TBD Cromwell Bridge Road House Layout

[Brian M]

Ed,
I agree with DKS on the ceiling/lighting situation.  If you're thinking of putting in track lights, you'll appreciate the extra clearance that a non-drop ceiling would give.  And those particular ceiling tiles might be distracting if you want to focus attention on the layout.  They're great for a hang out space, but for a train room, I would want to minimize anything that draws the eye towards the ceiling.  Granted, having drywall hung and finished on a ceiling is a bit of an investment.  The house I'm in now had a drop ceiling in the basement, with no real lighting to speak of, and I held off on setting up my layout until I had the ceiling redone.  In the process I added a bunch of can lights on dimmers so that the whole basement has plenty of general light.  I'm thinking I might add a valence with LED strip lights around the layout, as the layout will need directed light for operations and photography.  But I'm very happy to have made that investment, as now the basement is quite pleasant to be in.

Anyway, just my two cents as I've gone through a similar situation in the last couple of years.

-Brian.

[VonRyan]

Oh yeah, there's gonna be lots of light. And no, apparently I'm too much of a godless commie to give up Conrail. Although I do plan on doing some more Conrail predecessor stuff (including PRR before The Great War somewhere).

PRR in the Edwardian era? That sounds much better than any of that silly blue stuff.

[mark.hinds]

Nice house; make your new layout portable. 

[glakedylan]

great looking new digs, Ed
congrats


sincerely
Gary

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Ed,
I agree with DKS on the ceiling/lighting situation.  If you're thinking of putting in track lights, you'll appreciate the extra clearance that a non-drop ceiling would give.  And those particular ceiling tiles might be distracting if you want to focus attention on the layout.  They're great for a hang out space, but for a train room, I would want to minimize anything that draws the eye towards the ceiling.  Granted, having drywall hung and finished on a ceiling is a bit of an investment.  The house I'm in now had a drop ceiling in the basement, with no real lighting to speak of, and I held off on setting up my layout until I had the ceiling redone.  In the process I added a bunch of can lights on dimmers so that the whole basement has plenty of general light.  I'm thinking I might add a valence with LED strip lights around the layout, as the layout will need directed light for operations and photography.  But I'm very happy to have made that investment, as now the basement is quite pleasant to be in.

Anyway, just my two cents as I've gone through a similar situation in the last couple of years.

-Brian.

Good thoughts. I might look for simpler tiles but I don't think the drywall work would be worth it at all. There's REALLY not much clearance up there to be gained and it's just not worth the hassle. I mean, you may be right in theory, but I've already got a long road ahead of me in the space. I'd rather not add that to it for so little gain.

[nuno81291]

I’ll offer up the dissenting opinion that I think for a drop ceiling those tiles are snazzy. Never had a drop ceiling and have rocked a number of homes myself, I say don’t change it.

[chuck geiger]

Yard with end loops is what KRP Models (Cory) does on his Soeberg N Scale Mojave layout. Video here:

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[Dave V]

A new house is a blank canvas.  Instead of doing essentially the same thing again, scratch a new itch.

Modern-day FEC in an alternate world where the Key West Extension still exists.

[Philip H]

Modern-day FEC in an alternate world where the Key West Extension still exists.

Oh yeah!  Do it!  NASA railroading will someday revive, so you can keep that link in Titusville . . . and I can do the underwater modeling of the Keys . . . which will requrie an LLC so I can write off the "research" trips I'll need (plus some new dive gear).

[prr7161]

If you keep the grid, you might consider some in-grid strip fixtures:

https://www.inter-lux.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/b20-21.jpg

Cheap and low-profile, and they throw some pretty good lumens for general area lighting.

[wm3798]

I dig the new space.
Re: Lighting, I like the idea of track lights for their directional focus, especially for photography.  I liked being able to make my scenes vary from early or late day long shadows, midday, and with a dimmer, evening and night shots.
But, if you're just looking for a good wash of overall lighting, those new recessed LED cans are low clearance, low wattage, low cost (considering you may never have to replace them in your lifetime) and I'm pretty sure you can find a model that mounts in ceiling tile with a little utility knife work.  I've put in a bunch in our house, in my office, the kitchen and the front entry, and I love them.

One question regarding the drop ceiling...  Is there a drywall ceiling behind it?  or is it hanging from the floor joists with nothing but spiders and dust between you and the room above?  If it's already rocked, I'd consider taking down the grid.  If not, leave it.  No one likes hanging sheetrock, and if the framing is open then installing recessed lighting is even easier.

Maybe in the next few weeks I'll be in the hood and can stop by to inspect the works.  You now live even closer to my sister's house.  (The Christmas Party is December 29, and you and Terri are invited!) 

I think I'm going to get you an architect's scale ruler for Christmas...  and maybe some graph paper...  Your sketches always drive me berserk.

Lee

[wm3798]

As for your theme, you live about 500 feet from the location of the Maryland and Pennsylvania's Towson Heights Station... it's behind all those fancy schmancy houses on the north side of Joppa Road...
https://goo.gl/maps/i9VuqmNP9cw

Seems to me you'll need a 4-4-0, some wooden boxcars and a doodlebug...

Lee

[Dave V]

Your sketches always drive me berserk.

Lee

QFT...    

[DKS]

Your sketches always drive me berserk.

Yeah. When I see one, I automatically think, "Did his kid draw it for him? Oh, wait..." 

[Ed Kapuscinski]

As for your theme, you live about 500 feet from the location of the Maryland and Pennsylvania's Towson Heights Station... it's behind all those fancy schmancy houses on the north side of Joppa Road...
https://goo.gl/maps/i9VuqmNP9cw

Seems to me you'll need a 4-4-0, some wooden boxcars and a doodlebug...

Lee

Haha, I was just telling @seusscaboose last night that it's getting harder to not model the MA&PA. Except for one thing... it'd be boring as frig operationall!