Adding a smoke unit too a lionel o27g which never had one

[Anonymous]

Hello all im new to the forum and getting back into setting up a layout but before i get to setting up my layout ,I pull out of my closet a lionel 027g locomotive i purchased it back in 1979 everything still runs great but what i want to do or if can be done is add a smoke unit to this train can it be done or too much involved Thank's Frank

[wrmcclellan]

fheyn853 - tell us the number on the loco and who made it (i.e. Lionel).

Welcome to the CTT forum! [#welcome]

Roy

[Anonymous]

Hi Roy the only # is 8902 it's a lionel train i purchased it back in 1979 in a set made for a food store call Shop-Rite up in NJ,NY.Philly area and thank's for welcome .. Frank

[ChiefEagles]

If there is room. I added one to a dummy unit. Planning on adding one to a powered unit soon but there is plenty of room. Got some pictures. Don't have time to explain tonight. You will need a smoke unit, a bracket [I made my own] and possibly some bridge rectifiers. Tomorrow.

[ChiefEagles]

If there is room. I added one to a dummy unit. Planning on adding one to a powered unit soon but there is plenty of room. Got some pictures. Don't have time to explain tonight. You will need a smoke unit, a bracket [I made my own] and possibly some bridge rectifiers. Tomorrow.

[brianel027]

Frank, if I'm not mistaken I believe this is a DC current powered locomotive with not much room up front in the boiler for a traditional Lionel smoke unit. Most of the standard Lionel smoke units have the light bulb fixture attached to the unit, which also has a piston lever which gets pushed by the steamer drive shaft.

Don't get me wrong - I myself really like these smaller types of Lionel steamers... they are easily repainted to highlight some of the suggested molded in details. I take these steamers and add substantial weight to the unit. I also add an actual headlight, marker lights, extra handrails, and engineer figures. It's even better if the loco has the mechanical sound of steam... which I also modify so it works much better than is.

You could add a Seuthe type of smoke unit to the steamer, but most of the Seuthe units require more voltage than what your loco needs to run. I've experiemented with other types of smoke units with mixed results. I modified an HO smoke unit to go into one of these locos (an 8905) and it did work rather well, except that without the forced air (the way the Lionel unit works) the smoke tends to not float upward, but go directly backwards along the top of the engine.

You might want to consider purchasing one of the very basic Lionel 4-4-2 Columbia type steamers that Lionel has been putting in train sets for years. They are die cast with decent smoke units already in them. You can find used ones for around $50. Another thought is the new Lionel Dockside steamer for just under $100.

As for me, I've given up on smoke units in those lower end Lionel type of steamers like the 8905. I'd rather add extra weight to them instead along with little extra details, and I find they run very well when I'm done with them, and easily pull 8-10 train cars. The mechanical sound of steam compensates for the loss of the smoke unit.

[Anonymous]

ok thank's for all the info lol probley easyer like said to get one with smoke in it thank's brianel for info