Hello Everyone,
This is my first time using this forum, so please bear with me. Does anyone know if you can convert an old lionel steam engine from a pellet smoke unit to the newer liquid smoke units. preferrbly the new fan driven types. What are the names of the companies and do they have websites?
Thank you, John F. touloupis
Welcome John,
There is a kit available which allows you to make a fluid type smoke-unit out of your pellet smoker. I guess others can tell you where you can buy it.
Some postwar steamers have plungers which pu***he smoke out of the steamchest and in my pellet-type steamer I also burn liquid without conversion-kit. (But I’m not recommending it.)
If you want to build in a fan-type unit, you should seek for repair items from MTH or Lionel, but they are rather expensive (about 50 dollars for the fandriven unit at MTH).
Smoke pellets are also still available, also those ads are in the CTT or try a google search. Probably others can tell you excact where to buy those.
You don’t need to switch unless you just like fluid better. You can again buy pellets at
http://www.toytrainsunlimited.com/
FOTIOS,
Additionally, not many older Lionel locos have enough room for a fan driven smoke unit.
New smoke pellets are the best way to go. You’ll get that nostalgic aroma. I have these and they are great.
If you wi***o investigate what is possible, contact Train America Studios and they will be glad to help you out.
http://www.tastudios.com/turbo_smoke.htm
The only other source of fan driven smoke units are Lionel and MTH via their parts departments. The issue will be whether the units they sell will fit and you are on your own. They only support what goes into their current products.
Welcome to the CTT forum!
Roy
I’ve never seen a whole lot of point in converting engines to liquid smoke. Pellet units work just fine if you feed them a few drops at a time. Just don’t overdo it and flood them.
Personally, though, I much prefer the scent of pellets to that of liquid smoke.
Atleast someone finaly got around to reproducing the smoke pellets, I have a pair of original Lionel smoke pellet bottles, but they only get used around Christmas or other special occasions. Other times I use smoke fluid or now the new pellets.
is an original bottle of lionel smoke pellets (full) worth anything? Just wondering if it’s ok to use them or if I should save them and buy a bottle of the new stuff.
A full bottle(50 pills or so) with minimal or no powder will bring a pretty penny-maybe as much as $60. Price decreases with number of pills and amount of powder. A bottle with one or two pills and maybe a little bit of powder will only be worth $5.
If I had a full bottle, I would definitely leave it on the shelf and buy a new bottle for $15.
[#ditto]
I reserve my original Lionel pellets for special occasions. Christmas and when we entertain on new years eve I will use a pellet or two, but I have had these pellets for years, well before the prices went thru the roof and before they reproducing them.
Hello
Yes I agree with everyone above, It just is not worth it in the long run to switch to the conversion kit. Although you can, (which I can do for you) convert them, they will eventually burn out.
Its usually best, if you are planning on to use the pellet unit, to get it professionally cleaned and checked.
Many boys in the early lives of these locomotives put 2 or more pellets in their steamers, thinking it will make the loco smoke better!![:D][:D] But really, the smoke unit can’t “digest” (burn) all of that pellet residue. So, after awhile, it will build up. I once cleaned a 2025’s unit that had it almost COVERED in old pellet residue.
I can clean that unit for a very small price ( depending how long it will take, probably about 1/2 hor- 45 min) plus a price of a new unit, if needed.
Just email me to schedule the cleaning of the unit, my busness card is in my signature.
since there is a company now making pellets. Keep it original
Gary