I have recently purchased a Lionel Milwaukee Road Hiawatha 4-4-2. It seems to me that the engine could smoke a little better. Is it just me, or are there corrections for this? I am aware of the settings for smoke output, but it seems like the engine just does not emitt enough, especially once it is running down the track, and NOT at break-neck speeds!
Thanks for setting me straight.
Jeff
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A few things to check. First, did you buy this used? If the previous owner ran the smoke unit dry, the wick could be scorched and some burned wick material could be sticking to the heating element. Second, what kind of smoke fluid are you using? Some are better than others. Old-style Lionel fluid isn't very good. MTH and Mega-Steam are a lot better. Mike Reagan swears the new Lionel Premium smoke fluid is the greatest thing since canned beer, but it was hard to get for a while and I just finally got a bottle the other day so I don't have any experience with it yet. Third, are you putting a full 18 volts on the track when the train is running? That's easy to determine if you're using a Z4000 or the latest ZW-L, not so easy otherwise. If you don't have a voltmeter on your transformer, get out your voltmeter and check the voltage when the train is running. The markings on a transformer are nominal, and the electrical load from a locomotive pulling a train, plus all the lights in a passenger train, can drag the voltage down from 18 to 15 or 16 under full load. If you don't have 18 volts on the track, you aren't going to get good smoke.
I have that engine and it was the first Lionel engine I ever had that smoked decently, so if yours isn't putting out much smoke, you most likely have a problem. First thing I'd look at is the voltage, then be sure you're putting in the right amount of fluid (not too little, not too much - generally 15-20 drops). Too much fluid will cool the element and reduce smoke production; not enough and the wick burns up. If all else fails, take it apart and check the condition of the wick and heater element.
It should NOT need the Mike Reagan overhaul - that's a new enough unit that it should smoke plenty out of the box.
I just picked one up today that is NIB. I plan on testing it Sunday afternoon and will let you know what I am seeing.
How much are the Lionel Atlantics going for these days? I've been looking/lurking for one, but the lowest price I have seen is in the $750-$800 range.
RoyBoy: That's about what I've been seeing. They show up on the Bay every couple of months and usually go in that range or a bit more.
Marty: Mine smokes (almost) like MTH and has since it was new. Be sure to play with the smoke output adjustment - it's a combination of TMCC button pushes, the manual tells you how.
I ran the locomotive and the smoke was OK after setting the output to high. I use JTs and it smokes well. Nothing like newer Legacy locomotives or any MTH. The locomotive will see duty on Milwaukee trains sharing duty with my S-3 and Bi Polar under wire.
A few things to check. First, did you buy this used? If the previous owner ran the smoke unit dry, the wick could be scorched and some burned wick material could be sticking to the heating element. Second, what kind of smoke fluid are you using? Some are better than others. Old-style Lionel fluid isn't very good. MTH and Mega-Steam are a lot better. Mike Reagan swears the new Lionel Premium smoke fluid is the greatest thing since canned beer, but it was hard to get for a while and I just finally got a bottle the other day so I don't have any experience with it yet. Third, are you putting a full 18 volts on the track when the train is running? That's easy to determine if you're using a Z4000 or the latest ZW-L, not so easy otherwise. If you don't have a voltmeter on your transformer, get out your voltmeter and check the voltage when the train is running. The markings on a transformer are nominal, and the electrical load from a locomotive pulling a train, plus all the lights in a passenger train, can drag the voltage down from 18 to 15 or 16 under full load. If you don't have 18 volts on the track, you aren't going to get good smoke.
I have that engine and it was the first Lionel engine I ever had that smoked decently, so if yours isn't putting out much smoke, you most likely have a problem. First thing I'd look at is the voltage, then be sure you're putting in the right amount of fluid (not too little, not too much - generally 15-20 drops). Too much fluid will cool the element and reduce smoke production; not enough and the wick burns up. If all else fails, take it apart and check the condition of the wick and heater element.
It should NOT need the Mike Reagan overhaul - that's a new enough unit that it should smoke plenty out of the box.
I have never had my Lionel Hiawatha apart so I can't say for sure how difficult it is, but it looks like it would be easy and I've generally found streamlined steam easy to disassemble. Once you get the shell off, you shouldn't have to remove the smoke unit to look at the wick, just remove the screws that hold the top board of the smoke unit to the lower part. The wick will be scorched brown to some degree but it should not be black and crispy. Be sure the wick is in contact with the smoke element and that the air passage from the fan chamber is clear. There needs to be a clear path from the smoke chamber to the stack While it is apart you can also make sure that the fan works and is rotating in the correct direction. A lot of older Lionel fan units had the fan motor wired backward, but I have never seen one wired wrong on a newer unit with RS5 like the Hiawatha.
