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So I picked up this new bottle of smoke fluid from Dynamic Hobbies yesterday. It's the new scented stuff and I have the hot chocolate scented smoke fluid. 

Impressions:

1. The bottle is the same size as the JT Mega steem it may be smallet and wider but it is the same amount of fluid in the bottle as JT MS.

2. The scent of Hot Chocolate is pretty accurate. I feel like the scent from Lionel's is better and more believeable than the JT's Mega Steam, but there is certain times the scent smells the same which I'm confused by this.

Results

1. I just re wicked a MTH Railking Protosound 1.0 Cab Forward and tested it. Earlier in the day I ran it with Mega Steam and smoked fine and I came home to figure out the light bulb issue for the headlight.

2. I re wicked the loco because I had it apart so after soaking the wick with the Lionel scent and tested it and...

3. It would smoke so much less than Mega Steam. I forgot how Lionel Smoke fluid would not produce good quality and quantity Smoke like Mega Steam.

My Thoughts/Conclusions:

1. Lionel should be concerned about their products being built and making sure their right. 

2. Reason why (Refering to 1) Is JT Mega Steam is where the majority of Model railroaders buy their Smoke fluid. MEga Steam is safe to put in a Lionel Loco, they wouldn't void the warranty on anything because of that, they want you to use their Smoke fluid.

4. If Lionel wants to get more into Smoke fluid, don't, why? Lionel should be sponsoring and assisting JT Mega Steam with making Smoke fluid because Mega Steam makes Smoke output better and helps makes the track cleaner.

5. To prove this, the SD3R changed over to Mega Steam from MTH, as a result it cut our Alcohol expenses in half and our cleaning Pad usage was reduced by about 50%.

I live by JT Mega Steam and I only tried the Lionel stuff to see how would it work compared to the stuff you get with the engine.

These are my thoughts, How do you like the Lionel Scented Smoke fluid?

Thanks

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I've been using JT's Mega-Steam for many years, and it works well.

Last year, for the first time, I tried Lionel's Premium smoke fluid, #6-37841. I found that it worked even better than JT's Mega-Steam, at least in my Lionel steamers.

However, my wife didn't care for the smell of the #6-37841 Premium smoke fluid, so I thought I'd try one of Lionel's new scented Premium smoke fluids, which came out in December. The scent I got is the peppermint. I have found that it does not smoke as well as the #6-37841 Premium smoke fluid--or JT's Mega-Steam.

I think it may be that when Lionel made their scented smoke fluids, it's possible they reduced the amount of the ingredient that contributes most to what some may consider an unpleasant smell--and that may be the ingredient that made the smoke most effective.

I think it's also possible that Lionel's new unscented Premium smoke fluid, #6-83280, which comes in the same eye dropper bottle as the new scented Premium smoke fluids, may not be the same as the #6-37841 Premium smoke fluid. Here, too, they may have reduced the amount of the ingredient that contributes most to the smell, but that also makes it most effective.

By the way, Lionel's new scented and unscented Premium smoke fluids are made in the U.S. The #6-37841 Premium smoke fluid was made in China. In and of itself, that's great. However, that may also be a factor in the formulation being somewhat different.

Cheers!

Keith

I have been using MegaSteam exclusively for the last 5-6 years.  I tried a little tube of the Lionel stuff that came with a Lionel loco I recently got. It produced virtually no smoke at all.  I replaced it with MegaSteam & the smoke output increased by about 75%.  Plus, since the Lionel stuff I have came from China & MegaSteam is USA-made... I don't really want any liquid or chemical substance from China entering my lungs.    

Last edited by RadioRon
Keith Levine posted:

I've been using JT's Mega-Steam for many years, and it works well.

Last year, for the first time, I tried Lionel's Premium smoke fluid, #6-37841. I found that it worked even better than JT's Mega-Steam, at least in my Lionel steamers.

However, my wife didn't care for the smell of the #6-37841 Premium smoke fluid, so I thought I'd try one of Lionel's new scented Premium smoke fluids, which came out in December. The scent I got is the peppermint. I have found that it does not smoke as well as the #6-37841 Premium smoke fluid--or JT's Mega-Steam.

I think it may be that when Lionel made their scented smoke fluids, it's possible they reduced the amount of the ingredient that contributes most to what some may consider an unpleasant smell--and that may be the ingredient that made the smoke most effective.

I think it's also possible that Lionel's new unscented Premium smoke fluid, #6-83280, which comes in the same eye dropper bottle as the new scented Premium smoke fluids, may not be the same as the #6-37841 Premium smoke fluid. Here, too, they may have reduced the amount of the ingredient that contributes most to the smell, but that also makes it most effective.

