I note that some of the new Vision locomotives will include the dynamo effect.
I believe it has appeared in the past.
How does this work?
Is it random or can it be triggered?
Are there accompanying sounds?
Which do you prefer, whistle steam or dynamo steam?
Replies sorted oldest to newest
I'm not sure how many locos this feature has appeared on aside from the VL Challengers. On that model, the feature runs continuously from an auxiliary smoke unit. It can be turned off via a switch on top of the boiler or via CAB controls. The latest manual contains these instructions:
There is a sound of the dynamo spooling up when the engine starts but that is part of the background loco sounds and not independent of them.
Certain of the GS series VL engines will have this feature in substitution for whistle smoke because (as the catalog and related video explain), where the whistle and stack are close together the stack smoke effectively masks the whistle output. Also, as I read the catalog description these models will have smoke from all three dynamos lined up on the boiler.
Personally, I would prefer whistle smoke where the whistle is not right next to the stack but I understand the reasons given for substituting the dynamo effect.
So, if I turn it on with Aux 2, the dynamo effect will stay on constantly?
Is that prototypical?
When running, there is no sound?
Hancock, thank you very much for all the info in your post!
Yes and yes. The dynamo provided electrical power for the headlight, class lights, cab and gauge lights and tender lamps. I guess Lionel’s thinking was, if you turn off the headlight you don’t need the dynamo. With a steam locomotive resting, you can hear the dynamo as a annoying whine. When the locomotive is running, the whine becomes part of the overall noise.
Got it.
Thank you.
Now I need to decide whether to order one with a whistle or one with the dynamo effect.
What produces more smoke the Dynamo or Whistle steam?
@Robert Cushman posted:What produces more smoke the Dynamo or Whistle steam?
Hard to compare, like apples and oranges, because they are different features which simulate different operations. On the VL GS engines, the dynamo produces more smoke if it runs continuously, whereas the whistle steam effect doesn’t, and there are three outputs for the dynamo and only one for the whistle.
Personally, I opted for a whistle smoke GS model as the dynamo actually produces more smoke than than I wanted. A better feature is the pop-off valve steam, which does not run continuously but is automatically triggered from time to time (and also has a manual control).
On my Vision Line Challenger ~ 2019/2020 version, the dynamo smokes like a chimney whereas I cannot get any whistle smoke at all. I've tilted the engine about 45 degrees (front to back) to allow for smoke fluid but a no-go. Thanks Hancock for showing the instructions on turning the dynamo off...got read them more often 
When you blow the horn on the dynamo does it come out of the stack in the front and not the 3 dynamos correct?
I’m deciding on a gs-1 vs gs-4 which is why I’m asking.
@Robert Cushman posted:When you blow the horn on the dynamo does it come out of the stack in the front and not the 3 dynamos correct?
I’m deciding on a gs-1 vs gs-4 which is why I’m asking.
Uh, not sure what you mean because the dynamo steam effect has a separate smoke unit from the stack, and I have not read anything that suggests that triggering the whistle (or air horn) sound on the GS models that have the dynamo causes any particular smoke effect. It would be odd if it did!
https://ogrforum.com/...1#159096765167335211
I mean when I watch the videos of the Gs-4 with dynamo, I don’t see steam coming out when they blow the whistle.
@Robert Cushman posted:https://ogrforum.com/...1#159096765167335211
I mean when I watch the videos of the Gs-4 with dynamo, I don’t see steam coming out when they blow the whistle.
Maybe they have it turned off.
FWIW, you don't have to choose between the two, my Challenger has dynamo steam, whistle steam, and of course, stack smoke.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jqbVMEvY2qE
here’s a video of maybe being off.
Ah that’s probably correct.
That's not a dynamo, that's the pressure release valves on the boiler! That's a whole different effect.
Here's a Vision Line Challenger with the dynamo steam effect.
https://ogrforum.com/...9#159096765176233619
These are what I’m talking about or what I’m confused into thinking is the dynamo steam. But I see the challenger has it and also shoots it under the cab. Did they do that instead of Blowdown like the big boy has?
