disappointed with jts megasteam

My experience is exactly the opposite.  I bought a used locomotive that obviously had had the chocolate scent used in it prior to my receiving it.  I'm still smelling chocolate, even though I've added fluid several times.  The boys at the modular club asked right away where the chocolate scent was coming from, it was obviously recognizable. 

Personally, I use the NADA scent, and I'm trying to flush the chocolate scent out of the locomotive.

This is quite interesting. Mostly everyone on this forum has said that JT's Megsteam is the best smoke fluid out on the market by far. I have a bottle of NADA smoke fluid and have yet to try it. I use MTH protosmoke in my MTH and Lionel Legacy engines. It works perfectly for me. Long lasting smoke output and really thick smoke even on medium setting.

I have heard that JT's puts out thick smoke but doesn't last long between refills. Plus JT's megasteam isn't as abundant as MTH protosmoke in hobby shops.

Blasphemy on this Forum!!!

Seriously though, do any other companies sell hot chocolate fluid?  MTH sells the hot chocolate tank cars but no hot chocolate fluid. Never made sense to me.

I have used MegaSteam smoke fluid in MTH diesel and MTH/Lionel steam locomotives without any problems...EVER.

Perhaps it would be a good suggestion to contact Jeb of MegaSteam directly as he has always been a stand-up guy.

Walter Matuch

I am waiting for MegaSteam to produce 'Old No. 7' fluid in both the black and green label versions! 

I have not used JT's mega steam fluid. Have used MTH's coal scented smoke fluid in my MTH Reading Lines T-1(4-8-4) and the scent of coal is very strong, almost too strong.

Lee F.

I use Nada, and I don't understand why anyone would put flavored fluid in their engines. I'm not on a soap box here, to each his own. Many of the scents would be good in places like a caboose, camp fire or dinner.

We are talking scents here but your engine appeared to smoked well with it.

This post really made me smile. Thanks

My experience is that MTH fluid smokes thicker than JT's whereas JT's dissipates more quickly than MTH and therefore doesn't hang in the air as long.

Absolutely the best available. Maybe the Chocolate is too "gooey" from the heat.

Bad rant, you'll get little symphathy here. Have you contacted Mega-steam?

I prefer Lionel's premium smoke fluid, or Bob Board's Super Smoke. Beleive it or not LGB's old smoke fluid was really good too!

I put 20 to 25 drops in when the smoke unit needs it. Both Legacy and MTH smoke units I keep on low beacause of the smoke out put JT's produces!  Never had any problems with Megasteam at all.

For what it is worth, I alternate NADA Megasteam and Lionel  6-62909 (NOT "Premium") in my Vision Line Hudson with NO issues.

I used the 'Beer' scent for a few days, and my train room smelt like an old pub carpet for weeks afterwards.  So I use that scent only in my caboose nowadays. 

But anyway, back to the subject in hand. After watching the video above, I can't see anything wrong with the amount of smoke. The smell probably doesn't propagate downwards very well though. My experience is that it tends to rise rather than fall.

What setting is the smoke output set to on the engines? If not set to the highest setting try that.   As to the smell, it could be a bad batch.   Give them a call and they'll make it right.

--Greg

Sounds like your wick in your smoke unit is burnt. If it is it will not smoke well at all.

I put almost a droper full in when I fill my units. I just squirt it in all at one time.

Too much chocolate will make your smoke unit constipated.

I've used them all, including JT's Megasteam, and Lionel Premium smoke fluid is the best for me. It produces thick, white smoke and lots of it. Williams' smoke fluid also produces nice, white smoke in Lionels and other trains.

Sounds like you are not adding enough fluid. Most engines will hold far more than 25 drops. Err on the side of more fluid than less--at least to test this out.

I  use only this product in many different smoke units and I  have never had a problem due to the fluid.

If you have been running the smoke unit lean, there is a good chance that you have burned the wick. You might check that before giving up on the product.

I too have used JT's Megasteam products without any issues what so ever. I would strongly suggest that you contact Jeb directly as he is i standup guy. He sometimes will answer questions on this forum.

jim r from www.bridgeboss.com

I've gone through a bottle and a half of Hot Chocolate scent in the last few weeks at public events.  A lot of people, including many non-train people (not familiar with scented fluids), have noticed and recognized the scent.

Andy

maybe running it so close to that porous celling has something to do with the issues.

Walter!

LOL Jack Daniels Scent!

I bought a bottle of "coal smoke" scent once.  Lord, what was I thinking?

.....

Dennis

P.S. It brought back memories though.

I've used Mega Steam, Lionel, and MTH fluid. 

I originally had some issues with MS pulling paint off locomotives but Jeb informed me that was normal and a number of MTH engines from year XXXX had issues with paint application on the underside of the shell and around the base of the smoke unit and stack inside the engine, which was the cause of my issue. Jeb walked me through the procedure to fix it (again, it was MTH's screw up, not Jeb's!) and got some fluid and all was well. Only one of my engines had the issue as it was a rather older MTH PS2 locomotive. 

MTH is the most prevalent fluid in my LHS, although Catoctin Mountain Trains has a good bit of MS in stock at the store. I've got plenty of bottles of Lionel, MS, and MTH fluid and rarely run my trains and do not need to buy anymore anytime soon. When I do, I'll get more MS. Jeb is a stand up guy and runs a stand up operation. 

For what it's worth, pretty much ALL of those scented smoke fluids do have a shelf life, and are seriously affected by sunlight. My "coal burning locomotive" scent went "bad" and smelled like burning tires, until I got a replacement bottle. Although I do NOT use smoke on my home layout since it messes up the weathering and scenery/track, I do use J-T's fluid at train shows, and prefer NADA.

I have tried JT's smoke fluid and I really don't like it as well as my engines. I have found that super smoke smells and works better. I'm satisfied with super smoke so no need to change for me. 

Btw I had the same problems as groundhogslayer. I sure wished it did work because I have 4 bottles just sitting on the shelf. 

I ALWAYS use ONE FULL DROPPER of J-T's after my operating session.  Works every time. 

5 drops... even my first plastic 2-4-2 used 8-10!

Jon 

I would be with that group.  I have used just about every smoke fluid out there, and in my experience Megasteam and MTH fluids seem to perform best.

Priming your wick with just five or so drops is not enough, in my opinion.  On the somewhat rare occasions when I don't mind filling the train room with smoke, I always start out with about 15 or so drops.