By the way, Lionel's new scented and unscented Premium smoke fluids are made in the U.S. The #6-37841 Premium smoke fluid was made in China. In and of itself, that's great. However, that may also be a factor in the formulation being somewhat different.

Cheers!

Keith

RadioRon posted:

I have been using MegaSteam exclusively for the last 5-6 years.  I tried a little tube of the Lionel stuff that came with a Lionel loco I recently got. It produced virtually no smoke at all.  I replaced it with MegaSteam & the smoke output increased by about 75%.  Plus, since the Lionel stuff I have came from China & MegaSteam is USA-made... I don't really want any liquid or chemical substance from China entering my lungs.    

I'm safe boat as you Keith, I want good smelling smoke, that can produce lots of smoke.

Same thing with Ron, I always used my club's Smoke fluid which was MTH, but smelling oil like a steamer was bad.

I live by Mega Steam like both of you and Lionel had bad Smoke fluid before which kinda smell like Molasses. 

I will be excited to try the new scented Lionel smoke fluids. After a 1-year experiment switching over to Megasteam, I have concluded that I should return to the Lionel Premium Smoke Fluid Product. Starting with clean, rewicked smoke units 1 year ago, I found that the Megasteam product resulted in significantly more charring. The odors are more offensive also. Even the non-scented Megasteam caused endless complaints from family members. Perhaps Megasteams thicker viscosity leaves behind more material to char, and more odor. I know it messes up Lionel's smoke fluid loader from other complaints on this forum.  Some people swear by it, and that's fine. To each their own.

I do not share the same findings as the original poster. 

I've used both brands in Lionel Legacy, TMCC and Postwar steamers and I see a touch more smoke from the Lionel Premium but it's probably arguable.

My big complaint with the Lionel Premium had been the smell. It gave me a headache so I started using Megasteam (Bayberry Christmas).

Have now switched to the scented Lionel and it seems to smoke as well as their unscented version without the off-putting smell.

 

Tim, before you test, shake the smoke fluid vigorously.

For years, I had good results with JT's Mega-Steam.

About a year ago, I tried Lionel's Premium Smoke Fluid, and, in my Lionel steamers and diesels, it worked noticeably better that JT's.

When Lionel's new Premium Scented Smoke Fluids came out last month, I decided to try one--peppermint. I was disappointed. It didn't smoke as well as my old Lionel Premium Smoke Fluid, or JT's, and I really didn't smell peppermint.

This evening, I tried shaking--vigorously--the Lionel Premium Scented Smoke Fluid before putting it into the smoke unit (by the way, I always use a needle-point applicator, which allows me to get the fluid directly into the batting). The result? WOW! Fantastic smoke. And I smell the peppermint.

For example, I have a 16-year-old Lionel diesel, and it has never smoked as well as it does now with the Lionel Premium Scented Smoke Fluid--after the fluid was shaken.

By the way, Lionel's new line of Premium Smoke Fluids are made in the U.S.A.

Cheers!

Keith

Tim,
Not really sure what conclusion can be arrived at from the video. 

The results that I get with LP scented are seen in the following video clips.

Lionel Legacy Atlantic running under Legacy control. Normally I use 24 drops, via a needle point bottle to ensure absorption into the batting.

 

 

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Last edited by graz

In the latest RTR catalog, there are two different Premium Unscented smoke fluids listed. One's bottle appears to be the old style while the other is in the new style of bottle.

Are they the same formula just in different bottles? Or are they different? 

I saw this in the previous catalog as well but figured that it was either just a mistake or they were transitioning one out while introducing the new bottle.

graz posted:
D500 posted:

Why in heaven's name would anybody want this?

Not sure that I understand the question.

if you mean why would you use lionel fluid instead of MegaSteam? Then the answer would be that i find it works just as well or better than MS, and it's made in the USA.

So you are intimating that Mega Steam is NOT made in the U.S.A.? Plus the Lionel "special stuff" is less expensive also?

No. I'm stating that it's made in the USA because there was earlier confusion about where it was made.

Not sure about the price compared to other brands. Frankly, i don't go through enough of it for price to be a factor in my buying decision. I don't spend $$$$ on motive power only to save pennies on the smoke fluid. I might buy one bottle in a given year.

I picked some up the other day and seems to smoke fine. I decided I still prefer the scents of the mth product better though. BTW,  while I was looking through the scents I noticed that they had "diesel scented!"  Is anybody actually use this in there trains? I would be kicked out of the house if I filled it with the smell diesel smoke �� 

graz posted:

Tim,
Not really sure what conclusion can be arrived at from the video. 

The results that I get with LP scented are seen in the following video clips.

Lionel Legacy Atlantic running under Legacy control. Normally I use 24 drops, via a needle point bottle to ensure absorption into the batting.

 

 

Was the smoke due to increasing the smoke output, or just keeping it at its normal setting? Nice run there btw.

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