I am concerned about my son inhaling the smoke from his RailKing which is made by drops of mineral oil (Proto-smoke). The bottle gives pretty heavy warnings about ingesting it…it is toxic. I’ve been doing some research and found one thing about inhaling - something about it forming a mass on the lungs over time. Can anyone tell me if Proto-smoke is dangerous when inhaled? Thanks.
Absolutely not safe to breathe too much. Can cause pneumonia. Read this Wikipedia information about mineral oil, particularly the part about breathing the vapors.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineral_oil
Some people even have allergic reactions to smoke fluid vapors. I don’t have an allergy to it, but don’t attend any train show where it’s in use if I know about it ahead of time, and we do not allow its use in our club due to the offensive smell and the oily film it leaves on everything.
Try propylene glycol. It is safer and is used in smoke machines all the time. Many commercial smoke fluids use it as a base. Otherwise, if you know someone who works in a chemical lab, maybe they can order it in a large (and very cost effective) quantity from Sigma or Fisher Scientific.
If you can see smoke it means that there are solid particles rising in a column of hot gases. Ingesting bits of stuff into our lungs is not a good idea. Irritation and allergic reactions are much more likely than any build up of stuff. The body tries to clean any foriegn material out… by producing coughs, sneezing and mucus.
If you think about tobacco smoking … you have to smoke pretty heavily to get a “mass” in your lungs… but you are clogging things up with all the gundge in there. The more likely “mass” would be a cancer showing as a “mass” in an Xray of the lung. DON’T PANIC though… unless he’s got the loco chimney stuffed up his nose 24/7 he’s probably at more risk from everyday secondary smoking… and all the tons of particles we pump out into the atmosphere in ordinary everyday life.
Think cigarrettes, illegal substances, solvents and exhaust fumes. Even the politicians aren’t so daft as to swallow… so they claim…
If he’s chasing it round sniffing he’s probably getting stoned… may be too young to realise what he’s achieving…
Life used to be so simple [sigh]
Yes, it is dangerous. My neighbors youngest son almost died from complications of pnuemonia that was traced back to the use of smoke oil on his railroad layout. They stopped using it immediatly but it wasn’t soon enough to stop the boy from having damage done to his lungs.
Yes, I don’t go near the stuff. [2c] My imagination is good enough for me.
I think it’s safe to say he wouldn’t get stoned from sniffing vaporized mineral oil. [;)]
Shouldn’t be breathing it, no doubt, but that’s not the reason why.
Maybe you should ask Bill Clinton. He only inhaled…
Tom
[(-D]
I’m not exactly sure where on the bottle it gives a heavy warning about ProtoSmoke.
All I know of is the “Should not be taken internally, although harmless if swallowed accidentally.”
I work in a train store with a decent O gauge layout that usually runs two MTH ProtoSound 2 steam engines with the smoke units on full blast. Sometimes an articulated that puts out enough smoke for two engines…I’ve been breathing in this stuff for three years, and have accidently swallowed some; and haven’t any concerns…Except the taste of coal scented fluid in my mouth…
In the model world, diesel is much less unhealthy than steam 
Thank you so much for the info. It is much appreciated.
Your welcome. Enjoy your hobby time with your son.[tup]
I love Wikipedia, but it is FAR from the gospel.
Commercially available “smoke” these days is made from propylene glycol. The stuff from ‘Sierra’ and other environmentally friendly anti-freezes. It is supposedly harmless, and passes thru the organs of mammals without being absorbed or reacted. The particles that make it visible are little particles of the glycol. It is not good for traction when it settles on the rails. But, it won’t harm you, so get a flavor you like and inhale away.
The same advice does not apply to any petroleum based substances. That stuff can kill you.
Use propylene glycol to treat ketosis (energy crisis) in cattle. Can get it by the gallon from vet supply store, about $20 per gallon. If you can’t get it locally try NASCO 800-558-9595.
Good luck,
I brought this issue up myself about six months ago, and have to agree with all of those that are against exposure to model loco smoke!.. I have terrible asthma, and can’t go near it, yet I have a friend (Robert) that’s constantly pouring mineral oil down his steam locos so they’ll smoke because he says he gets bored with them if they don’t do something more than just run around the layout. He also gets real angry with me when I tell him I can’t be around it. I’m sure his chronic cough is just the beginning of lung problems that he’ll face down the road…
Tracklayer
If it shouldn’t be ingested, it certainly shouldn’t be inhaled!!!
Mineral oil = petroleum = bad for lungs
Here is the MSDS for it: http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/M7700.htm
PG is ok, but I wouldn’t go overboard with it. It is more environmentally “friendly” that EG, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have health hazards. MSDS gives it a 1 for health, which means it’s relatively safe, unless inhaled/ingested in large amounts. For purposes of model railroading, it should be ok.
MSDS for PEG: http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/p5029.htm
If I were you, I would offer to buy him a big jug of propylene glycol if he promises to not use the mineral oil when you are there. The vet supply store previoulsy mentioned sounds like a good source.
Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.
Tracklayer
Liquid vaseline is a mineral oil, and sometimes we drink it…so?..