Paragon 2 C&O T-1 Smoke Unit removal

[Teditor]

Can anyone advise the procedure for removing the smoke unit in a Paragon 2 C&O T-1, I have the boiler off, smokebox front off and two screws into the weight removed, still can't slide the unit out, anything I am missing.

On the same subject, if the smoke unit burns out, is there a chance it could damage the decoder, I am getting a short on my NCE PowerCab that relates to this problem, hence the reason I wish to remove (discard) the smoke unit.

If I sit the tender on the track alone, I get a short circuit, lift either end so only one truck is picking up and the short goes, put the tender down on the track, remove the decoder plug for tender pickups, no short, connect the loco to the tender, short regardless of tender connections (ie trucks, plug as previously mentioned).

Teditor

[gmpullman]

Teditor

On the same subject, if the smoke unit burns out, is there a chance it could damage the decoder,

I have a PRR T1 that "smoked" the smoke unit — even though it was physically switched off. Yes, it wiped out the decoder, too 

IMG_8102_fix by Edmund, on Flickr

Once I had the boiler off and the smokebox open I found a screw at the bottom of the right-angle bracket you can see in the photo above.

My decoder was also "smoked" and I replaced it with a TCS WOWsound decoder I had on hand. I don't recall that the decoder had shorted across the track but the motor control and all the functions quit.

IMG_8095_fix by Edmund, on Flickr

Other than to evaporate the factory dose of smoke fluid when the T1 was new, I have never used this smoker but look inside the element. It looks like my charcoal grill! 

For my  smoke units are a gimmick and waste of resources (added cost for one thing!) that could be better used for maybe a speaker near the stack or at least more weight.

My T1 burned up while sitting on a siding. I wasn't even running the engine at the time. Even switched off the smoke unit still gets track power from the decoder!

Hope the photos help with your C&O Loco.

Regards, Ed

[Teditor]

Thanks Ed, unfortunately Yahoo wouldn't let me look at the photos in the email, but I will go searching for the screw you mentioned.

I wish to get rid of the smoke unit, should have done so originally, I don't understand putting a gimmick like that with an almost guaranteed damage ability that doesn't have automiatic protection.

Teditor.

[gmpullman]

Teditor

Yahoo wouldn't let me look at the photos in the email

Well, I still have a Photobucket account. Maybe that will work?

(The above photo is rotated, top is bottom, for the bracket)

Hope that works. Sorry if there are pop-up ads- I have no control over that.

Regards, Ed

[Teditor]

Ed,

No problem, all sorted, what happened was the smoke unit cooked (similar to yours) and started to melt the stack, just enough to be noticable and just enough to jam the unit in.

I am assuming the decoder is gone as whenevr track feed gets to the decoder, it produces a short on the NCE PowerCab.

Teditor.

[richhotrain]

I treat the smoke unit like the ice cube maker on our refrigerator. 

I ignore it as a troublesome and unnecessary feature of an otherwise good product.

Rich

[rrinker]

 I love for my icemaker - I pretty much only drink water and no sodas or other sugar drinks, so it's vital.

 You don't have to remove the smoke unit - if you got the wires unplugged. Or if sure you never want it, cut the wires. 

 Not sure how heavy the whole assembly is, but physically removing it might upset the balance of the engine, and with a steam loco, balance is every bit as important as total weight.

                                      --Randy

 

[DigitalGriffin]

Replacing the BLI units with Seuthe units would be a good approach. They are higher quality units. But they don't "puff" I'm certain the one feed wire from the bli decoder is the fan puffer that syncs to the chuff.