I am having problems with the smoke unit. I have to run the engine at full speed for any smoke to puff. Too fast for the typical 036 fastrack curves. This engine was made in 1998, cab # 1225. Any advice is appreciated.
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Put a string of back-to-back diodes in series with the motor, that will give the smoke unit more voltage before the motor gets going too fast. Usually about four back-to-back pairs make a significant difference.
Would that be equal to using two 4-pin bridge rectifiers? Connect the + and - together; then use the ac leads in series to the motor?
Correct, a couple of bridge rectifiers wired as you describe equals four diode pairs. If it doesn't slow things down enough, add another bridge rectifier. For the semi-scale PE locomotive, a 2A bridge should be more than sufficient for this task.
@Drummer3 posted:This engine was made in 1998, cab # 1225. Any advice is appreciated.
Polar Express, the movie and the Lionel locomotive #1225, came out in 2004. Was this a locomotive other than the Polar Express?
Hi Jim,
This for sure is a Polar Express Bershire engine. Since this came from a friend, not sure of the year of mfg. Not sure where I got 1998 from. Are there numbers or markings on the engine that can tell me?
@Drummer3 posted:Hi Jim,
This for sure is a Polar Express Bershire engine. Since this came from a friend, not sure of the year of mfg. Not sure where I got 1998 from. Are there numbers or markings on the engine that can tell me?
No, from your description, it is the early Lionel Polar Express locomotive. Never a big smoker without modifications.
The newer LionChief version smokes better but costs a lot more.
Jim R
I have a Lionel Freight set, 2-8-4 Lionel Berkshire 756, Nichol Plate Road, whistle tender, and bell of year 2002. The engine looks like the Polar Express engine to me.
Charlie
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@Choo Choo Charlie posted:Jim R
I have a Lionel Freight set, 2-8-4 Lionel Berkshire 756, Nichol Plate Road, whistle tender, and bell of year 2002. The engine looks like the Polar Express engine to me.
Charlie
The Polar Express locomotive was modified from that locomotive. The pilots are very different.
The polar bears on my layout will never notice my loco is a Lionel 2-8-4 Berkshire.
Charlie
Well, your model looks more like Pere Marquette 1225. So you aren’t exactly off base.
