Just had the third smoke unit on an MTH loco give up the ghost. Don’t feel inclined to rip apart a 4-6-4 to get to the unit (getting to them didn’t help the smokers on the diesels that came before), so I think that’s it for the smoke. I don’t mean this as an MTH bash; the loco runs flawlessly otherwise. Has anyone else had any success with smoking locos? Or is it not worth the mess and trouble?
Stu
I only have one unit with smoke. It is a Trix Mikado. I don’t like the effect smoke units produce. Looks gimmicky and toylike to me. So I keep it turned off.
I have a few steamers with smoke units but keep them switched off for the same reasons that TZ has given. I just use my imagination. The layout stays cleaner that way. The ladies hanging their outdoor laundry have been most appreciative, as well. [:D]
Tom
Personally, I’m not interested in any of the “toy like” features - smoke, station announcements, or even poor quality loco sound for that matter.
HO is after all 1/87 scale - at best we are pretty “far” from our models in scale feet. Most of these effects are OK or even great in larger scales, but become more toy like as the models get smaller.
Just my view.
And, I don’t really need all the added complexity - My signaling system is complex enough and I consider that necessary for operation.
Not that I would buy an MTH loco anyway, since they don’t run well on DC.
Sheldon
I’ve never had a loco that was supposed to smoke.
Chip
We have nine MTH locos on our HO layout, and we only run them with the smoke on when we have visitors or we’re making a video. They look great, but they can leave an oily film on the tracks so they spend more time in the roundhouse than running. We had some trouble with one smoke unit, and after taking the shell off, I found the wire that came loose, re attached it with solder, and it’s been fine since. I’ve had other problems with wires coming loose on other MTH locos, and my NKP 759 is probably going to have to be repaired by a MTH licensed repairman because, I just can’t figure out what happened to it. The smoke unit still works though! Here are a couple of my favorite vids of our MTH steam:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubPDVKXYDoY&feature=player_detailpage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=Icrf25rGnwA
-Stan
Best smoke I ever saw was out of a Bachman loco. Unfortunately the loco was not supposed to smoke, and the smoke only lasted for a very short time. But long enough to destroy the loco. Thankfully Bachman replaced the loco.
I ran almost exclusively MTH steamers for a couple years and had no problems with the smoke units on any of them. They smoked profusely–which was fine–my youngest son absolutely loved them at the time! (Then, like most kids, he wanted more colorful diesels, like what he actually sees. Now he’s no longer playing with the trains–despite my excessive trading to new power to keep him interested).
My wife has allergies, and even two levels up in the house, could smell the smoke–so she didn’t particularly care for it, although the MTH Christmas scent is pretty good.
We did not have any issues with residue build up on equipment, scenery or furniture, either (as is often alleged with smoking units)–the MTH smoke fluid evaporates over time, and can be used to clean dirt off engines and rolling stock, as well.
I’m sorry the OP experienced issues with them…I was particularly vigilant to never operate the smoke unit when it was running low on fluid.
The last steam era on my layout was a fun time, indeed, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Now I leave steam to the history books, as I too was not there and cannot remember–so of course I prefer the 1970’s freight cars, which I do remember.
John
I have received three different BLI steamers in the past six months. All have a tiny slide switch under the cab to activate the smoke unit. The very first thing I do is to flip the locomotive on its back and slide the switch, if it isn’t already in that position (2/3 were ‘on’) to the ‘off’ position. I don’t want smoke because it would interfere with the illusion I am trying to create with the tinny sound. The smoke isn’t black enough for the coal-fired locomotives, and the wisps just arent’realistic or to scale when the fan isn’t doing its puffing thing. For me, the smoke is like unballasted track. Something’s missing.
Crandell
Smoking is a nasty habit.[tdn][+o(][N] Give it up for your health and those around you – as well as your track, lineside buildings, and scenery.
I got this G scale set up for $20.00 at a flea market. I set it up in the living room to see if it worked. I left it chugging around the oval while I went to get a tool. You can see my kid sitting on the couch in the picture. A few minutes later I heard this “DaaaaaD” I went into the living room and this baby was filling the room with smoke. It never even occurred to me that it would have smoke unit. Stinky stuff. I moved out to the back patio and let it puff away.
After running it one time outside it stopped working. The guy at the Garden Railway Centre said that he never met a smoke unit that was worth the trouble. They spend more time broken he said.[(-D]
I had smoke units in steamers as a child–the Seuthe ones–they worked absolutely fine with only reasonable care and maintenance.
The large scale steamers I’ve owned also smoked well, and my issues were with large scale gearboxes not lasting (particularly LGB’s crappy gearboxes in the disastrous Mikado that utterly destroyed their reputation)–not the smoke units.
In 40 years in this hobby, I have had very positive experiences with smoke units. They worked and lasted well enough.
John
The fan works, the element works (I can smell it). My suspicion on this one is that the wick inside the smoker dried up and pulled away from the element. Fixable – if you can get to it. I HATE disassembling steamers (mostly because I’m no bloody good at it)and I don’t think this is worth the effort. Besides, cleaning off gunk around the stack is getting old, and I haven’t even weathered this unit yet. So I think I’ll slide that switch to off and use my imagination from here on out.
Stu
It’s more of a vapor than smoke. I’ve had all nine MTH locos smoking at the same time and it doesn’t seem to leave any residue on my structures, but the loco and track seem to get oily. I do like the various scents offered, they’re better than the old oil from Marx and Lionel that smelled like burning gun oil. The smokers are cool, they’re just not for every day use. One other thing, if you buy a Walthers roundhouse kit, make sure you drill a hole in the roof for the smoke jack, otherwise your roundhouse will look like it’s on fire!
I’m familiar with one operator who has had great success with smoking locomotives in recent years. Of course those ex-JNR steamers have 550 x 660 mm cylinders and bunkers full of low-quality sub-bituminous that get emptied one scoop at a time…
Shrinking things by a factor of eighty, I have NEVER seen a model that could put out that rolling grey-black cloud, then go to a clear stack when standing. The meager whisps of (looks like) cigarette smoke don’t do it for me visually. Unfortunately, they DO do it for me (and even more so for my wife) when it comes to breathing. We don’t need any more air pollution!
So, like on-board sound and real running water, smoke is on the list of things I’ll happily forego.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with smokeless coal burners)
Chuck:
Your analogy to cigarette smoke is right on. Even with the fan system some locos are equipped with the result to me is rather pitiful. Does anyone remember the Camel cigarette billboards that blew smoke rings? Or am I remembering too far into the distant past?
Joe
I’ve four steamers and they are rather healthy rascals…they don’t smoke [:o)]
Personally I love the smoke from MTH or BLI steamers. Never had a problem with any MTH (I have three), had to send a BLI ( one out of six) for warranty repair, but otherwise no issues. Yes the smoke is light and wispy compared to the real thing, luckily or else we wouldn’t be able to breath! My opinion on the realism though, and I stress it’s MY opinion, others will differ, light wispy smoke is more realistic than no smoke at all. Have you ever seen a real steam engine that doesn’t smoke at all?
Not making light of your misfortune, but this made me laugh out loud! [(-D]
Having read some of the replies and been enlightened by them, I’d just like to say…OMG! I laughed so hard I almost fell out of my chair when I read the title of your post and your “name”. Thank you for making my day.
Lou