The Challenger has an injector that comes out under the cab and the dynamo that is up top. They are driven from one continuous smoke unit. The whistle steam and main stack are on a dual smoke unit up front.
So would that produce way more smoke than the whistle steam version of the gs? Or would it equal out.
I love the challenger because you dont have to choose. It is packed with so many smoke features and looks impressive. I really like the dynamo smoke because it gives life and realism to the rear of the locomotive. It is a major bummer having to choose between whistle and dynamo as both provide so much realism. But if you can only get one or the other on a specific model when a whistle is very close to the stack it will look more impressive with dynamo imo.
@Robert Cushman posted:https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jqbVMEvY2qE
here’s a video of maybe being off.
Ah that’s probably correct.
No, on the VL GS models it's one or the other, either whistle smoke or what Lionel calls the steam dynamo effect. As I said in an earlier post in this thread, both the catalog and a related video explain why this was done, which has to do with the placement of the whistle on the prototypes. On those GS engines that had the whistle up front near the stack, the stack smoke was said to mask/obscure the whistle steam effect, so they put in the dynamo effect further back toward the cab instead. The video you link to gives a good illustration of the substantial amount of smoke the dynamo effect produces. If it's sheer smoke volume you are interested in, the dynamo option is probably better.
BTW, the VL Niagara has a whistle near the stack and it produces an effect that is distinct from the stack smoke and not obscured by it. Not sure why Lionel thought they could not do the same on GS engines but they didn't. However, the whistle effect being obscured/indistinct by stack smoke is a problem on certain earlier Legacy models that have dual smoke units up front - for example, the first run Legacy AC-12 cab forwards.
@gunrunnerjohn posted:That's not a dynamo, that's the pressure release valves on the boiler! That's a whole different effect.
Here's a Vision Line Challenger with the dynamo steam effect.
Well, the effect shown in the poster's linked video is what Lionel calls steam dynamo, not pressure release/pop-off valves. The latter is yet another smoke feature, which is also on the VL Niagara and has a separate sound effect. It is triggered automatically at certain intervals and can also be switched on at the CAB2 remote.
In fact, I think that the version of steam injector/dynamo on the Challenger your video shows is yet another variation because it includes smoke coming out of the injector under the cab. AFAIK the GS models don't have that.
Blowdown effect, as on the VL Big Boy and the 2-10-10-2, is still another variation. I actually prefer it to the dynamo. But then I like swinging bells as well. 
@Hancock52 posted:Well, the effect shown in the poster's linked video is what Lionel calls steam dynamo, not pressure release/pop-off valves.
I guess you're right, I just never saw three streams of smoke from the dynamo. It sure is pumping out a lot of smoke, it actually looks overdone! I like the dynamo effect on the Challenger better, it's a more realistic looking stream and not a flood!
@gunrunnerjohn posted:I guess you're right, I just never saw three streams of smoke from the dynamo. It sure is pumping out a lot of smoke, it actually looks overdone! I like the dynamo effect on the Challenger better, it's a more realistic looking stream and not a flood!
Hence my confusion.
@gunrunnerjohn posted:I guess you're right, I just never saw three streams of smoke from the dynamo. It sure is pumping out a lot of smoke, it actually looks overdone! I like the dynamo effect on the Challenger better, it's a more realistic looking stream and not a flood!
But you're right too - that feature is overdone, to my way of thinking. One thing - I guess that they use the same smoke unit for whistle steam-equipped VL GS engines, and it produces prodigious amounts of smoke when activated. This is 24 secs. of a #4458 on a carpet layout test run, with all its smoke features activated:
I've been inside this particular engine and the smoke units look like they were purpose-made for this series - they are not like other VL units I've seen (except that they have plastic bowls and thermistors). And since I understand that Lionel changed the code for smoke units back when the Legacy AC-9s were issued to ramp up smoke output, I've wondered what the actual service life of these units really is. Fortunately, I haven't had any issues with mine - yet - nor have I read anything on this forum about particular issues with them.
