So you say you want some realistic streetlighting on your route? Well, I'll give you that chance with this content pack. In this streetlight pack, I plan to make simple streetlights on a wooden pole. Just your basic streetlights on a wooden pole, streetlights from many different decades. Many different versions of light on many different types of mast. The neat thing about these streetlight poles are that they fit into my power poles from my Power Pole Pack. So you can mix and match any light with any pole...or, you can just use the pole by itself as a stand alone light. I did this by making the light pole model just a bit smaller (thinner) then the power poles. Once the light pole is placed inside the power pole, you can adjust the height to your own liking. Just add a point light for your ground light pool, and you are set to go with some realistic streetlighting. If you ask me this was far past due in this sim. I'll post more samples as I build them.
Let's not forget the classic radial wave streetlight! One of my favorites. Tried to give it that incandescent color look.
I have the first four street lights done in this second pack. Since I'm getting familiar with making these street lights in Blender, I'm testing the settings inside Blender. It's become a real learning experience for me. Some of these street lights were more tricky to make then I originally thought they would. The NEMA Bucket Light at the far right had some challenges with it due to being textured on both sides. I also had to use some modifiers in Blender to get the shape right with less polys. I'm also testing the lights with the power poles. I'm pretty happy with the progress. It's actually even a little fun! More to come.
You should take a look at snapping points, described in "HOWTOUSE_TS15Tech.pdf" located in \RailWorks\dev\Docs. In this case, you could make the light without the pole, and snap it to snap points on the power pole. Takes less time to place in editor and is more flexible.
Here is one for the old timers. I recall seeing these street lights up until the very early 1970's in this area. I'm sure most areas replaced these types of lights about a decade earlier. The lights were held by a basic long mast and support...no flash, all function. This was back in the time when the electricity for the light was wired right off the pole. During the building of this light, I found that I was using the wrong shader in Blender for the ..."shine"! The problem has been corrected with some of the prior streetlights in this pack.
The last street light was an old one, but this one is even older. This one has it's origins all the way back into the 1920's. Some of the first radial wave street lights. I took the original model and lowered it's poly count, then I went and increased it by adding the bottom wires. Too much? Perhaps, I figured I've gone this far with detailing these overlooked street lights, why not take it one step further? I tried to keep the poly count to a minimum. This makes the 7th streetlight in this series. Looking for about 20-25 lights to finish the pack. Here is look at my next streetlight. This is a General Electric Form 6 streetlight, also from the 1920's...another oldie by goody. This has a round shade with a small globe refractor. Modern light companies used this light to make modern reproductions.
Quick update-I forgot to post this yesterday. Here is the ole time GE Form #6 streetlight from the 1920's. I have it attached to a pole in this screenshot. I was going for a brass color for this fixture, this is the closest I could get without driving myself mad with perfectionist issues. It's complete with wires and insulators on the mast. I also updated the #22 and #21 streetlights with mast insulators as well.
Added two streetlights to the pack today, 2 poles with long sweep arm mast and supports. These streetlights are very common in my area these days. One for the 50's and 60's one for the 70's and up. Pack is now up to 10. Next to be made are some unique alley/light residential type streetlights. Some with unusual light heads.
For the first alley light of this pack, I started out with a bit of an odd-ball type streetlight. It's actual name is the GE Form 110so. A relic from the 50's and 60's, this light was designed with shades to block the light from hitting the residential homes on either side of the road and focus it's light directly down on the street. You might find one of the lights still burning in some old local neighborhood or old forgotten alleyway.
Here the next streetlight...another rare one, depending on which part of the country you are in. This light is a Westinghouse Viscount VB-15. Originally, I only knew of these lights because my current home town used to be filled with them. I thought it was odd that only this borough used these lights for their residential streets. According to my research, these street lights were produced from '71 and '72, however I kind of remember seeing them a bit earlier then that. I could be wrong. I barely knew of my own existence in the late 60's... being born in '64. Later on in life, when I was driving truck for a living, I did manage to see these streetlights in Long Island area and around New England states. I do the research so you don't have too! Only a few more to go for this pack.
Here are 14 streetlights for this pack lined up for your viewing pleasure. For the last light in the pack, I've decided to make a streetlight that can be mounted on any truss type bridge. I haven't decided what light head I will use, but it will probably something older. Once my bridge light is completed, I will release this pack. Someday I will make another streetlight pack, I still got many streetlight ideas rolling around inside my head.
Ok, the streetlight #2 pack is now complete. 15 streetlight on wooden light poles from various eras. You can download this pack from my web site...link to my site is in my sig below. Go to the downloads page. Mix and match these streetlights with my power poles or use them as stand alone scenery items. Next up? Metal power line pack.
