I think I would like one steamer with smoke to run on occassion. I dream of a nice looking engine with realistic smoke. I have not found a place to look at one in opperation. I have seen some of the reviews.
I would like to hear from you who have one for your personal evaluation.
Do a search on youtube for MTH engines, the offer HO scale engines with puffing smoke, none are cheap, most are $300+ money wise. Broadway Limited Imports new Paragon 2 series also will have puffing smoke. The older stuff like Bachmann ect that had smoke, just kind of waffied out of the stack and didnt look to realistic. Puffing smoke is a pretty new thing for HO scale, has been around for years in O scale from Lionel and MTH. and S scale from American Flyer. Mike
Art,
I saw an MTH HO Pennsy K4 at a WGH show a couple of years ago and thought the smoke unit was quite impressive. [tup] You can always go to the MTH web site and see the videos that they have available.
Hope that helps, Art…
Tom
I have several MTH’s and I couldn’t be happier with them. I have an art deco loco from MTH too, the Empire State Express and it smokes like a beast. Extremely detailed as well, it rivals brass.
My favorite is the MTH Class J, but if you like the more traditional looking steam locos without all of the streamlining, go with the K4, the Mikado, or the Mohawk, all by MTH. They are also coming out with a NKP Berkshire, but I don’t know when that will be.
When I think of smoke from a steam locomotive, I think of clouds of smoke coming out of the stack.
I’ve yet to see that replicated in HO scale. The only smoke I’ve ever seen from HO steam locos is wisps of smoke like a cigarette burning in an ashtray.
MTH is getting there. Their HO smoke units rival the O gauge stuff. Videos really don’t do them justice, you have to see one in person.
I’ve got a couple of MTH with Smoke and two brass Tenshado with smoke and it’s ore of a PIA then it’s worth. My kid gets a kick out of it and when ever someone comes over and wants to see the trains run who isn’t a MRR person, but other then that I never use em. To me they stink the train room up and are no where near real looking for my taste. Definitely not worth the MTH ridiculous price tag.
Hi Art,
I just took delivery of a BLI Paragon 2 J1e Hudson with sound and a smoke generator. You should give the Paragon 2 steamers consideration. You can see a sample of what they can do at the following link.
http://www.broadway-limited.com/paragon2-3.aspx
I really wasn’t interested in the smoke unit and keep it turned off but it does have a syncronized chuff. I have nothing else to compare it with but it seemed very realistic to me except there is no black smoke.
Bob
I own a shay where I’ve installed a Seuthe smoke unit. Well, it’s not true realistic but it’s fun!
I like it. And it works much better with DCC because there’s always the full voltage.
Wolfgang