Model Railroading > Building lights

I would like to add some interior and exterior lighting to my buidings as I build them. Some suggestions as to what to use and how to place them. LED or incandescent ??
Thanks



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/09/20 09:43 by JeffZCT.

You could tape a string of LED inside the building roof or ceiling. I know some modelers that are using strips of those LEDs that come from a reel for buildings and passenger cars. 
Micro Mark sells the reels of LEDs. They also see the power supplies. 

Bob
 

Here's a fine point about LEDS.  Our club members have been on a campaign to revisit many buildings on our layout and add interior LEDs.  We have found that as delivered they are too bright.  Adding resistors to the supply wires tames tham and we get a more mellow looking light coming out the windows.  Try different resistor values until you get the look you want.  As delivered the OEDs looked like arc lighting on an old movie set.  Jeff

I use the small battery operated (3 AA cells) LED Christmas light strings, which are really cheap after the Holidays. But instead of batteries, I connect USB power to the battery leads (red + 5 volts, black -). The little battery box has a current regulator that handle the USB 5 volts just fine, as in truth three good AA batteries can kick almost that much. Some boxes have a dim cycle in addition to on/off, and that can be used for theater or other effect lighting.

As for as putting them in buildings, there's no heat issue so I use small strips of duct tape.

Sorry, have to interject to one of the worst products on the market. Never use Duct tape. Duct tape breaks down after a while leaving a nasty film behind. Use scotch tape or gorilla tape. I use Aleenes Tacky Glue , great hold and removable and drys clear.

Definitely LED.   If you dont want to soldier resistors on, you can buy them ready to wire with resistors already on.  Or, if you want really simple plug and play, go with the Woodland Scenics components. 

My railroad only runs at Christmas. For this year, I illuminated a dark gloomy Amtrak station with an a/c luminescent bulb that I powered with an old Bachmann power pack. Next year I will be adding some Woodland Scenics plug and play LED lights to a couple of other buildings.

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