Here's what I think the dynamo steam should look like, this is much more realistic.
And here's what a real steam engine dynamo looks like.
@Robert Cushman posted:
Nice layout John.
Here is something that came today. No dynamo steam.
Ha, Ha, Ha - no other steam either as that's turbine/diesel smoke. I have the Greyhound version, which is a brilliant smoker:
Not to go too far off topic, but since you've mentioned it, the Veranda is, IMHO, a true Lionel classic, and I think the execution of the different paint schemes in the Legacy version is great. I also have one of the original TMCC versions; my own video of the two in a compare/contrast effort is pretty amateur, but a while back @gunrunnerjohn posted this video of the original that shows it at its best:
@Hancock52 posted:Ha, Ha, Ha - no other steam either as that's turbine/diesel smoke. I have the Greyhound version, which is a brilliant smoker:
Not to go too far off topic, but since you've mentioned it, the Veranda is, IMHO, a true Lionel classic, and I think the execution of the different paint schemes in the Legacy version is great. I also have one of the original TMCC versions; my own video of the two in a compare/contrast effort is pretty amateur, but a while back @gunrunnerjohn posted this video of the original that shows it at its best:
This was the video that made me grab it.
@gunrunnerjohn posted:I guess you're right, I just never saw three streams of smoke from the dynamo. It sure is pumping out a lot of smoke, it actually looks overdone! I like the dynamo effect on the Challenger better, it's a more realistic looking stream and not a flood!
Some locomotives (particularly in the modern excursion era) have more than one dynamo installed to power various appliances such as lights, radios, etc.
@SantaFe158 posted:Some locomotives (particularly in the modern excursion era) have more than one dynamo installed to power various appliances such as lights, radios, etc.
I knew that, but IMO it's too much of a good thing with the quantity of smoke coming out of that model. If the three were a small stream like the prototypes typically are, it would be a much better effect. IMO, the Challenger had the right amount of smoke, plain to see, but not a huge cloud.
This just looks like overkill.
@SantaFe158 posted:Some locomotives (particularly in the modern excursion era) have more than one dynamo installed to power various appliances such as lights, radios, etc.
Then there is the original Southern Pacific GS class "Daylight" steam locomotives, such as 4449, which had/have three dynamos; 1) one for headlight and cab lights, 2) one for the Mars Signal Light (12 volt), and 3) one for the electro-pneumatic train braking system (no longer used on 4449, so the 3rd dynamo powers the added under-skirt lighting system).
More smoke! More smoke!...yeah More smoke Lionel.
Oh wait....not that much smoke. That's too much!!!!....Lol!!!
Put less fluid in the dynamo and let the wicking char a bit. That will reduce the output.
@gunrunnerjohn posted:I knew that, but IMO it's too much of a good thing with the quantity of smoke coming out of that model. If the three were a small stream like the prototypes typically are, it would be a much better effect. IMO, the Challenger had the right amount of smoke, plain to see, but not a huge cloud.
This just looks like overkill.
They're just simulating it as if it was running on a 40 degree fall day.... 
But yes I'd agree that in model form such a constant stream of "steam" can be overwhelming when added to the output of the main smoke unit and such.
@RickO posted:More smoke! More smoke!...yeah More smoke Lionel.
Oh wait....not that much smoke. That's too much!!!!....Lol!!!
Put less fluid in the dynamo and let the wicking char a bit. That will reduce the output.
When the dynamo smoke is far more than the main stack, that's too much. We are, after all, trying to somewhat simulate the look of a real locomotive here. If you look at real prototypes, you won't see the huge cloud of steam over the dynamo(s) and not over the main stack.
Understood. I just think there are other more important issues going on with newer products that have yet to be addressed. Tuning of smoke volume might be further down on the list.
Having said that. The there are still regular smoke fan motor failure posts, and on recent videos of new releases noisy motors still persist.
Can't disagree, smoke is likely one of the most troublesome options, it just happens it's also one of the neatest.
Access to this requires an OGR Forum Supporting Membership
