Lionel Polar Express Smoke unit

[Berk765]

Great job but I’m coming in extremely late to the discussion. What was the problem and what is a cherry switch?

I was lucky enough to receive from my daughters a Hogwarts set for Christmas 2008 and I could not have been happier with the quality of the smoke, engine, constant voltage lighting and operating couplers in the coaches. Last April l purchased a 1952 336rr Berkshire at York and though the smoke unit appears to work, I can’t get anything more than a few wispy puffs for about 5 seconds after cooking the thing in neutral at 18 volts for a few mnutes. I’ve tried everything from Lionel fluid [from the hogwarts set] to Protosmooke to 3 different lamp oils. Nothing works. Any thoughts?? And I’ve been thinking about trying to rig some constant voltage into my old Flyers [which always smoked very well compared to the Lionel systems]. Thanks. I really enjoyed your article and admired your ingenuity. Way to go!

Hi! [#welcome] Your smoke unit wicking might be burned. You have to take the locomotive shell off of the chassis and pry off the top of the smoke unit with a screwdriver, and the element should come up with it and you should see the wicking, get some pink insulation material and stuff it down into the bottom of the smoke unit (be shure to not block the holes that are in the bottom of the smoke unit, if you do, the engine will not puff like it should) The smoke unit lid and element should slide back on top, and you should add plenty of fluid to the unit, i’m guessing about 8-10 drops starting off, since its bone dry to begin with. You should be ready to go. I hope this helps you get your 726rr berkshire back in the habit of smoking again. cough cough[swg]

[cottonx56]

hello i have one of these non smokers and it really bugs me and i have try mega smoke and the insulation tricks but aways read there was a better way i not good at electrictronics and have mild arthritis in hands so is doing a non fan smoke unit be easier for me as how would you rate the difficulty for 1 to 10 or is the a hotter element or just get resistors to make the element hotter as i think someone said i not try it but wire smoke unit to rollers i bet i make board go pop i done it once like a fire cacker going of in the car paper every where but it got fix all things can be fix into something if now how and got the money but luonel dont have the parts avaialbe so that they can sell the better berk’s the one’s that talk and smoke thanks but i dont think i able to do this as i cant find the parts but good work

[cottonx56]

where did you find the smoke unit you used as i dont have tmcc so geuss dont need cherry switch as i dont think i can put borad in back and i dont need that much smoke if you still there i cotton 56 so get a hold of me i like to help mine as i really diapointed in it smoke when the mpc out smoke it i cant tell when it need fuel is so bad and you should see the solder mess they didnt to the light it laying over i dont know if bulb will unscrew o well but need help thanks if you still online