settled on them, I bought the 2500lumen 50K bulbs. Extremely bright, but it made my train room look like a hospital operating room. Some folks like that....I felt it was too sterile for my tastes and swapped them for the WW bulbs. The prices come down all the time and they get brighter and brighter bulbs. 

Roger

Layout lighting and theater lighting are much a like. A book on theater lighting might be helpful. I have several almost insurmountable obstacles to good lighting so I make do and sort of pleasant at night.