The latest at NL&SC

This is for my friends who just want to see the most recent photos Latest progress no rantings or stories. Below
the links take you to photo bucket slide shows categorized by each site. They start out with the most recent progress and work backwards through the construction stages.
Shasta divisions 17th crossing of the Sacramento River
Shasta divisions 18th crossing of the Sacramento River Cantara
Riverside Citrus District in N scale






Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Let there be light

Deciding the type of lighting system to use on the NL&SC was not easy. There was a lot of negative opinions about fluorescent lights but I wanted an even distribution of light across the scenes so fluorescent seemed like the best way to go.  The decision required the consideration of the type of bulbs, fixtures, distance from scene, mounting, and valance.  Each one of the considerations was discussed with an expert (Lighting technician at cooper lighting) and or tested before the final decisions were made.
Bulbs and fixtures
To achieve the right color light I was advised to use a 3900 K bulb (warm white).  I was originally planning to use T-8 bulbs and fixtures however I ended up using the T-4 under cabinet lighting.  So far I am pleased with them but I do have some concerns about the longevity of the bulb life and fixtures.   I really like the linking feature of the under cabinet lights. The fixture and bulbs come in many varying lengths from 9 inches to 48 inches.  Many of the fixtures have there very own on off switch so lighting the area where you are working rather than the whole layout can be achieved.

Spacing distance from the scene
I was  informed to space the bulb about 15 to 24 inches from the subject.  In this case the subject was the track.  To achieve this an overhead mount had to be created.  The overhead mount was created using a Stanley shelf bracket turned upside down then a connecting rail made out of a strip of 1x2 wood was mounted to the shelf brackets.  The lighting fixtures came with a spring steel snap in mount, they were attached to the 1x2 wood strip.  The lights were then snapped into place.

Valance
To block the light from glaring in my viewers face I installed a valance that blocks the light from coming outward.  Thus blocking the glare while allowing the light to reach the scene

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