O
ne of the easiest ways to make your layout feel like
there’s life on it and that it’s not just a static display
is to install lighting in your models.
This goes well beyond just loco headlights – there’s adding
lights to structures and signs, installing signaling, and there’s
streetlights, traffic signals, even lights in places like under
bridges or in traffic tunnels.
Take a look at this photo by Michael Cawdrey (see link below).
Michael posted this photo (and others like it) in one of the June
Weekly Photo Fun threads on the MRH website.
Notice what the addition of a few lights to Michael’s scene has
done to really bring it alive and make it a lot more interesting
than what you’d get from an unlit scene.
When you see a lighted scene like this, your mind immediately
starts building a story of what’s going on to make this scene
come about. You sense life and activity and you start envision-
ing the people even if you don’t see them directly.
Publisher’s editorial - 1
Publisher’s Musings
by Joe Fugate
New life for your layout
Bring your layout alive by adding
lighting to equipment and structures
MRH-Jul 2014
