Interview

I enjoyed this article, but I was left a bit wanting from the interview standpoint. Specifically;

Handicap considerations - Besides the DCC controller, bench work height, and isle width, were there any other considerations implemented? For example, when there will be operating sessions, will operators work the layout from a seated position to take advantage (visually) of a lower height? In my opinion this is a very important topic, and I was pleased to see it addressed.

Lighting - the question on the layout lights is interesting - but I think it could be of more use to the dull reader such as myself. What I mean is that I'm presuming most of the shots taken are with additional photo lights - can you either take one, or earmark the ones that are taken with, just the available layout lights?  Lighting is something that I know I struggle with, and it would be extremely useful to be able to see what different layout lighting looks like without any supplemental sources.

Thanks! 

Lighting

Actually, ALL the photos and video were taken under the existing layout lights. We brouht no additional lighting with us (in fact we visited while Jimmy had the layout open for CSS2009 and didn't know we were doing an interview until we were there!) The Pennsy occupies a good chunk of a very nicely finished room in Jimmy's basement. Figure 8 (page 47) shows the layout lighting -- a combination of track lights and some can fixtures recessed in the ceiling.

The lighting is very effective in person, but rather difficult when the layout is viewed through a camera. Our eyeballs and brains are very good at compensating for differences in brightness -- as long as they aren't too great, thus the layout looks very nice indeed in person. But a camera is another story  -- cameras have a rough time interpolating light intensitites, their dynamic range isn't as good as an eyeball. So it was necessary to be very careful with the framing of each shot, trying to avoid having bright and not-so-bright areas in the same photo - otherwise if the less bright areas are well exposed the bright areas are washed out and if the bright areas are well exposed, the other areas look dark. Figure 5 (page 43) shows this issue - bright light on the rooftops, with not so much light on the background.

This is a really nice looking layout. It would be interesting to go back when the Middleport area is finished.

As far as your questions about ops and whether the other operators would be seated, perhaps Jimmy has an answer for that?

If you haven't checked out The Pennsy Diaries yet, might I suggest them?  Scotty Mason's documentation of the restoration process of this layout is illuminating and often hillarious.

Hope this answers your questions,

Charlie

Great info

That's great info, Charlie, thanks. It helps to know how the shooting is done.

Thanks MRH!

Great article. Great pictures. I'll answer questions as they are posted.

Jimmy

Scarpia's Questions.

The issue of operating is something I'd never thought of. I think the question will need to be brought up when I get together with the operating team. It may not be possibly for everyone to sit in chairs and roll around like me. But maybe the person assigned to the yards?

I wish I just used 8' fluorescent lights, with the spot lamps to highlight certain scenes or structures. I've recently added 2'x2' drop-ins for the suspended ceiling. They have improved the lighting in the layout room tremendously.

Jimmy

Rolling in chairs

Two of the layouts I operate on regularly have a lower level is that is chair height. On one, the lower level is the third of three decks and is VERY low. We use either rolling stools or the small armless rolling shop chairs. It works quite well and is very comfortable.My experience with these has made me consider a third level in design not as a problem but as a potential feature for visitors who either cannot or do not desire to stand.

The only downside is the proximity to the primary source of layout room methane. Mitigated if everyone sits.

Chris

The only downside is the

Took me about 30 seconds for that to get through my thick skull.  Note you can also mitigate that by minimizing the number of times crews "break for beans".

Jimmy, thanks for the futher clarification!