Holy smoke!!! As a post script to this thread, I added another layer of fiberglass batting to bring it closer to the heating element. So far so good ... the smoke is pretty consistent. Thanks for all the input.
Jim
I am no expert on this as I have not tried other batting materials. Mine all use Lionel batting. My 2025's both smoke for a long time, even still smoking on third operating session without more fluid. I use the method I mentioned about squirting the fluid around the sides of the wire element.
I did not replace the padding with Lionel material ... I used fiberglass batting for homes. If that's not the right stuff suggestions are welcome. I may add some more. Just got home and ran the 2025 and it's smoking up the room and after 4 or 5 minutes the volume drops. Added some more fluid and the heavy smoke lasted only a few times around the layout. All the mechanical components are fine and as arkady wrote the 2055 is free running and needs voltage to smoke. When it's right it quite a smoker!
You mentioned using a pad of fiberglass insulation. When you replaced the pad, did you by any chance cover the air hole in the bottom of the chamber?
If the fiberglass pad is homemade, how thick is it? It may be too thin to hold much fluid.
Does your 2055 have a smoke piston return spring? If not, you might consider installing one.
I don't have a 2055, but my 2026 is extremely free-running and has to pull a load before the smoke really gets going. Maybe the 2055 is the same way.
Did you replace it with a Lionel original type padding? How much fluid are you using?
Roger
A good thought Roger although I'm not sure I'm up to fooling with the element. I'm a strong believer in the saying "if it ain't broke don't fix it". And since this is not broken ...... Clearly the element gets hot enought to push heavy smoke out when it starts up ... I wonder if the heat allows the fluid to drop to the bottom of the smoke chamber?? My gut feeling is that after the engine sits a day or two the fluid saturates the fiberglass padding material and the fluid comes in closer contact to the element. After heating up maybe the fluid moves further away from the element. Do I need more fiberglass padding or possibly replace it with some other material?? Any thoughts on that??
You did not say if you replaced the heater element so I will assume you did not. If you look at the old one, make sure none of the wires wrapped around it touch each other.When you put the unit back in did you make sure the element sits down on the wicking? When you use liquid smoke I found it works much better and lasts longer if you try to squirt the fluid to the sides of the element where the wires wind around on boths sides. I use about 10 drops. You can also unwrap one turn of the nichrome wire and solder it back. This will make it burn hotter. I have never done it myself so cannot offer advise to do it.
Jim,
I don't know the condition of your smoke unit's heating element, but my 2040, from 1950, still smokes great, though I have not taken notice of my engine's smoke lately, it may perform, as your engine's smoke unit does.
I used to use smoke pellets, but now I use smoke liquid and there is no damage done and the volume of smoke is better, than the pellets
JT Mega Steam is great and I have the 'Coal' and 'Diesel' odors and yes I'm old enough to remember the smell of coal fire smoke and of course diesel smoke, and these liquid's odors are quite close to the real thing.
Your engine and mine are two, of the many, of Lionel's Post War great work horses!
Take Care,
Ralph
It's actually smoking better these days. I've had this engine since 1953 and have had it stored for long periods. Prior to the latest usage, it was stored in box for over 15 years. Prior to the latest usage I used pills but was not happy with the smoke production. Forum members suggested a good cleaning and and using fluid. As I said, smoke production has been much better but I'm still puzzled at how heavily it smokes when I start up after sitting for a few days. I guess what I'm saying is that the smoke level diminishes after using it for a while and then after letting it sit for a few days without adding more fluid it smokes heavily for a while and then tails off a bit. Doesn't makes sense to me?
srguy,
Unless, you notice a difference from when you first purchased the engine and now, I believe, what you are describing, is normal.
The main thing to do, with old and new engines. is to keep the heating element supplied a with smoke producing substance, otherwise the heating element will burn out.
On newer engines there's an 'ON' 'OFF' switch.
Older engines, for the most part and what is considered old, do not have such a switch, unless the engine was customized by having a switch installed.
A while back I cleaned out the smoke chamber on my 2055. Cleaned out all the crud and replaced the wicking material with a "pad" of fibergalss insulation and switched from pills to liquid (JT Mega Stteam). The liquid works much better than the pills however the density if the smoke varies. I finally came to grips with the fact that I have to run this engine with many postwar rolling stock and push it above 16V on the KW to get reasonably good smoke production. I find that when the engine sits for several days, the smoke production after 1 or 2 runs around the layout is fantastic .... looks like a picture from a 1950s Lionel catalogue!!! After running for say 5 minutes with great smoke production, the smoke slowly drops off ... still not terrible. Even after adding a couple of drops of fluid it smokes heavily for a brief period and then drops off. Any ideas on how to keep the smoke volume up??
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.
Get the Classic Toy Trains newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month