Hi
I’m wanting to do a night-day-night lighting sequence on my layout. At the moment I have colour 860 fluorescents and I would like to be able to dim them. I know you can get dimmable fluorescents but I believe they are expensive, and there might also be problems with RF interference. Has anyone used dimmable fluorescents? I find Incandescents are not the right colour, being too warm. I really like the daylight look of the 860 tubes.
If anyone has a day-night lighting system I would like your feedback as to what sort of lights you use and how successful you consider it to be.
Thanks in advance.
Jason McFadden
Christchurch New Zealand.
I may have to try out some of those color fluorescents–I have a three-part light system. A row of compact fluorescents (24" mini fixtures) along the inside of the valence, 20-watt halogen spots every two feet or so, and a rope light along the back of the valence adds “fill” light. For evening light I turn off the fluorescents and the halogens, the rope light adds a mild sort of dusk/dawn lighting. I do want to add a string of red rope lights to create more of a “dusk” effect in the future.
Dimmable flourescents are available, but they require a special ballast in the fixture and a special control on the wall and they do create some RF. And they are expen$$$$ive!
I’ve seen Christmas lights used with blue bulbs that looked great. They were used on the Dream Plan Build videos produced by model railroader. Simple and effective. Jerry