Hope for the best for me.

I don't have an answer but I'm hoping for the best !

Did your repair guy check the smoke unit voltage regulator?

Are you running it in conventional mode or using TMCC?  If conventional, you should get some smoke with the switch "on" and running at higher speeds (so the unit sees enough voltage).  If TMCC, are you sure the smoke is turned on (AUX1, 9 command)?

Chuck Sartor posted:

Did your repair guy check the smoke unit voltage regulator?

I did not think to ask him.This is all new to me.

With a title like that, one would think you are going into the hospital for emergency surgery!!!!!!

Bob posted:

Are you running it in conventional mode or using TMCC?  If conventional, you should get some smoke with the switch "on" and running at higher speeds (so the unit sees enough voltage).  If TMCC, are you sure the smoke is turned on (AUX1, 9 command)?

Well I am running in conventional mode.And the switch is on.I am using a mth z4000.Thinking about it now I have a curve that if I do not slow down the front guide wheel  will derail.Well at least its the only spot.Well looks like I have to do some track work.I have only one other gripe about this locomotive.And that you can not see the on or off on the switchs.Because it all just black making the words hard to see.You think lionel would have painted the words white.

I'm with HOT WATER on this one ! Could you be a little less dramatic the next time  !! It should go right back to the repair shop and have him or her run it before you .Do not take it until it is right . And the next repair , make sure you see it run before you just pick it up and take it home . Jim

Summerdale Junction posted:

I'm with HOT WATER on this one ! Could you be a little less dramatic the next time  !! It should go right back to the repair shop and have him or her run it before you .Do not take it until it is right . And the next repair , make sure you see it run before you just pick it up and take it home . Jim

Oh O.K.Well I was just asking.

Don't worry about the wording of the  heading in your post. The moral to the story here is to be sure your local shop is competent. We all want to support the local guys but in my case that means buying new stuff but not repair unfortunately. There are a ton of good repair folks on the forum ( like Chuck above). It is often worth the shipping to use these experts.

Summerdale Junction posted:

I'm with HOT WATER on this one ! Could you be a little less dramatic the next time  !! It should go right back to the repair shop and have him or her run it before you .Do not take it until it is right . And the next repair , make sure you see it run before you just pick it up and take it home . Jim

Add me to H.W. and S.J....what they said..

What radius of curves are you using if the pilot wheel is derailing? Does it happen regardless if the curve is to the left or right? 

The Bellcaptain posted:

What radius of curves are you using if the pilot wheel is derailing? Does it happen regardless if the curve is to the left or right? 

Its a o54 with o42.If I slow it down enough it some times it will make it.But I going to change this curve.To widen the curve this means I will have to shed some straight track.No problem its atlas sectional track.BTW the track makes a right.

What Chuck said about the reg.  Is this an engine you had and it went bad or other?  Is your train shop qualified to work on trains?  Many shops tell people they know everything and know nothing.  

hokie71 posted:

Don't worry about the wording of the  heading in your post. The moral to the story here is to be sure your local shop is competent. We all want to support the local guys but in my case that means buying new stuff but not repair unfortunately. There are a ton of good repair folks on the forum ( like Chuck above). It is often worth the shipping to use these experts.

It may yet come to that.Btw this repair guy is pretty good and pretty nice.Sometimes stuff like this happens.But for the most part he always done a good job.In my hurry to get it home and run it.I should have asked for a test drive.As they do have a layout.Oh well live and learn and then move on.I like to thank you guys who answered this post.Stay chugging my friends.

You left another clue. With the derailing problem, the sparks will scramble the code on the radio board your engines has. Since you run conventional, take it back to the shop and have your repair guy do a reset with TMCC. This may also fix the smoke issue.

Is the element heating up where you smell smoke or see it if you blow gently on the stack?

Can you here the fan run?

No inference to your shop, Marty is correct. I've had people tell me Lionel scale articulated steam such as the AC-9 and Y6b have two can motors in them!

Another final couple of thoughts. Your engine is a early generation TMCC model, and will not smoke a whole lot in conventional mode, unlike later refined versions. Another is transformers. The early generation TMCC models don't play well with some electronic transformers. Like MTH's Z1000 don't work well, and Lionel's CW80 is iffy. The voltage regulator tends to shut down with these styles of transformers.

Jim Berger posted:

Summerdale Junction posted:

I'm with HOT WATER on this one ! Could you be a little less dramatic the next time  !! It should go right back to the repair shop and have him or her run it before you .Do not take it until it is right . And the next repair , make sure you see it run before you just pick it up and take it home . Jim

Add me to H.W. and S.J....what they said..

I am with H.W., S.J. and J.B.     Poor choice of wording for this topic.

645 posted:

It's just a model train with a smoke issue - not life or death here.

Depends on whether or not it's yours. 

What, me worry?

I'm glad your health is OK, because that's why I looked at the thread and probably everyone else did to initially.

You take care and I hope the loco gets fixed sooner or later. Think of me last night I accidently knocked the top off the blast furnace I am building it crashed down 3 feet to the layout bounced off and landed another 4 feet on the floor in pieces. Yep, pipework, gantry, fittings, all in pieces hours of work down the drain.

I wasn't happy but that's life I'm starting again today and being more careful. Roo.