The Hiawatha should produce plenty of smoke, but not as much as a Lionel S-3, which has Legacy. The Legacy engines have a new type smoke unit that puts out more smoke then even the best of the older ones.
I have never had my Lionel Hiawatha apart so I can't say for sure how difficult it is, but it looks like it would be easy and I've generally found streamlined steam easy to disassemble. Once you get the shell off, you shouldn't have to remove the smoke unit to look at the wick, just remove the screws that hold the top board of the smoke unit to the lower part. The wick will be scorched brown to some degree but it should not be black and crispy. Be sure the wick is in contact with the smoke element and that the air passage from the fan chamber is clear. There needs to be a clear path from the smoke chamber to the stack While it is apart you can also make sure that the fan works and is rotating in the correct direction. A lot of older Lionel fan units had the fan motor wired backward, but I have never seen one wired wrong on a newer unit with RS5 like the Hiawatha.
The Hiawatha should produce plenty of smoke, but not as much as a Lionel S-3, which has Legacy. The Legacy engines have a new type smoke unit that puts out more smoke then even the best of the older ones.
I'm not sure how much smoke you are actually getting - one description says "could smoke a little better" (compared to the S3, a big-time smoker) and your latest says "minimal." From your most recent post I am beginning to think the fan motor might not be working, or the fan might be loose on the shaft.
I don't recall specifically whether my Lionel Hiawatha smokes in neutral or not (I haven't run it in a year or so), but typically Lionel engines do. Here's a quick test to see if the fan motor is working, before you take the engine apart. Be sure the smoke is turned on, then get the engine moving slowly someplace where you can get your face right up next to it. Hold your cheek right over the stack. You should feel the puffs as the fan motor kicks in and out. Then stop it and feel for a stream of air. I forget who taught me this trick, but your cheek is extremely sensitive to the slightest movement of air. If you are only getting a little bit of smoke (as opposed to not quite as much as the S3), and you can't feel a stream of air, chances are your fan motor is bad or the fan is slipping on the shaft.
The good news is, fan motors are cheap and easy to replace. If you've been running it with the smoke on and the fan not working, you'll probably have to put a new wick in too. Fan motors and wicks are readily available from Lionel or from Modern Toy Train Parts (Boxcar Bill). I'd go with MTTP; their prices are discounted and their shipping charges are cheaper on small orders.
I'm not sure how much smoke you are actually getting - one description says "could smoke a little better" (compared to the S3, a big-time smoker) and your latest says "minimal." From your most recent post I am beginning to think the fan motor might not be working, or the fan might be loose on the shaft.
I don't recall specifically whether my Lionel Hiawatha smokes in neutral or not (I haven't run it in a year or so), but typically Lionel engines do. Here's a quick test to see if the fan motor is working, before you take the engine apart. Be sure the smoke is turned on, then get the engine moving slowly someplace where you can get your face right up next to it. Hold your cheek right over the stack. You should feel the puffs as the fan motor kicks in and out. Then stop it and feel for a stream of air. I forget who taught me this trick, but your cheek is extremely sensitive to the slightest movement of air. If you are only getting a little bit of smoke (as opposed to not quite as much as the S3), and you can't feel a stream of air, chances are your fan motor is bad or the fan is slipping on the shaft.
The good news is, fan motors are cheap and easy to replace. If you've been running it with the smoke on and the fan not working, you'll probably have to put a new wick in too. Fan motors and wicks are readily available from Lionel or from Modern Toy Train Parts (Boxcar Bill). I'd go with MTTP; their prices are discounted and their shipping charges are cheaper on small orders.
I'm not sure how much smoke you are actually getting - one description says "could smoke a little better" (compared to the S3, a big-time smoker) and your latest says "minimal." From your most recent post I am beginning to think the fan motor might not be working, or the fan might be loose on the shaft.
I don't recall specifically whether my Lionel Hiawatha smokes in neutral or not (I haven't run it in a year or so), but typically Lionel engines do. Here's a quick test to see if the fan motor is working, before you take the engine apart. Be sure the smoke is turned on, then get the engine moving slowly someplace where you can get your face right up next to it. Hold your cheek right over the stack. You should feel the puffs as the fan motor kicks in and out. Then stop it and feel for a stream of air. I forget who taught me this trick, but your cheek is extremely sensitive to the slightest movement of air. If you are only getting a little bit of smoke (as opposed to not quite as much as the S3), and you can't feel a stream of air, chances are your fan motor is bad or the fan is slipping on the shaft.
The good news is, fan motors are cheap and easy to replace. If you've been running it with the smoke on and the fan not working, you'll probably have to put a new wick in too. Fan motors and wicks are readily available from Lionel or from Modern Toy Train Parts (Boxcar Bill). I'd go with MTTP; their prices are discounted and their shipping charges are cheaper on small orders.
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