Maybe Something to Think About...

Many of us on this forum are Seniors with underlying health issues that should be considered in risk aversion behaviors.

Tinplate Art posted:

Since the emergence of the global pandemic, I have decided not to use any smoke fluid in any locomotive for the duration. I should explain my reasons for this decision. Although the last exam and imaging of my 77 year old lungs by a pulmonologist showed NO issues, I decided to err on the side of caution. I am not an asthmatic, but I do have some mild allergies and sinus drainage. Plus, my train room is a small spare bedroom, which when the door is closed to keep my two sweet  cats out, the ventilation is less than ideal. I just feel that I want my lungs free of any lipid residue from our mineral oil smoke fluids in case I have to deal with this virus pathagen up close and personal!

You know what Art, that's not a bad idea.  Don't have any pulmonary issues myself, at least none that I am aware of, but it makes sense that if a person is over 60 its a good idea to stack the deck in your favor.  I believe I will follow suit. 

I am 65...I have no health issues but I stopped running smoke units in my engines 20 years ago. No specific reason, just makes no sense to me to keep filling them up when I am usually the only guy in the train room to entertain and 95% of my motive power is diesel. Just my 2 cents.

Donald

A quick reminder:  If you're not running smoke in your newer locos, make sure the smoke is switched off, or damage may occur!  And on postwar steamers, you may wish to disconnect the smoke units... 

Mitch

I never turn my smoke units on. Never considered the ill effects on my health. I can’t imagine my postmortem reading,”patient was killed by Lionel 
T-1 Duplex.” 

I do like to see the smoke but after a short while I turn the main stack off but keep on the whistle smoke (if possible).

I only use Meta fluid, Apple.  I can’t handle many regular types. I’m 72 so I don’t need any more issues.

I would advise anyone who is smoking, vaping or using toy train smoke to stop doing so, particularly at this time in history. Your lungs do not need any more foreign substances that might, in clinically proven research (smoking, vaping, diesel fumes, etc.) or in theory (toy train smoke, dust, etc.) might weaken your ability to fight off infection or increase inflammation if you do get an infection.  If you are doing anything that creates aerosols or airborne particles of any sort (e.g., using your Dremel tool), would advise wearing an N95 mask.

Credentials: collaborative research with some of the world's best lung biology and pulmonary medicine researchers and clinicians.  Not a lung doc myself, but can play one on TV.  

Agreed, my wife has spent 18 months recovering from Avian Flue.  When I told the Johns Hopkins doc about the non smoke aspect of our model train smoke he told us " Never the less, if you can smell it, it can have an negative effect on your lungs".  Good health is precious,  ask anyone who does not have it.

I have been a fan of toy train "smoke" since my Gilbert Flyer days with that wonderful cedar aroma and in more recent years, a huge fan of J.T.'s Mega Steam products, and Seuthe fluid for my LGB locos. My concern with our relatively harmless toy train "smoke" (actually vaporized mineral oil) at this time of a major health crisis is that many of us 70 or older should consider whether additional aerosolized particles of any kind should be inhaled into our lungs. At 77, I am taking no chances until this crisis abates.

I rarely ever used my smoke units on my diesels and on my postwar steam engines only occasionally added a post war smoke pill. When I did use the smoke I opened the large sliding door to the train room and also opened a rear door to get cross flow ventilation. Even then I ran the engines with smoke for a short period of time. I have always felt that anything you inhale could be harmful in excess or over time, so I try to limit exposure to things like that. However if anything or anyone smokes in my train room it better be a steam engine as the sign on my train room states!

Like the old sign says: "If we see you smoking we will assume you are on fire and take appropriate action".

Tom Tee: LOVE that sentiment!

I don't run smoke in any of my engines.  Smoke does mess with my wife's asthma, but I don't like smoke in a small room either.  I open the door to try out a smoke unit on any engines I buy or am planning to sell.  That is all.

I just jam these down the stacks... 

I have a diaphragm torn in three places, I'm still running smoke because I won't likely live if I get it anyhow.

I already "knew" 3 Detroiters with it and all were in much better shape than I am.  (or I already had it in the last week of Feb- March 4th.. any worse than that and I'll likely be smoke though )