Another busy week has limited my railroading time but I was able to take some shot to demonstrate the results of how the proper lighting enhances the realism of the layout. Colours become more vibrant and realistic shadows are cast by the buildings and equipment similar to the way the real world is. I used a simple method that uses basic wiring techniques that ends up being cheaper than track lighting and gives more flexibility to where the lights are placed. I would suggest you read up on electrical wiring before attempting this project. I used 16 octagonal boxes with based lamp holders and 50W halogen flood lamps. These bulbs do not require a shade as they direct the light down in a 22 degree angle so no where in the room is a light shinning in your eyes. I mounted the fixtures above the layout evenly spaced from the walls and from each other as to not create hot or cold spots or angled shadows. This way the lighting is even throughout the layout. If a few areas are not as well lit then it just simulates a cloud in the sky. Here is a shot of the ceiling.

Here are a few side by side comparisons showing the difference between a florescent bulb and the new lighting.

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