Lionel Vision Big Boy Blow Down and Whistle Smoke Questions.

 

 

My questions on this are:

* Does AUX1 + 6 mean press and release AUX1, and then press 6,

* Or does it mean press  AUX1 AND 6 at the same time?

* Has anyone/everyone been doing this?

 

 

 

Aux one first then 6.   Do I do it this way no. But I’ve never had issues with my big boy smoke operations.    Now think of it this way. What your really doing by pressing the aux one and then 6 and then waiting is priming the blow down.  Is it nesecarry No!  Does it give you the best effect Yes!   When I run any engine  I add fluid to all fill Ports.  Let it soak fore about 10 minutes and then fire up the smoke units.   The first activation of the blow down maybe a little weak.   But after that first activation it’s always very strong after that.   Also I strongly suggest the lionel premium fluid.  Not to start a debate but specifically in reference to the smoke features such as whistle steam and blown down it seems to make a difference.  Stick with the suggested amounts of fluid.   Don’t overfill that doesn’t help anything.  Lionel has done a nice video In Reference to these on how to fill and work all the features.   Might take a look at that video on their YouTube channel.  It’s very informative.   Seen a ton of questions on these vision big boys lately.    Enjoy your engine.   To me it’s still the greatest ever made.  Niagras are nice but they are not the big boy.  

You know, you really don't know whether you are going to confront the blowdown smoke issue until you get one of these engines and start running it. It does not affect all VLBB's and where it does, it seems to be caused by a misalignment of a smoke unit component (the thermistor). It's a simple fix but requires taking the boiler shell off to get at the blowdown smoke unit and then disassembling that. 

I recently tried Mike Reagan's suggestion and it made no difference. So I am resigned to checking out the blowdown unit itself. It appears to be a fact the not all the VLBB smoke units are powered up at once; Mike R's tip will activate the blowdown unit heater but if the components are not aligned correctly it will not function as it should. Aside from that, if you had to do as much as 10-15 mins. of running before all smoke features would function that would be a pretty inconvenient and disappointing thing. In fact my whistle smoke works within a relatively few seconds of first activating it. It isn't copious but then it's too close to the main stacks to be very distinctly visible most of the time. 

Smoke volume on Legacy units hasn't been what people like me expected until Lionel changed certain software settings starting with the AC-9. Exactly what the changes are I do not know but the VL Niagara must have them too because it is a prolific smoker.

I second using only Lionel Premium fluid in the VLBB. 

Everything Jeremy said.  I do not use AUX1 + 6 either, but you certainly can.  I use Lionel smoke fluid or Mega-steam BigBoy mix (coal and oil, yum) and find both work equally well.  Blowing down the fill holes is important because all connect to the smoke unit via a conduit and, sometimes, the surface tension of the fluid will keep it from flowing into the smoke unit.  You can pick up an ear syringe in the baby aisle of the grocery store or drug store to blow down the stack.  I find it helpful because you do not have to have the locomotive next to you to blow.  Do it very gently - you do not want to blow smoke fluid all over the inside of the locomotive.

Setup correctly, this locomotive generates copious amounts of smoke.  It’s size, sounds and details make a real hit with visitors.  Enjoy.

FWIW, while I keep hearing recommendations not to use more than 20 drops, I have to disagree.  For a dry smoke unit, 20 drops doesn't nearly get the job done.  When I rebuild smoke units, I usually soak the wick before assembly, that way I can see what I'm adding and the condition of the wick.  I use over half a JT's Megasteam dropper in them, that ends up being around 40 drops.

Thanks everyone,

I imagine the front stack fluid reservoirs are the same size.  Are the BD and Whistle reservoirs the same size as the front stacks?

John, dry engine, you suggest 40 in the front stacks.  How many drops do you suggest in the other 2?  

I always hesitate to make hard-n-fast recommendations for smoke fluid amounts as that's sure to somehow come back and bite me.   My one observation is the VL-BB main smoke units seem to consume a lot of smoke fluid when they're running.

I will illustrate the various smoke unit sizes, these are clips from Alex's excellent set of VL-BB teardown pictures.

The front smoke unit tank looks very large, but it has two independent elements, smoke stacks, and fans.  That's the the alternating smoke from the main stacks.  The whistle smoke tank behind it is about half the size, that makes sense as there's only one exhaust there.

The blowdown smoke unit tank appears to be the same size as the whistle smoke and about half the size of the dual unit tank on the main stack dual smoke unit.