Lionel recommends their smoke fluid for the VL Big boy. What are you using?

I'm finding the premium isn't working as well as Mega Steam. This is the first engine I've had an issue with the Premium. When I use MS I get a nice volume. Premium not so much. 

Mega steam the real big bottle your gonna need it..

This has also been my experience with premium on other Lionel engines - Megasteam or indeed MTH smoke fluid creates clouds of "smoke" right away, premium does not.

 

I have wondered if the Lionel product is specially formulated in some way to work with their increasingly sophisticated (and seemingly finicky) smoke units but if it is Lionel has not explained that.  

Mega Steam in everything! Output is more than enough.

Lionel is doing the logical thing to promote their products. Nothing wrong with that.

 

Having said that, I don't personally want multiple smoke fluid suppliers and have found that over the years Mega-Steam is the best selection for quality and variety. On stop shopping for me.

Any other smoke fluid with a new engine/set that I buy from MTH or Lionel gets tossed in the trash! Both have to promote there own product but I don't understand why Lionel or MTH doesn't contract out Meagasteam to make the fluid for them? Megasteam works great in both train makers products. 

mega steam all the way

Brent

Mega Steam all the way

 

Have never tried Super-Smoke. Surprised no one has chimed in here as yet. Curious how it compares to the others.

 

I have a ton of Megasteam and I keep buying more, but the Lionel Premium has been really good in most of my newer engines. Surprising that its lacking in the BB.

In fact so does MTH smoke fluid (and for some reason the Christmas scented one is better than the recent batches of Megasteam cedar I've had). 

 

If Lionel Premium is specially formulated for Lionel's recent Legacy/Vision smoke units you'd think they advertise that fact. I have wondered whether it is designed to leave less residue in/on the unit and especially the fan motors. If it isn't, I see no reason to change from my default choice, which is MTH for everything except my biggest steamer, which gets Megasteam.

I have also been using MTH as my first choice. I like the apple pie scent. I just got a Big Boy and was on the fence about what smoke to use. Seems to me that Lionel should have included some of their fluid in the box so a buyer can get up and running right away. I don't have any Lionel fluid so I may use the MTH.

I think Jeb should be reading this and chiming in here...

 

Alan

Mike R. plugged Lionel premium fluid in the Lionel BB video and that reminded me that in days of yore I swore by Train America Studios smoke fluid. It was at the opposite end of the spectrum from premium in terms of viscosity - pretty thick but easier to clean up if you missed your target stack! I still have some left and it works great (after at least 5 years in the botttle) in all makes of SMU. It's not available any more - just wonder what's the difference between the TAS formula and what Lionel is selling now?

Personally I think that would be a worst case scenario. I've seen too many bottles LEAK. I know I wouldn't be happy with fluid all over a new engine.

 

Secondly, I really can't imagine someone popping almost $2K not having a few bottles of smoke fluid around!

 

I always thought a voucher for a free bottle from your LHS would be a better idea.

Well, you've never met me.  But now you have.  I didn't have any, so after seeing Mike's unpacking video, I had to order some from Lionel.  As for leaking bottles, I've never had a Lionel bottle leak, just MTH and K-Line.  My Lionel engines just usually come DOA, I'm just really glad my BB didn't.

Imperial Trains gave me a bottle with mine.

You just jinxed yourself! Good Luck now! 

The reason we recommend the Premium Lionel fluid is that it is non-conductive.  Last I recall - so was Mega Steam's product.  We all know how well conductive smoke fluid (water based - not oil based) and electronics get along.

I asked Mike R to help Lionel when he came on board WRT smoke fluid.  Lionel now uses the same product Mike stated TAS used for the Lionel Premium Smoke Fluid.  Thanks Mike!!!

I found the premium smoke to work very well in my Legacy engines, about the same if not slightly better then Mega steam.

 

 

I'll be using Megasteam simply because were well stocked at our club on it,and it is a nice product with every scent you can imagine.

 

 

 

It would be nice if the premium smoke bottles came with a nice quality eyedropper that's my only improvement to it I could see.

I guess the Lionel pipette is supposed to suffice?  

 

I'm just having an issue gauging how much fluid to put in. It seems to drop off put when I add fluid it seems like I'm over filling it. Even though I followed the video. The stacks always seem to be "wet". 

Marty I think it's impossible to over fill it . No Mather how much I put in after about 7 to 10 mins it's asking for more.. Lionel is gonna have issiues with people burning these out from not having enough fluid .. I think  .I am doing 20 drops per stack 10 in the whistle and 10 on the blowdown . I know I am gonna modify The blowdown it doesn't smoke enough .

