SENIOR MOMENT - Can’t remember… Searched the community but couldn’t find it.
I’m pretty sure I read it here.
Am looking for suggestions as to the type of electric lights to use in Plasticville structures.
As always, many thanks.
I take a small lamp base mount it on a piece of plastic about 1 1/2 inch by 2 inch have six inch leads then use a 18v bulb. I also run all the lights off a seperate transformer and use the varible voltage and adjust the voltage to get the right look.
Jim
My sister and BIL are new to toy trains, and have been using the newer (*and now cheaper) strands of small LED lights. They look good illuminating Plasticville cape cods.
I use small strings of clear twinkle Christmas lights. Even with a short string, there are too many lights close together, but this lets me have lights under the platform, and I can see well when I’m under the layout. The lights don’t put out hardly any heat, so no worry about damage to the plastic buildings.
Most any type of lighting is fine with a variable voltage transformer. My biggest gripe is light showing through the plastic walls. Trying to make a cardboard insert was too time consuming so I just paint the interior black.
I have numerous buildings on my layout including Plasticville. I’ve probably used almost as many ways of lighting them as there are buildings. Recently I bought some “warm white” Mega LEDs.
Here is what one looks like lite. It produces virtually no heat.
Finally, an example inside a Plasticville cottage.
All-in-all they are about the same price or maybe a little cheaper than any of the other approaches. At some point this winter I will convert some of the buildings over to these.
Papa D
I use Radio Shack light bases, E-10 size and 14.4 volt bulbs on a small Lionel transformer. I never use 120 volts on the layout.
12 to 16 volt peel and stick lights from Model Power have always worked well for me.
Agree with Papa_D. I use and like the Evan Designs lights in buildings and rolling stock. Work well and don’t draw alot of power or get ho
Thanks, so much, for all your replies. I knew I could always rely on you.
One more idea. I picked extra xmas lights at the holiday close out sales. They run about 3v each. I put 4 in series.