O-Guage train

[Penny Trains]

There's also the liability issue that went with producing pellets that could be easily swallowed by a younger sibling or a family pet.

[balidas]

Yes. very interesting! Thanx Bob!

[cwburfle]

The smoke pellets are corrosive.  I think they are ammonium nitrate.

Only Lionel #196 smoke pellets, made and used in 1946 were corrosive. By 1947 the smoke units were redesigned. As Bob Nelson wrote, the smoke pellets for these smoke units (Lionel #SP) are meta-terphenyl., and generally are not considered to be corrosive or toxic.

Were one to find some 196 smoke pellets, they almost certainly would be decomposed into a solid white block.
The 196 pellets came in a small, clear plastic container with a spring clip designed to hold the cover tightly in place. At one time the emplty containers themselves were considered collectable, and were rather expensive.

The article that Bob linked is an interesting read.

[lionelsoni]

They're meta-terphenyl:  http://ctt.trains.com/en/Collecting/Best%20of%20CTT/2010/09/Smoke%20Pellets.aspx

[servoguy]

The smoke pellets are corrosive.  I think they are ammonium nitrate.  The fluid is oil based.  Frankly, I am not eager to breath the smoke from either one, but the smoke sure does look cool.

Bruce Baker

[SantaFe158]

I honestly have no idea, just giving my opinion.

[cwburfle]

SantaFe158

I think it was because the fluid was a little safer, maybe cheaper to produce and worked a little better. They do make reproduction pellets but they are kind of expensive. As I mentioned before, try JT's Megasteam in your locomotive, I know it works well in all of mine. Especially my 736 berkshire which smokes better than any other postwar locomotive I have, even on pellets.

Is the fluid a litter safer?
I'd rather have the dust from smoke pellets in the air, as opposed to oil vapor.

[SantaFe158]

I think it was because the fluid was a little safer, maybe cheaper to produce and worked a little better. They do make reproduction pellets but they are kind of expensive. As I mentioned before, try JT's Megasteam in your locomotive, I know it works well in all of mine. Especially my 736 berkshire which smokes better than any other postwar locomotive I have, even on pellets.

[American Flyer Trains]

Thanks for the advice, i thought i had to do a conversion. Why did they stop making pellets.

[rtraincollector]

If your pellet unit works I agree just put a couple drops of fluid in your stack instead don't put to much in as it will run all over the track and all but 2 -3 drops is fine.

[SantaFe158]

There are kits you can buy to do the conversion. Before you buy that though I just want you to know, fluid works fine in the pellet units. Pellet units won't burn out if you let them run dry like a fluid one will so as long as your pellet heater works I'd just leave it alone. I've been using JT's Megasteam in my 736 Berkshire and it smokes better than my fluid units do.

[American Flyer Trains]

Does anyone know how to convert the old pellet type smoke units to smoke fluid?