artizen

Totally mad! :good: :good:

I just love the natural colours. Totally realistic.

I like the idea of doing the messy bits away from the layout. You always have to wonder about how much of the static stuff stays around the track for miniature motors to pick up! What is the biggest piece you think you can achieve using this method? (Or is that not a problem on your layout.)

Couple of afternoons worth there!

I have to admit the LEDs don't throw much of a shadow - they act much like fluoros. Unfortunately anything shiny gets 50 little round highlights! I like the way the photoflood throws a shadow which is more realistic. Have you tried with a lower lighting angle to replicate early morning?

I have an almost identical setup! I have the choice of a Nikon D200 or a Lumix TZ7. My layout is lit with strong LEDs so I can hand hold the cameras but for serious results I have a small Gorilla, the table top tripod, or a 2.4 metre Benbo 2. The PR shoot is about to happen when I can find the time! It's wonderful what a decent camera and good lighting does! (f8 and be there!)

I like this. A question though - how hard is it to reach the far track past the station canopy from the normal operating position? In the photos it looks a bit of a stretch.

This is from hero-ledstore.com - 5 Metre Long 8mm Wide 2mm High Can be dimmed with part number CT110RF or DIALDIM 1800 Lumen per 5 meter 300 Leds per strip CE & RoSH Certified Much more brighter than Standard SMT Light strips When purchased - strips are packed in 5 meter per tape (Maximum supplied Joined strips is 5 Metres) 5M self Adhesive tape on reverse, non-waterproof Can be trimmed and joined every three leds 50 mm 120' Viewing Angle Colors Available : Cool White / Warm White / Red / Green / Blue / Yellow 2amp Power consumption (2000ma) 24 Watts 12 Volts DC Upto 5 metres can be joined together 1 Year Warranty It appears that you would need three strips (a total of 72W) to gain 5400 lumens output over five metres or six strips to come up to the lighting levels you are trying to achieve. Each strip costs $35 US so still not the cheapest option then. But the benefits are much smaller and lighter pelmet rigs, almost no heat, much less susceptible to damage in transit, and probably slightly better colour temperature output. The strips I purchased had a light output of 36W per five metres using 5050 LEDs but cost $76 US plus postage.

I just read the thread from the top because I could not place the photos. On the subject of LEDs - the power of the lighting you choose will be influenced by the inverse square law so if you decide to have the lighting rig around one metre above the layout, then you will need something really bright. Here is a link to high power flexible LED strips similar to what I am using on my layout - http://www.ledlightsworld.com/high-density-smd-3528-flexible-led-strips-600-leds-p-157.html This strip is still only 48W over five metres so more conventional lighting will still be more powerful. I used LEDs because my linked dioramas put the lighting at a height of under 500mm above the layout in a closed box. Enough light to take photos hand held and bright enough under normal room lighting (4 x 36W daylight fluoros). Clean white light because that is what I ordered. From memory I paid around $105 shipped out of HK into Australia. Not cheap but not hot either. Hot is the real enemy here when the summer temps get over 35 degrees C and 100% humidity the last thing you want to be doing is concentrating under heat lamps! All my layouts will now get LEDs because the power is increasing all the time and they are tiny enough and light enough to be tucked away on lightweight pelmets. Doubling the strip will always help of course. Do you have access to a colour temperature meter or the info from the manufacturers on actual light output in lumens or something so you are not just comparing the wattage. I always thought wattage was the drain from the plug - not the actual light power.

I already know that in comparison to this quality of modelling, I am working with crayons and ten thumbs but these photos are a thing of beauty and a standard that I know I can never hope to achieve! Thanks for showing us your etches! Along with Ron's amazing work with little bits of plasticard, these two layouts are what I come back to RMweb four times a day for! (As well as a lot of other stunning stuff of course.)

I am sure you will "get" the answer to the neon lighting just as you have with the rest of the build. Keep going. A whole army of wide-eyed modellers are watching your every move! No pressure then.

Big yeah all round!

I remember this layout from somewhere. I remember the overall views and the description of the building of the canal. Good stuff.

There's definitely some amazing work on this forum!

Now I hope that clock works and is correct to the atomic clock. And as for washing anything in a snow storm!!!

For Siberian Snooper. Here is a photo of the etch for the turnout details - http://www.proto87.com/turnout-details.html And here is a another photo - http://www.proto87.com/turnout-points-and-throwbars.html Hope this helps. Not quite sure if the UK track Proto87 sells incorporates a UK style throwbar or if he is using the US HO double throwbar. Whatever, they are made of stainless so have the grunt to do the job prototypically, particularly if you are using wire in tube point operation. Heavy duty solenoid throws would probably slam the blades across a little too hard and over time you may have issues. Send Andy an email - he will soon tell you what is what. Sorry Gordon, hijack over now.

Throw bars for 4mm track are $2.49 from this man - http://www.proto87.com/00-EM-P4-Track-Turnouts.html I have bought stuff from Andy in the past. He is an engineer so the design and detail are high quality. Don't let the title of the site put you off - he is looking to expand into UK style hand built track.

As an added thought about what to put under the track - I have a large quantity of floor vinyl after we replaced it all with tiles and I am gluing it down under the track upside down (it has a moulded pattern). So far it appears to work fine. Does not reduce the noise at all once ballasted. I have used latex / rubber adhesive to glue it down but now I am tending to either cheap craft glue or PVA as the latex was struggling to hold it firmly unless it was glued over its entire surface. I build small dioramas that link together and that allows me the option of turning the track 360 degrees to work on it. As for the tiebar issue, I have simply left out the ballast in that area and painted under the tiebar dark brown/black for the time being. I always use sleepers at a minimum of 2mm high so that I have more than one grain of ballast vertically. This gives me some leeway in levels around the pointwork etc. Thin sleepers on C+L track really gave me the pip when I was toying with a 1:76 layout about two years ago as my ballast was only one stone deep (N gauge!) and I couldn't get a realistic result whatever I tried.

Some lighting suggestions - http://www.fiberopticproducts.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=1_2&products_id=1154 http://www.thefiberopticstore.com/FOS-mainpage.htm http://modeltrains.about.com/od/electronicsdcc/ss/Fiber-Optic-Lighting-For-Figures.htm http://talkingelectronics.com/FreeProjects/5-Projects/Page17.html http://www.newrailwaymodellers.co.uk/Forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=21589 (scroll down) http://www.oakridgehobbies.com/hobby-products-tools-paints-wood-metal-plastic-hobby-supplies/fiber-optics-lighting-fluorescent-rod Enough for now maybe?

No pressure Ron! (Professional lurker.)

You can't complain about that! TWO industrial buildings!

Looking forward to seeing how the industrial building shapes up. It looks good on the site. I expect to see photos tomorrow then?

The discussion is about the fact the wagons are made of brick or that fact that you can't find the staff?

Are you planning to hide the entry into the station so that the very tight curves are not so obvious? This is coming on well.

This is how it goes - I produce a layout incorporating (so far) 24,000 individual bricks. Non-modellers see it and think I am completely crazy. You produce a building incorporating (so far) 24,000 individual small pieces of plastic. Non-modellers see it and think you are completely crazy. All the modellers on this forum see your buildings and stand back in complete awe. Long live the craziness!!! :good: :good: