Is smoke fluid more hazardous then we think?

Toy train smoke dose not make us sick. I will agree though that the smoke could carry pollen in the volitilized vapors and that could aggravate allergies. But, that condition would be there no matter what.

I will say this, and that is that when the smoke gets to thick I don't like it. I love my puffing steam engines, but diesels that smoke to much get sent back to the shope.

So even though there is nothing harmful in the smoke it's self, I don't like to much of it. So I paln on installing an exhaust system so I can get rid of it when I find it hard to see my trains.

I can agree with that, if it gets hard to see the trains through the fog, maybe you do have too much smoke!  

It's funny. When I was a little kid running my Flyer trains on the living room floor my mom would flip out when I laid down a pretty good fog of that good ol' Gilbert smoke, when at the same time she was putting out a Triplex worth of Phillip Morris' smoke.

We had a gig some time ago where the light man put out a fog worthy of San Francisco Bay and then some. Pretty sure the fog machine stuff is similar to our train smoke, and I felt it in my trachea for the next couple of days. Worse than the smokiest of honky tonks.

Pete

My drive to work was more dangerous than the smoke fluid from my trains....... Maybe I shouldn't drive to work any longer.

Mike -

Being semi-asthmatic - I found your question to be an earnest inquiry into a product we just accept as being 'safe for all'. It took a number of years of trial and error to identify those products that trigger an asthmatic reaction for myself. Each person is different in their reaction(s) to exposure(s).

For example, I have two large outdoor dogs. I can wrestle and play with one with no problems. But, I can't do the same play with the other without reaching for an inhaler. I can prime wood with Kilz - no problem...but a scented candle brings on a tight chest and wheezing. Sometimes, it makes no sense - but it is what it is.

As for the smoke fluid, Lionel's Premium Smoke fluid indicates it contains petroleum hydrocarbons. JT's Mega-Steam only says it contains petroleum. So, out of curiosity, I looked up the MSDS for petroleum hydrocarbons. I didn't see any data as it relates to the product being converted to "smoke", though there is reference to "mist". The MSDS indicates petroleum hydrocarbons rate way, way low in toxicity yet could be problematic for asthmatics or those with respiratory sensitivities.

Here's a link to the MSDS I reviewed: 

http://wwwd.graco.com/Distribu...37/$file/msd037a.pdf

Personally, the smoke is a really cool feature. However, being I am asthmatic AND am in the process of converting a bedroom to a train room - I am glad you brought up the issue. This helps in my planning as I will either need to abstain from the smoke or provide a means for exhaust. Thanks for triggering my own inquiry into something I hadn't considered in my planning.

Also - found this on "Fog or Smoke machines"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fog_machine

I'm pretty far from a "Chicken Little/Sky is Falling" kind of guy, but I have noticed that in a poorly ventilated area (ie: my train room), my chest gets a little tight and I cough a little when I really hammer the smoke.  It's common sense to me, and I'm not looking to implicate anyone/anything - it is what it is.  My goal as the weather improves is to get a window fan that sucks the air out of the room and use that when I smoke.  

Note that I've been using much, MUCH less smoke anyway because of what it does to the track; I just hate cleaning it up.  

Is the smoke harmfull to my health.....hummmm.  Indirectly, yes.  The wife says she will KILL me if I don't stop stinkin' up the basement.

Little does she realize this is how I keep her OUT of the basement.

Thanks for the remarks Mark. You reply is very interesting and I am glad I helped in the planning of your new railroad. I really was just being honest about this and wanted to now what people thought. Again I thank you for the information.

Your own experiences are very valid and they have a lot of weight to them. Unfortunately I think people these days think everything they see and touch is "safe". Not always the case.

Good luck with your new railroad.

-Mike

An exhaust fan it probably the real answer if it's a problem.

I think that I can appreciate both sides of this issue. I love the looks of the smoke but any more it makes me sick to breathe too much of it. Many years ago I was a heavy smoker, but over the years I have become very sensitive to it. I'm not asthmatic, but my wife is. When I go over to a friends house that runs heavy smoke all the time, I can only take it for so long and then have to leave. I am going to try a painter's mask next time to see if that will help. His basement just reeks of stale smoke. Sort of reminds me of the stale beer and cigarette smoke odor of a tavern. 

I'm glad to see that the conscensus opinion seems to be that the smoke is not harmful to our health.

Art

I have asthma. It's mostly under control but I have flare-ups from time to time due to allergens or weather conditions.

I use Mega Steam in my post-war locos all the time I run them. I use unscented and bacon scented fluid. The only reaction I get is my mouth begins to water when I smell bacon. 

I suppose if I huffed the smoke it would cause more serious problems.

hahahaha yeah I can understand how mouth watering the bacon scent must be.

It seems to me that people who have asthma have different scenarios they have to watch out for when it comes to smoke fluid vapor.

-Mike

That which doesn't kill me, makes me stronger.

And so are red M & M's and I ate a million of them as a kid...

Open the windows when running the smoke units and put some fans on the floor aimed up to the windows.

Andrew

It's Mineral Oil MSDS sheet http://msds.farnam.com/m000712.htm

The MSDS sheet shows it as pretty harmless. Other research shows that it can be used in food in the USA or as a coating on utensils like cutting boards.

I have Asthma and it doesn't seem to bother me.

More info here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineral_oil

After two pages of posts I'm thinkin' the "train smoke toxicity" issue has been pretty much flogged to death. At least for another couple months until another "worry" thread gets started. Maybe I'll start one. I've always been concerned about the decibel level of post-war Lionel whistles causing hearing loss, or possibly even brain damage.

Boy, some people seem to be awfully upset by the question.
Whether smoke fluid smoke is harmless or not, aren't civil responses in order?

Let's not forget that at one time Model Railroading books recommended using asbestos powder to make scenery. So safety standards do change.

Thank you!!! I totally agree! Everyone seems always ticked off all the time no matter what the question is. Again, I was just asking for a civil response.

-Mike

As another poster stated, threads like this seem to pop up often by "Worry Warriors". It seems to irk me so to combat the situation, I am gonna purchase some Jt's fluid on Da bay!

quote:

Your antics force me and others to NOT participate just to avoid your bullied attempts at public humiliation - just for asking a question about some aspect of this hobby in which we all are supposed to share.

Their answers reflect more on them than on you.

Unfortunately, they also reflect poorly on the participants in this hobby as a whole.

CW -

I hear ya. There have been a number of threads bemoaning the participatory decline in this hobby. And then they turn around a push away those who seek to participate. Some days, I just don't get it.

I think this is another test for "Mythbusters". Let them be the neutral party to bring an unbiased answer to this most diabolical question.

LOL! I immediately had this vision of them setting up a steamer - and of course they would have to blow it sky high to make for good TV!