K-line B6 loss of "chuff"

Yes, the cherry switch has gone bad. Many times it gets fouled with excess smoke fluid leaking.

The first chuff remains because it comes from the rail sounds board while the remaining chuffs are triggered by the switch.

I've had mine replaced in the past.

I can't be certain with K-Line but generally the actuating cam/rod for both the cherry switch and smoke puffer is just behind the cylinder on one side.  While the cherry switch is commonly bad there's also a chance that the actuating mechanism is jammed.  If the smoke has stopped puffing that's a good indication of the latter.

 

Bruce

Well that is good news for you. IMHO, send it to Jennings toy trains and have gunrunner john install the superchuffer! You now can get 4 chuffs per rev!

That's hennings toy trains in Lansdale, PA. Stinking auto correct.

While the switch may be bad, more than likely it may just need an adjustment. The lever may have to bent away from the switch or just loosen the screws and move the switch slightly. To check if it will work attach an ohmmeter to the switch leads and rotate the wheels with the motor flywheel. You should see the meter fluctuate between near zero and some high number.

 

Pete

I find the switch needs adjustment far more often than replacement.  With some, like this one, the linkage jamming is also sometimes a factor.  Since you're getting the smoke, this may be just bending the switch lever a bit to adjust it properly.

 

Thanks, guys.  Can someone tell me specifically where the switch is located?  I have been in the chassis to the point of having removed the smoke unit and the motor but was unsure of what I was looking for.  Thanks, again.

I don't have that specific locomotive, but look along the smoke unit plunger lever, the switch is activated by the same lever.

Look for something similar to this. 

Right, but probably not that nice bright color, many are black or dark brown.

 

Thank you gentlemen. For future reference, on the K-line B6, the switch is black in color and is located above a cam on the rear drivers axle. Unfortunately, in my case, the switch appears to be broken as the part that holds the cam wiper out from the switch body and is then depressed each time the wiper hits the cam, no longer holds the wiper away from the switch body.

They can obviously be replaced, it just sometimes takes a lot of disassembly to get to them.