Well I did find an issue on my layout that was effecting my smoke. Since this layout is temporary I put the outer loop and sidings all on 1 135w brick. Silly me. The track voltage with a couple of trains of lighted cars was 15v. Lost the siding with lighted cars and same for the passenger cars I was pulling and presto 18v and more smoke. 

 

Bottom like the BB wants voltage. BTW the premium works just as well as MS now. I imagine that the MS has a slightly lower boiling point which made it work better at lower voltage. The LP is Working fine now. 

My stacks are always wet too.  And I've found it smokes best right after you add fluid.  If I add some, drive for a minute or two, take a 30min break then come back, it acts like there is little to no fluid in it.  I also spilled some and noticed that it evaporated rather quickly for an oil based fluid.  May be why you have to add at the beginning of operation.

Now I  don't expect that Jon can reply to this but does anyone know which fluids are conductive or water based? I had always assumed that all smoke fluid was mineral oil based. It would be good to know so that conductive or water based products could be avoided.

mega steam msds.

 

click here

 

 

could not find lionel msds.

In the past i have used many different fluids but for the Big Boy I have a supply of Lionel Premium fluid and that is what I will use.

 

Bob C.

I have tried both Lionel and Mega steam and find are same level of smoke output.

as far as smell level sorry lionel mega steam beats you as my wife loves the vanilla and grandpa's pipe scents.

 

as to overfilling so far just the reverse the BB is like a 1955 buick roadster always wanting more fuel. my dad had one lasted all of 3 weeks and traded it off for a 1955 chevy belair.

 

I will say this about the big boy it seems to have intimidated my legacy daylight and atsf 484 3751 both smoke better now amazing!

Thanks MartyE for the vote of confidence. We aim to please!  Mega-Steam proudly makes 49 PREMIUM scents right here in the USA by train enthusiasts who care about the quality of their product. Our viscosity is chemically engineered for a mid-range level that makes it suitable for all types of smoke units and manufacturer's engines and all scales. Our ingredients and formula use high-quality premium products that are oil based and are not conductive. We take great care to make sure that our smoke fluid will vaporize quickly, produce a lot of smoke, then dissipate quickly without fogging up your train room.

 

We do not bad mouth other manufacturer's smoke fluids, but find through our own independent testing that the main issue is viscosity. Many brands tend to be too thick for the smoke units of today. Most produce their brand the same way they did 30 years ago. Most are also produced overseas, or at least primed overseas with low quality fluid that produces a foul smell when fired up for the first time. That is why we developed our "Eliminator"to clean out that initial foul smell from the smoke unit.

 

As one prominent official recently stated to us, "It's just smoke fluid! Most of our customers probably won't even turn on the smoke unit." That is precisely why Mega-Steam is in business.It's just smoke fluid! We care and make sure that the quality will be there every time our product is used whether it is used with a entry level loco or the highest level BB.

 

"When only the best will do"

JT's Mega-Steam

"World's finest smoke fluid!"

www.megasteam.com

 

 

 

I use Mega Steam for all my locomotives including new VL Big Boy.

Any new or used engine I buy gets a treatment of Megasteams " Eliminator"  The correct way to use it to get rid of any bad smelling fluid is to run "Eliminator" for the first 3 fills when you get the engine then go to the flavor you like. I mostly use "NADA" but will put 3 drops of another scent and the rest with "NADA". 

sure would like to see lionel contract with megasteam as their smoke fluid.

Mega Steam Cranberry flavored.  WIFE likes it, so I can run my smoke.

I have found that Mega Steam produces better smoke quicker.

I've never heard of a water based smoke fluid either. I have heard of a glycerin based smoke fluid but it wasn't for trains it was for a Halloween fog unit.

 

Jerry

I bought a coffee maker once who's warranty stated it would be void if I used any brand of paper filters but theirs. Yeah right.

But if I sold toy train engines AND smoke fluid of course I would recommend my brand for my engines.

Jim

I bought a bottle of Lionel smoke fluid once (Not the premium, just a small bottle (.3oz) like that which comes new with RTR steamers.) and it was glycerin based.  Boy, it was awful.  The smell was horrible and output lame.  It even killed the smoke output of my MTH steamers!  So I don't know if it was filled with the wrong stuff or not, or what the deal was.  Luckily it was a small bottle and it didn't seem to permanently hurt anything as as soon as I started using the Lionel premium, they all started smoking volumes again.  So it's the only thing I have used in my VL BB.  I like the smell, but my oldest son and wife don't.