Framing Pine Street

Posted byTrevorPosted inCNR Pine Street in HO, Layouts I have designed or built, Lighting and Presentation

While my HO scale rendition of the CNR’s spur on Pine Street is designed as a portable layout for exhibition, I also want to enjoy it at home. So over the weekend I installed a backdrop and lighting.

Good lighting is important for any layout – yet many modellers do not want to invest the money in a good system. I don’t understand that: Why not show of one’s work? I want to be able to see and enjoy my work, and during operating sessions I want to be able to read the reporting marks on rolling stock.

Good lighting makes it possible to read the reporting marks on these two boxcars – which is essential when hosting prototypical operating sessions.

A good system will cost about the same as one DCC+Sound-equipped locomotive, and will make every locomotive look that much better.

With good lighting, I can better appreciate my models – such as my recently-completed GMD1.

I used an LED strip lighting system from Lee Valley Tools. This is the same system I used to light my 7mm scale GWR layout, Bydemill – although for Pine Street I used LEDs with a warmer colour temperature (because I happened to have a 10m spool of them on hand).

One of two 60W power supplies for the LED lighting system. These are mounted on the lighting supports. The supports are made of 1×2 and 1×4 lumber, and mounted on the uprights that form the spine of a two-sided peninsula.
An overview of the layout with a simple backdrop and LED strip lighting. At some point, I’ll complete the lighting rig with a valance.

For Pine Street, the backdrop does more than just frame the layout. It also separates the layout from my S scale Niagara St. Catharines & Toronto Railway layout, which occupies the other half of the Pine Street peninsula.

I cut three lengths from a 4×8 sheet of 0.060″ styrene (obtained from a local plastics supplier) and mounted these on a simple frame made from 1×2 lumber. I painted the backdrop with two colours of blue – something dark, and something light – which I blended while still wet with a 4″ brush. I was not aiming for a super realistic backdrop – just a simple sky background that will fade from one’s attention while running trains.

Looking south along the street from the mill.

This was a quick project that has made a huge difference to the layout. What’s more, with this work done I can proceed with finishing the layout – knowing I’ll be able to see what I’m doing!

Published by Trevor

Lifelong model railway enthusiast and retired amateur shepherd who trained a border collie to work sheep. Professional writer and editor, with some podcasting and Internet TV presenting work thrown in for good measure.