Hi, anyone have any secrets to the smoking caboose? Can I use this newer smoke fluid? How many drops? The element is cooking, I can see it. Doesn't really do too much though.
Thanks,
Matt
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Do you have the correct bulb? It takes an unusual 7-volt, #55-300.
Bill
Not sure about the bulb, but it has a smoke unit. How would the illumination bulb make a difference? Does the wrong bulb steal too much juice from the smoke unit?
The smoke element and bulb are wired in series. The correct bulb must be used because of the principles of series circuits.
It is possible that someone rewired the caboose to change the wiring from series to parallel. That would cause the smoke unit to get too much power, and overheat. Overheating could cause the element to fail early (best case) or melt the smoke unit housing and caboose body.
Authentic postwar 6557 cabooses are rather difficult to find, and somewhat expensive. It would be a shame to melt one.
I got one for Christmas 1959. Was always a little disappointed in the smoke output.
I think it's the proper bulb. It all looks original to me. The unit and body are not melted at all. I can look down the stack and see it glowing. I just bought it and did pay enough. It must have had some old smoke fluid in it. It smoked when first put on the tracks. How many drops does this creature want?
I have always heard to not expect a serious show from them.
Thanks,
Matt
My suggestion: take the bulb out and check it. The caboose is over fifty years old. Someone could have put the wrong bulb in years ago. It should be a #55.
My 6557 never smoked much.
Here is the Lionel factory service manual page.
I don't see any mention of how much smoke fluid to use.
I would use no more than 5-7 drops, which is what Lionel generally recommended in the Postwar era.
Too much smoke fluid (or pellets) always reduces the amount of smoke generated, and can actually cause the smoke unit to stop generating smoke altogether.
In my experience, Postwar smoke units (liquid and pellet) are not harmed by running them dry.
And, I have run locomotives with liquid smoke fluid units that have been stored for years and years. They almost always smoke without adding any fluid, so I guess the stuff must not evaporate very much.
Every time I try to use a smoke unit on a caboose it smokes like crazy overheats and melts the windows and everything.I bought a NS Heritage caboose to go with my Lionel legacy SD70ACE Heritage engines and Im not even going to turn the smoke on.The unit is real nice and is capable of speaking for itself without smoke.Nick
