Helping a friend bring a 2020 back to life. It's making smoke but not puffing. I'm not all that familiar with the 2020 but it doesn't seem to have a puffing mechanism like my 2055. Does the 2020 have a puffing mechanism?
It should puff. Should be the same set up as the 671.
2020
http://pictures.olsenstoy.com/2020.htm
671
http://pictures.olsenstoy.com/cd/locos/loc671p5.pdf
Joined 1-21-2011 TCA 13-68614
Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL.
The very first turbines (1946) had a pin on the back of one front wheel that tripped a lever to puff the smoke. The rest of the turbines had a cam mounted to the center of the front axle that lifted a lever to operate the piston. (shown in the diagram linked above)
cwburfleThe very first turbines (1946) had a pin on the back of one front wheel that tripped a lever to puff the smoke.
My experience is that the flapper wears out long before the pin.
Rob
I've had a few turbines on which the pin was loose or missing.
It would help knowing what version you are dealing with. Is it the 1946 version, or the later ‘47-50’s version. If it is the later version, the smoke lever could be gummed up, and stuck in the up stroke position, and unable to give the puffing action. Either version, has different problems, with different fixes. More info on what you have???
Took it apart this morning and found the lever was working properly. This is a cam operated unit and no issues there. Upon closer inspection there's a tiny hole in the base of the smoke unit that was clogged with smoke pill residue ... cleaned it up so the air can now pass into the smoke unit and it's puffing great. Thanks
Kinda looked something like this didn't it?
Kids especially had a tendancy to cram smoke pellets down the stack until they were sticking out the top!
Trains, trains, wonderful trains. The more you get, the more you toot!
My understanding, was that those kids wanted more smoke- and well, how many of us followed that age old philosophy of “more is always better” when we were kids? Extra syrup tastes better on pancakes, a steeper Hill makes for a much more fun sled ride, more pellets must make the smoke more spectacular, riiiighhhhht?
however, most of us know now, that not only was that not the case, but in fact, adding extra pellets is a recipe for disaster- cloggs up the smoke unit, and even lessens the smoke output. And once it cools down, you might not get any smoke out of it for a while.
Some kids “fixed” this issue, by increasing the voltage waaayyy up, while the loco was in neutral, to melt the pellets again, but this shortens the life of the smoke unit considerably!
At least we know better now!
"Unless bought from a known and trusted dealer who can vouch otherwise, assume every train for sale requires servicing before use"
I have to plead guilty to that myself, although I never went as far as Penny Trains example. I DID try to kick things up a notch by adding Marx smoke fluid!
Pretty good stuff, Marx smoke fluid, I've got a Marx 4-4-0 that's over 50 years old and has never had smoke fluid added since I was a kid, but when I put it on the track and shoot the juice to it it still smokes like crazy!
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