No smoke from my steamer

[mikesmowers]

    I got a Bauchmann 2-6-2 Prairie with smoke and I put a few drops in the smoke stack like the instructions said and nothing happened. I put a few more drops after a while and still no smoke. What could the problem be? If I knew how the smoke device worked I might figure out what is wrong. Also, How does the shell come off of a steamet like this?    Thanks      Mike

[loathar]

I know you can put too much oil in and drown the element out. Turning it upside down and letting it dry out might help. Are you sure it said to put the oil down the smoke stack? I know the old Tycos, you had to pull the bell and put it down that hole. (or it could just be broke)

[tstage]

Mike,

I think your 2-6-2 Prairie is probably telling you:

"Miiiiiiiiiike, I don't think it's a goooooood ideeeeeeeea to have smooooooke on your layouuuuuut!"

At least that's how I would interpret it.

Tom 

[tstage]

Are you sure it said to put the oil down the smoke stack? I know the old Tycos, you had to pull the bell and put it down that hole. (or it could just be broke)

On the old American Flyers, you put it down the smoke stack.

Tom 

[betamax]

Did you check for a small switch to turn the unit on?

[UP2CSX]

I'll second Loathar. I know the first steam engine I had that smoked...well...I wanted to see some smoke. Nothing after five minutes so put some more smoke fluid down the stack. Still nothing so I added some more. I thought it was broken but I ran the same engine a few weeks later and, by golly, it started to smoke after about 10 minutes. I think I just put in too much smoke fluid for the heater coil to vaporize. Turn yours upside down to let any accumulated smoke fluid drain out and then wait a few days. Add TWO drops of smoke fluid and run the engine for at least 10 minutes. If you see smoke, it works. If you don't. it's broken. If it's broken, it's really not worth bothering with since the smoke doesn't look anything like real locomotive smoke and it stinks.

[SteamFreak]

The smoke unit is a square cup that fits into a recess in both halves of the split frame, and the heater wire picks up electricity where it's wound around two posts that contact the frame halves. If the unit isn't seated all the way down, it won't make contact. You can lift the shell by removing the long screw between the drivers, and you can remove the smoke unit by loosening the front screw that holds the frame halves together.

The smoke unit is just a coil of nichrome wire wrapped around a steel tube with a glass insulator, so be careful because it's easily damaged. Don't poke any tools down the stack!

Even when they work, the smoke doesn't last long, and they tend to spit a lot of the fluid, especially when overfilled. Smoke is usually a headache in HO, and better left to the larger scales where electrical pickup isn't as touchy. 

[SD60M]

    I got a Bauchmann 2-6-2 Prairie with smoke and I put a few drops in the smoke stack like the instructions said and nothing happened. I put a few more drops after a while and still no smoke. What could the problem be? If I knew how the smoke device worked I might figure out what is wrong. Also, How does the shell come off of a steamet like this?    Thanks      Mike

After my experiences with bachmann steamers(0-6-0, and 4-8-4) you have to floor the throttle for a minute and it will start to puff small smoke clouds and they will get bigger as you run it for a while. If that doesnt work than you have a bad smoke unit and you should call bachmann and replace it! BTW there are clips that hold the shell to the frame they are located by the cylinders push them off the frame with a screw driver and the shell will pop off.

-Kade