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Smoke Output

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Smoke Output
Posted by ccilarry on Saturday, November 5, 2011 7:47 AM

I watch all these cool videos of layouts and see constant smoke output from the engines,  both diesel and steam type.  I have Lionel engines now and of course only get puffs of smoke from the steam units and nothing from the diesels.   I have yet to find any upgrades to make the volumns of smoke that look so great.  Looking for suggestions or engine types to obtain??

Tags: smoke
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Posted by wallyworld on Saturday, November 5, 2011 8:06 AM

What engines do you have that you are referring to? The newer engines have fan driven smoke while the earlier post war units do not which makes a huge difference. It sounds like a repair  rather than an upgrade might be called for.

Nothing is more fairly distributed than common sense: no one thinks he needs more of it than he already has.

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Posted by gunrunnerjohn on Saturday, November 5, 2011 8:15 AM

There is a video somewhere on the Lionel site that suggests improvements to fan driven smoke units.  The major feature is enlarging the hole from the fan or puffer and proper packing of the wick in the unit.  Another option is to use a slightly higher power smoke element if you have one of the lower power ones.

 

Do you run conventional or command/control?

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Posted by sir james I on Saturday, November 5, 2011 8:18 AM

It's true Lionel's newer engines including diesels',  smoke much better. I do find though that it doesn't take long for all that smoke to become annoying. On your older engines try changing the wadding, if it's burnt it does not draw fluid very well.

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Posted by arkady on Saturday, November 5, 2011 8:54 AM

You don't say whether you're running postwar or modern Lionel.  From the fact that you mention diesels, I'm guessing you have modern locomotives.  But just in case, I'll address the postwar steamers:

Are you using pellets or liquid?  Others may disagree, but I never found the pellet smoke to be very impressive at all.  I use liquid in all my PW steam locomotives, and the result is much better.

Are your smoke units clogged with pellet residue?  Might be time to clean them out.  Do you have a wick or pad in the smoke chamber?  If not, I'd recommend installing one.  Also check the movement of the smoke piston.  If it's not moving as the locomotive rolls, it may be jammed and need to be freed up.

And finally, what kind of locomotives are they?  I have a 2026 and 2018, and these engines are very free running, which means they don't draw a lot of current under a light load.  The smoke units don't get all that hot, so unless I put enough cars behind them to make them work, there isn't much smoke.  My 2046 and 681, on the other hand, operate at higher power settings, and put out excellent smoke.

Of course, if you're running modern Lionel, none of this applies.

 

 

 

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Posted by Train-O on Saturday, November 5, 2011 9:17 AM

I agree with arkady, regarding liquid over pellet.

In my post war steamers I use liquid smoke and I get great results.

The newer diesel engines, with smoke units, are designed only for liquid.

My first Lionel smoke diesel was made in 2002, so its smoke unit has to be properly wicked, the air inlet and outlet has to be cleared and the top of the smoke unit has to be properly sealed and carefully tightened down, or the liquid will leak out.
This unit needs only seven, to eight drops of liquid and some cars added, to juice up amperage, for the smoke to start working, even though it has a fan.

Good Luck,

Ralph 

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Posted by ccilarry on Saturday, November 5, 2011 10:45 AM

I am working with a 2037 and a 2065.  I have switched to liquid vs. pellets and there is definitely a difference.  The smoke units have been cleaned.

I also have a Lionel 6-28034 Pacific w/TMCC.  The Pacific does not indicate that it has a smoke unit and I have not taken it apart to look.  I would love to make it smoke if I can.

 

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Posted by rtraincollector on Saturday, November 5, 2011 12:45 PM

you need to read your manual it does have smoke thats why underneath it has a switch for smoke on and off hope its been off as they do burn out if you don't keep fluid in them by the way heres a copy of your manual from lionel off there web site http://www.lionel.com/media/servicedocuments/72-8026-250.pdf

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Posted by Train-O on Saturday, November 5, 2011 1:21 PM

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