12-09-2009, 11:42 PM
I think that you'll get more useful lighting with the second plan, Gary, but I'd suggest a few revisions.
First, place some fixtures perpendicular to the lay-out shown: I'd put two across each of the dead-end aisles, positioning them so that they're entirely over the layout and not over the aisle whatsoever. Put another one across the end of the peninsula, and another four across the entry end of the room, all above the layout and not over the aisle at all. The remaining lights (and you probably won't require all of them) could be spaced out a little more and also repositioned over the layout. I'm guessing that five along the wall beside the door, four above each side of the peninsula, and, at most, six along the long wall. That would require a total of 28 four foot/two tube fixtures, a saving of four from your diagram. I'd also bet that you'll get better (more useable) light with the fewer fixtures if they're properly placed.
Don't worry about aisle lighting: unless you plan on using a black backdrop and painting your layout facia black, too, there'll be plenty of reflected light in the room. I have storage space under almost all of the layout, and no trouble finding stuff due to poor lighting.
Another thing to consider while you're doing the wiring is receptacles. I surface-mounted mine on the walls beneath the layout (they're controlled by a switch alongside the light switches, so that when I leave the room, everything gets shut off), with the intention of moving them to the outer face of the layout support benchwork once I finish the sliding doors meant to hide all of that stored junk. The electrical inspector had no problem with this plan, as I intend to use BX (armoured cable) for the extension from the present boxes to the new ones. This will place them at the front of the layout, but below the facia, so there'll be no chance of an operator accidentally trying to plug a 12V DC throttle into a 120V receptacle.
The picture below shows the 2"X4" support framework upon which the boxes will be surface mounted, although not necessarily at that particular location. They'll be recessed from the layout facia, but still visible and easily accessible.
![[Image: CopyofLayoutroomphotos008.jpg]](http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/doctorwayne/Layout%20room%20tour/CopyofLayoutroomphotos008.jpg)
Wayne
First, place some fixtures perpendicular to the lay-out shown: I'd put two across each of the dead-end aisles, positioning them so that they're entirely over the layout and not over the aisle whatsoever. Put another one across the end of the peninsula, and another four across the entry end of the room, all above the layout and not over the aisle at all. The remaining lights (and you probably won't require all of them) could be spaced out a little more and also repositioned over the layout. I'm guessing that five along the wall beside the door, four above each side of the peninsula, and, at most, six along the long wall. That would require a total of 28 four foot/two tube fixtures, a saving of four from your diagram. I'd also bet that you'll get better (more useable) light with the fewer fixtures if they're properly placed.
Don't worry about aisle lighting: unless you plan on using a black backdrop and painting your layout facia black, too, there'll be plenty of reflected light in the room. I have storage space under almost all of the layout, and no trouble finding stuff due to poor lighting.
Another thing to consider while you're doing the wiring is receptacles. I surface-mounted mine on the walls beneath the layout (they're controlled by a switch alongside the light switches, so that when I leave the room, everything gets shut off), with the intention of moving them to the outer face of the layout support benchwork once I finish the sliding doors meant to hide all of that stored junk. The electrical inspector had no problem with this plan, as I intend to use BX (armoured cable) for the extension from the present boxes to the new ones. This will place them at the front of the layout, but below the facia, so there'll be no chance of an operator accidentally trying to plug a 12V DC throttle into a 120V receptacle.
The picture below shows the 2"X4" support framework upon which the boxes will be surface mounted, although not necessarily at that particular location. They'll be recessed from the layout facia, but still visible and easily accessible.
Wayne