BLACK SMOKE FOR STEAM ENGINE'S

[Anonymous]

I WAS ASKED TODAY WHILE RUNNING,IF I KNEW ANYWAY TO MAKE STEAM ENGINE'S PRODUCE BLACK SMOKE,AS IN REAL LIFE>>>>>>> DOES ANYONE KNOW IF THIS IS POSSIABLE??????? AKA HUB THANKS

[BRAKIE]

Hub,Most railroads had a black smoke rule.Simply put,putting out black smoke was frown upon due to the complaints receieved for the general public.Woe be to the hapless fireman that put out to much black smoke and was reported.Any time some one was spotted with a camera along the tracks the crew would think the company photographer was out and about checking for black smoke rule volations.Ofcouse there was times when black smoke could not be help as on a hard pull on a grade,starting out,coal with to much slate in it or a faulty locomotive that was not burning her fire right for some reason.I hope this helps in some way.

[Anonymous]

In addition to what Larry has already pointed out black smoke indicated the incomplete combustion of the loco's fuel weather it was coal or oil. Railroad management equated this to wasted $$$ and like Larry said woe be unto the poor fireman that didn't build his fire right or did not keep it hot enough. Some steam locomotives were equipted with "smoke lights" This was simply a sheilded light bulb mounted near the stack. If the crew could not see the bulb burning then the smoke was too thick. Keep in mind that the "white smoke" one sees from the stack of a loco is spent steam from the cylinders that is exhausted through the smokebox/stack in order to create additional draft to promote the more complete combustion of the fuel. So "white smoke" is not altogether unprotypical especially on a cold day! HA HA!!

As to creating black smoke from a model loco it would seem to me that would require the actual ignition and burning of a high carbon based substance. I don't that could be accomplished in a DC powered HO locomotive. I have however seen some live steam O and G scale locos that smoked fairly realistically but that was do to the fact that they were actually powered by the burning of coal or oil. Besides...the mess would be too much to handle on an inside layout!! HA...Take care and have fun...Vic

[Anonymous]

YO VIC: CAN THIS BE DONE OR NOT I AM RUNNING ON O SCALE (LIONEL) layout,not the small guy stuff,i showed your answer along with the other,and it looks as if we are getting thr run around,i have tried different sences,beside what is on the market and get different smell,everything i have added is a type of oil,safe to use on your skin,its made by ,dr young(young living essential oils) payson utah

[Anonymous]

Hi Vincent, I'm not really sure what you are asking but there was some smoke fluid around at one time that smelled like coal smoke. I carried it in my hobby shop for awhile but it was a poor seller. I think that the company that made it was called MICROS but I'm not sure....they also made some other solutions...bakery...hay...wood...and even manure!!!!.... Dont know if its still around or not as I have been out of the hobby business since the early 90's. I simply don't know what ( if anything) would produce black smoke from a model loco. Since model locos produce "smoke" by heating, rather than burning a substance it just seems unlikely to me that it can be accomplished. If I ever run up on something that will I'll certainly post it here. Take care and have fun..Vic

[BNSFNUT]

Hi Vincent:
Like Vic I remember that scented smoke stuff from when I was in the hobby bussines in the early 90's and remember that for some reason it became unavailible.
As to black smoke as it has been said it was a NO NO. I fired stationary steam for a while some years back (most likly the last steam sawmill in PA) and it makes me shudder when I go near a steam locomotive and see black smoke. If had run a dirty fire like I'v seen at the mill I would have been fired on the the spot. Old time firemen on the railroad prided them selfs on how clean a stack they could run.
Clear blocks Jerry

[Anonymous]

If you are determined to produce black smoke in your locos I suggest you try a theatrical supplier. They supply oils for stage smoke generators which are simply bigger versions of those in model trains-mind you a gallon lasts an awful long time.

[Anonymous]

Not sure what scale you are in, but if you have die-cast boiler shell, you might try a kerosene wick-type burner. A kerosene flame that is not fed enough oxygen will create black smoke. I'm not sure if I would want to clean up your basement after a few operating sessions, but that could achieve the desired effect. You would probably want to install a tank in the tender, and run an enclosed wick into the smokebox of the loco. Deprive the flame of enough air, then you will have black smoke. Of course, this will NOT work with plastic models. Try that, and you'll have ALL KINDS of black smoke! And an insurance claim.
Hope this helps, Todd C.