While on vacation in Berlin, MD a few summers ago, I purchased a Lionel 2020 Turbine from 1946. When I got it home, I discovered that it was a poor smoker due to the smoke bulb unit that it used. I had a hotbox reefer that I wasn't impressed with, so I removed the smoke unit and installed it in the 2020. After removing the smoke bulb unit and the associated hardware, the fan driven smoke unit installed without much difficulty. Here is a video of the results.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQOc7jjlwVE
Jim.... Great job. I'm impressed. I have a 671 from 1949 that does not come close to that much smoke. Thanks for sharing.
Chuck
Chuck,
Thanks. The smoke unit heaters that were used in the Turbines built from 1947 on can be adjusted to produce more smoke. I rebuilt a 671 from 1949 and installed a smoke unit that I got from Jeff Kane, and it smokes pretty well. Does yours have any rims on the drivers? This 2020 has a serious appettite for smoke fluid though. It almost smokes too much.
Dang!!! Thats awesome!!!
Give me steam locomotives or give me DEATH!
Berkshire Junction, bringing fourth the cry of the Iron Horse since 1900.
I love the smell of napalm in the morning.
Oops, I mean Smoke Fluid.
Jim, as my grandkids would say, that is totally awesome.
By the end of the video, I couldn't see the train for the smoke. I love it.
Rich
Alton Junction
Does the EPA know about this?
Jim,
That looks like a movie set fog machine.You're really cooking with that smoke unit.
Keep up the good work and thank you for a good idea.
Ralph
JimT.....you've got an email and a PM from me. Jack.
IF IT WON'T COME LOOSE BY TAPPING ON IT, DON'T TRY TO FORCE IT. USE A BIGGER HAMMER.
Remember to put the batteries back in your home smoke detector after you are finished running your train!
Any chance you can come up with the part number for that smoke unit?
Jim....you have put sinful thoughts in my mind. Sitting down on my layout is my friend's 671RR from 1952 with the RR numbering on the cab and the correct 2046W-50 Pennsy tender. Without exaggeration, a C8 and a beautiful sample. I do all of his cleaning and lubrication. He doesn't have a layout and leaves it here so he doesn't have to drag it back and forth from his place when he comes over to run trains. I don't run it when he is not here for fear I will put a scratch or a mark in it!
Isn't possession 9/10 of the law? I could tell him someone broke into my house, got past the Doberman, and stole it. Then only take it out of hiding when he isn't here.
Sweet 2020! BTW......that smoke is sick!
Jack
All,
Thanks for the compliments. I don't have a part number for this particular unit, but there was a thread a few months back that covered installing a fan driven unit into a Polar Express berk. The unit that was used is similar to the unit that I used except for the location of the connectors. It will work just fine though, and the conversion is 100% reversible.
Here is the info for the smoke unit.
8057-200 Fan-Driven Smoke unit
Of the 671, 681, 682 and the 2020, did any of Turbines come in a set with passenger cars? Jim.....what were those you were running in your video? Thanks, Jack.
Jack,
The 671 came in a set with the green 2400 series cars in 1948, and the 681 came in a set with the silver 2400 series cars in 1950. There may be others, but that is all that I can think of right now. The 2020 was pulling the Madison cars from the Conventional Classics GG1 set in the video. I just opened the Sager Place observation a week before Christmas, and I've had it since it was released last summer.
Thanks.....so while there were no 2020 sets with passenger cars there were other Turbines that did. I think your consist looks better than the Streamliners would. Jack.
Jim, tell me that it's not true! Every time you run that 2020 the Fire Department shows up. Wow! Really cool conversion.I like it!Cobrabob.
Toy Trains, they are not just an adventure, they are a way of life !
It seems to me that all things being equal the 2020 and the other turbines would have more low end grunt because the smaller drive wheels make for a lower overall drive ratio (higher numerical) and make for smoother very low speed operation. No?
What you say would be true if they had the same drive train. I don't have an easy way to compare; but I'll bet that their worm wheel diameters are more-or-less proportional to their driver diameters. The worm wheels do have different part numbers and appear, in the drawings at least, to follow that rule. That would result in similar track speed for the same motor speed, all else being equal.
Bob Nelson
What voltage were you running the track on? I'm thinking of dropping that unit into my LionMaster T-1 if it will fit!
Jon
green97probeHere is the info for the smoke unit. 8057-200 Fan-Driven Smoke unit
Jim: I tried to order this part, but couldn't find it by this number. Do you have a more complete number? I have a Turbine with a burned out smoke unit just waiting to be fiddled with!
Jon,
I copied that info from the thread about installing a fan driven unit into a Polar Express berk.
The 2020 was fun while it lasted. The smoke unit went up in flames a few minutes ago, and I am not sure how extensive the damage is at this point. The smoke unit that I used was from a hotbox reefer, and I wouldn't suggest that anyone use that part for the conversion. The part number that I listed is for a smoke unit that is designed for locomotives, not the hotbox.
I have done some searching, and Brasseur's has the 8057-200 smoke for $30. I might be ordering one too. The hotbox smoke unit is beyond crispy now. Fortunately, no other damage was done.
http://www.brasseurelectrictrains.com/service/lionel/8010to8200.asp
I ordered one of those for my LionMaster T-1 last night.
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