Burning switch tower smoking diner

[mikeberry]

I have a burning switch tower and it never seemed to produce much smoke.  I just received my "new" 6-12722 smoking diner today and wow does that put out some smoke. 

Does anyone know if the burning switch tower is supposed to put out any more than a little stream of continuous smoke from the smoke generator?  Everything is hooked up correctly and I have 17V at the base of the tower.  The lights and the action part also work correctly.  I have seen a couple burning switch towers in videos and they all look really cool with lots of smoke.  Mine takes about 2-3 min. before you can start to see smoke coming out from under the roof. 

If the switch tower worked like the diner it would be awesome.  I have been very disappointed with the smoke output from the switch tower since I bought it "new".  Both pieces are NOS.

Any help would be really appreciated.  I am not up on any of the modern Lionel stuff.  I have no fear of taking it all apart if need be.

Thanks,

Mike

[KRM]

Hey Mike,

 Sorry I can't help but I have a UNION PACIFIC E/V CABOOSE W/SMOKE # 6-19706 that is anything but a good smoker. Same thing.

I think  Lionel had their eyes closed when they made these.

Kev

[Anonymous]

Mike,

             Lionel installed Seuthe smoke units in the switch tower and diner.  I've had some that puffed smoke violently, and others that only put out a thin string of smoke.  About the only thing you can do is try different Seuthe units until you find one that is strong.  These smoke units are what also turned me against Williams steamers.

[Seayakbill]

I have both also, the diner blows away the switch tower.

[mikeberry]

Thanks for the replies, guys!  With your info. I now have another question.  I seem to remember reading that you should never use any smoke fluid other than fluid made for Seuthe smoke units.  Something along the lines of the thicker fluid can clog the Seuthe unit.  I have a bottle of LGB fluid which would be acceptable for Seuthe units.

Have you guys heard of such a thing?  Maybe this is what is wrong.  My diner seems to work fine though with my JT's Mega Steam. 

[SantaFe158]

I've used JT's in my Williams steamers and it smoked just fine.  I haven't even cracked the bottles that came with the locomotives open yet.

[mikeberry]

I don't think the burning switch tower I have has a Sleuthe unit.  It has a resistor that heats up.  The only breakdown of the burning switch tower that Lionel has shows what looks to be a Sleuthe unit, but it is an older tower and still uses the guy attached to the string and the plunger.

Here is the parts list for my switch tower.  Maybe if they used the Sleuthe unit the switch tower would work alot better.

http://www.lionel.com/customerService/ReplacementParts/index.cfm?doAction=productPartFilter&number=6-24232&productID=3082440c-527d-41fe-97ad-59ad08d6f591

http://ctt.trains.com/en/Operating/QA/2007/08/The%20right%20smoke%20fluid%20for%20toy%20trains.aspx

[Anonymous]

mikeberry

Thanks for the replies, guys!  With your info. I now have another question.  I seem to remember reading that you should never use any smoke fluid other than fluid made for Seuthe smoke units.  Something along the lines of the thicker fluid can clog the Seuthe unit.  I have a bottle of LGB fluid which would be acceptable for Seuthe units.

Have you guys heard of such a thing?  Maybe this is what is wrong.  My diner seems to work fine though with my JT's Mega Steam. 

Mike,

           I can confirm that.  Thicker fluids like Super Smoke can clog the tube in Seuthe units.  Mega Steam is thinner so it should be fine.

[mikeberry]

Thanks for clarifying that JT's is ok to use in Seuthe smoke units.  I also just hooked up the switch tower to 18.5V and it is smoking much better.  Not like the diner, but it is still working well now.  I guess the extra 1.5V was just enough to raise the temperature to where it was needed to smoke effectively.  I am now happy with the results.  Thanks for everyone's help!!

Mike