K-Line Smoking Caboose Question

Is it possible the graphics are worn and it used to say "TMCC/RS"?  (I know the slash is in the wrong spot by one character too, based on your text, but I've seen worse typos)

I'm not suggesting RS would have any impact on the caboose operation, but maybe they labeled the switch that way (like maybe the graphic was used somewhere other than cabooses also?)

If that is the TMCC/conventional switch, you are correct to leave it in Conv.  These switches came to be because cabooses with smoke from before TMCC existed can easily melt their roof or other body areas with a full 18 V on the track all the time.

-Dave

Dave, you are correct.  Here's the underside showing the switch.

Ah.  Memory clearing, fog lifted. .  TMCC/DCS does make more sense than TMCC/RS.

Note that little plastic "cover" that was used to force an operator to switch it to Conv with specific intent, not just accidentally.  That was a good idea by K-Line, IMO.

If it's on TMCC/DCS and you are running conventional, you will just get low or no smoke (not tragic).  If it's on Conventional and you run TMCC/DCS at full 18V on track, you can get melted caboose (obviously more of a negative impact to the unit).

-Dave

You probably don't want to see anything like this.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

You probably don't want to see anything like this.

.......................

It's good to see those examples to remind us!

Situations like this are probably part of why I got in a habit early in my involvement with the hobby of not running TMCC or DCS at full 18 Volts all the time.  

I don't (often ) feel the need to run fast enough that I need all 18 volts on the track to get up to the speed I want.  I don't sweat the lights being a little dimmer than they might be at 18, as long as the command functionality continues to work.

-Dave

So based on Dave's last posting, I shouldn't run the caboose with my LC+ loco ?   I ran it for a couple of minutes tonight with my LC+ A5.  The stack got quite hot and the body near the stack got warm.  

Would running the caboose with 18 volts to the track mean that it should be switched to the TMCC/DCS position ?

Yes!  (meaning yes, change the switch - It's OK to run it, just not the way I originally stated).  If you are running the LC+ with the remote, that's effectively Command mode, just a new less featured flavor of command mode that didn't exist when the label was printed. 

If you are running the LC+ truly conventional with varying the transformer voltage, you likely wouldn't have it set at 18 volts all the time, and then setting the switch to the Conventional position would be appropriate.

Since you are using 18 volts on the track continuous for your LC+ engine, leave the switch in the TMCC/DCS position.

I said the other way before because you stated conventional, which means varying voltage to the track to speed up or slow down your engine.  As much as this new LC/LC+ may seem like a new flavor of "conventional", for these purposes, it's command.

-Dave

While we're on the subject of K-Line caboose switches does anyone know where I can get one?  I had one go bad.  Thanks.

I believe the switches are the same switch that is used in a wide variety of Lionel, K-Line, and even MTH equipment.  I have a whole bin of them.

I don't run the smoke on K Line Caboose,they  get too hot and also they can melt the spring on the Roller pickup,pick it up After you run and feel the Roller.

Mikey

It’s never been an exciting smoke event anyway...the caboose smoke.

And NEVER let the thing run dry. There's not a lot of capacity in them.

The smoke output is what you might expect to see of the real life counterpart.  It's just okay.  Still, it is another animation that might make visitors take notice.  

DAN, I too really enjoy the smoking cabooses. I was thinking of a good way to protect the caboose from high temperature damage, would be to cycle the smoke unit "off and on" with a N/C (Normally Closed) thermal switch spliced into the wire feeding power to the  unit. Finding the "sweet" spot of where to attach it and what temperature "shut off" to use, would take some experimenting time. I believe it would take too long for the switch to cool down and turn back on if it were attached to the unit, so maybe attaching a low temperature switch (KSD9700 N/C 35C) to the shell, close to the unit, would work better.  https://www.aliexpress.com/ite...-STH/1977398631.html

Dan,

   Best to leave the smoke unit in the OFF position. The smoke is not worth the aggravation. 

JohnB