How to improve smoke unit on Lionel starter set locomotive

SeattleSUP:  You could switch to the  "NEW" Lionel Premium Smoke Fluid instead of the fluid that came with your starter set. The Newer Smoke Fluid produces more billowing, white smoke than the earlier one.  You might also, while you are getting the new smoke fluid, add some more lights to that loop of track:  a lighted lock-on or a searchlight car - is your caboose a lighted one?  All the additional lights will draw more current from the transformer and the smoke element will run hotter and produce more smoke. Try these and see.  Dennis M.

I'm using MTH smoke fluid. Good idea about adding lighted cars. The caboose is lighted. I'll also move the lighted aquarium car to this loop. Also been meaning to pick up a searchlight car so now I have a reason!  

Lighted cars and more current load on the transformer will NOT help smoke output. The small-wattage starter-set transformers have minimal capacity for additional current loads. A longer heavier train that requires more voltage on the track will put more VOLTAGE to the smoke unit. The higher the track voltage, the more voltage and consequently current to the smoke unit (and a faster train, unless you load it down with more cars). In your case, a different smoke fluid may be more effective to get more smoke.

I went with a friends suggestion who works on Lionel trains and he installs smoke resistors that get hotter at a lower voltage. I bought a Hershey's train set for the wife and the smoke output was terrible until I changed out the resistor to one that got hotter on lower voltage. Works very nicely now.

From what I've seen, the problem is whoever's putting these together at the factory is using the same 30 ohm smoke resistor that goes in the TMCC/Legacy locos that operate with 18V on the rails at all times.

Swapping to the 20 ohm smoke resistor (691RES3W20) greatly improves the smoke output of conventional starter set locos.

Another "fix" is to use some series diode pairs with the motor to raise the voltage required for a given speed.  This will result in more smoke output for a given speed. 

I also agree that reducing the value of the smoke resistor would probably be a big help as well.

Len: Thanks for the part #. Electrical work isn't my strength so I wasn't sure if this was a standard, get-it-at-Radio Shack part or a Lionel specific part. I assume once I remove the shell from the locomotive I'll see where resistor goes and be able to pull out the old one and plug in the new one? 

While on the topic of low smoke, I have a K-Line Titan TMCC equipped Big Boy that has next to nothing as smoke output.  I currently only run conventional with no plans to go command (but you never know in 5-6 years), would changing the resistor be okay for me, or is there something else I can do to increase the smoke.  More cars to increase the voltage isn't an option, I simply don't have enough track or cars to make it long enough to slow this guy down.

Is it a fan driven smoke unit or a puffer?  That's the first question.

I believe it's a fan unit, or so it sounds.  When running, I can see a very faint stream of smoke (Nothing at all like my MTH PS1 steamers, nor do I want it to smoke that much.).  When at neutral, I can hear it pulsing, but I'm not sure if it's heating as no smoke comes out.

I haven't checked all of the starter set engines but my 0-8-0 came with a 28 ohm ceramic coated carbon resistor. I replaced it with a 27 ohm wire wound resistor and greatly improved output. Adding series diodes to the motor is not a bad idea if you want to improve output at lower speeds. 

I have tried to find other sources of uncoated wire wound resistors but so far no luck. Ceramic coated wire wounds are pretty much the norm. I think a 22-24 ohm wire wound would be ideal in these engines.

BTW mine is a puffer unit. i would be surprised if Lionel has any with fans given their price.

Pete

For a fan driven unit, the first step would be to replace the packing and cut any sleeve off the smoke resistor.  As mentioned, if it's a ceramic resistor, replacing it with the wirewound one would be a good move.  For conventional operation, I like a 22 ohm resistor for a bit more smoke.

Walked around the corner to Eastside Trains and picked up a new resistor. Installation was pretty simple and the unit is now puffing smoke again.