For the purpose of this discussion, I break night operations into two categories. First there is evening operations, a time when the sun has gone down but many businesses such as theatres, resteraunts, bars, and depending on your era. big box stores such as Home Depot or Wal-Mart might still be open. This is a time when much of the real world would still be lit up. Then you have your late night period, a time when most of the civilized world would be in bed. You might still have street lights, traffic lights, security lights, yard lights, an all night diner etc, but most of the civilized world would have gone dark by this time. This seems to me to be the real challenge. When there is very little layout lighting to guide you, how do you maintain effecient operations without cheating with the use of flashlights or some other convenience. I’m curious as to how many people/clubs actually try to do 24 hour operating sessions.
I like night operations. I have enough streetlights, yard lights, factory security lights, etc., that the layout is pretty well lit up at night. I have the brightest streetlights at all my crosings so I can monitor the train as it makes its run. It’s only completely in the dark when it goes behind a range of hills behind town and then through a deep cut on the other side of the yard. I just depend on good trackwork and not leaving a tool on the tracks there. [:)] I can still do switching in the yard because I have a few strategically located yard lights. They’re not big lights but just lamps on poles that throw off enough light that I can see what’s happening once my eyes get accustomed to the dark. My other industry spurs are a street track running through downtown to two factories at the end of main street and a feed mill that has enough security lights that I can see what’s going on. My layout is pretty small (16x6 with a dogleg cut out of the middle) so it’s not too hard, especially with 51 streetlights alone. I imagine it would be a lot tougher on a bigger layout.
I don’t know what you’re talking about![oX)]
Lee
When I get to the point that I actually have enough track to operate my full timetable, I will be running the entire month of September, 1964, from 0001 hr 1 Sep to 2400 hr 30 Sep. Granted that there will be little switching in the microscopic hours, but even the trains passing through at ridiculous AM will be changing crews, and, usually, engines.
As per my prototype, the station compounds will be adequately lit for visibility, so nobody will be feeling around in the dark trying to find rolling stock. Structures outside of the right-of-way lines will go dark as singles or groups at appropriate hours, and will light back up again before dawn if that would be appropriate. From about ten PM to five AM there will be very few lighted structures that aren’t railroad property.
That’s when it will be fun, watching the overnight mail snaking its way up the canyon of the Tomikawa* to the city of the same name, a bright headlight, dimly lighted windows and red markers making their way through an otherwise stygian landscape.
Guess I’d better get building! At my present rate of progress, that’s still (too many) months in the future!
- Literal translation from the Japanese, Wealth River. The actual river will be in the aisleway, hence not modeled.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Tomikawa, I must say I have a lot of admiration for your dedication to your prototype.
As by running at night. I still haven’t gotten to the point that my layout is up to operations. But bulletproof track work must be a essential component in this.
Magnus
I run at night a lot. My biggest problem is seeing the display on the Lenz throttle, which is a non-backlit LCD.
I’ve divided up my night lighting into several different circuits, each controlled by a separate switch on a toggle panel. There are 2 for buildings, 1 for streetlights, 1 for yard lights and a couple of others.
I dunno… A bunch of guys standing around in the basement with the lights out…
[(-D]
George
I do. I really enjoy seeing the train in opperation at dusk or even by the light of the streetlights. Since I don’t much switching, I am mostly just running my trains around and making them go into different places on the layout, If I get to boared eith that, I will put on another train (maybe a steamer) and run some more. I am in DC and have been trying to run 2 trains at the same time, It is difficule since I realize I should have put in more districs when I laid the track, It will do until I get my DCC installed. Here a couple of pics.
Night operations? You bet [:)] I prefer night operations. Everything looks more realistic to me at night.
Great night shots… let’s see some more!
Lee