Best Smoke Unit? Pellet VS Liquid

Thomas,

Your postwar steamers can be converted to liquid units easily but I would leave the pellet types in there. You can use either pellets or a few drops of liquid into those units. Also, you can add a small amount of wicking to the bottom or under the ceramic resistor-just don't block the air hole coming up from the bottom.

I prefer pellets. I think their aroma is more pleasant, and I would rather deal with the dust the pellets generate, as opposed to the oil vapors (where do they go?)

Trainz is marketing smoke pellets that match the characteristics of the original Lionel SP ones. Many parts dealers seem to carry them, or you can get them directly from Trainz, and on Ebay.

Like CW I prefer pellets, but we're both old school.

Recently I overhauled a customers 2035.  The original heater was shot and I noticed fluid residue on the wicking.  The customer requested I rebuild to a liquid unit because smoke fluid is more readily available.

I used a typical 27ohm Lionel resister, plastic cap and new wadding and gasket.  It worked great, at first.   The customer called and said the engine was running fine when all of the sudden the smoke drastically increased and he saw an orange glow down the stack.

I took it apart and found the cap melted, the resister burnt and the wadding charred.  First time this has happened to one of my rebuilds.  Any ideas as to what may have caused the problem?  I've done sevefral of these and this was a first.

I rebuilt using a repo pill unit with metal cap and new wadding.  Gave the customer a bottle of pellets.  All is working OK now and he and his son are pleased.

The pellets melt into a liquid anyhow, everyone I know just uses liquid smoke with no problems. The number one problem I have ever found with smoke units is not either putting a pellet or liquid in and eventually burning out the smoke unit. As far as aroma there are so many smoke scents out there now it sure isn't like it used to be with just one smell.

No need to convert PW smoke units to liquid. I replace worn out elements with pill type and use Megasteam fluid with them and they work great.

Roger

Ditto.  No need to worry about keeping them "wetted" or turned off either.

Another vote for the pellets.

When you smell a turkey cooking you automatically flashback to Thanksgiving day.

When I smell a pellet cooking, it is a flashback to Christmas as a child, since we had a Lionel turbine puffing in the living room.

http://www.psychologytoday.com...er-positive-memories

Had a similar incident happen to a 675 I had given to my nephews for their layout. The smoke dramatically increased for a few seconds and then it belched a small fireball about 3 inches into the air, after that nothing. Took it apart and mine was charred similarly as yours. Rebuilt it using a pellet type and it worked fine afterwards.

Jerry

So, which type of smoke unit is your favorite?

I prefer pellet type also, it works with both.

Art

MARX, with the great great smelling fluid!

As a kid I loved the liquid, now an adult I prefer the pellets (aftermarket).

I prefer the pellet type as well. As said before, no need to worry about them running out of smoke (doesn't damage them), they can handle both liquid and pellets, and they produce enough smoke for me.

Actually, I just brought my 675 to school for a layout for the kids, and they love the amount of smoke that it puts out with the pellet unit (using liquid Megasteam, Nada, to try to cut down on the smell).

Old trains are like old cars.  They were great in the day.  I am very happy to see guys keep them going.  This is where most of us started.  They were easy to work on and just about everyone can fix them.  I always wonder what will be showing up in years to come.