MTH 30-2200-1 Adding A Smoke Unit

Perhaps if you shared the video, we could identify the smoke unit used.  That space is too small for most MTH smoke units, so I'm not sure what he stuck in there.  The only think I can think of that might fit easily is perhaps the Seuthe smoke unit.  There's not much room for anything a lot larger.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Perhaps if you shared the video, we could identify the smoke unit used.  That space is too small for most MTH smoke units, so I'm not sure what he stuck in there.  The only think I can think of that might fit easily is perhaps the Seuthe smoke unit.  There's not much room for anything a lot larger.

The only video I have is the one linked above, he never got back to be on how he did the smoke unit in it. Would an HO smoke unit work? I was talking with a friend and he was thinking a flyer smoke unit might work?

I have no idea what he put in there, it's obviously fan driven.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I have no idea what he put in there, it's obviously fan driven.

Me too. I'm not sure either. Wish I knew but I would like a smoke unit in mine. Somehow, someway.

FWIW, the newer version of the MTH Railking Scale RS-3 - 30-20215-1 (from the 2014 V1) catalog comes with the smaller MTH single resistor smoke unit installed.

@rtr12 posted:

FWIW, the newer version of the MTH Railking Scale RS-3 - 30-20215-1 (from the 2014 V1) catalog comes with the smaller MTH single resistor smoke unit installed.

You got any pictures of the inside? I forgot that the S2s which I have two of use that same smaller smoke unit I believe.

Important point to consider.  With that 5V board, there's no way for us to load the proper firmware for the small single-resistor smoke unit.  For PS/3, we can load the small resistor chain files for single element smoke units.

But even if you can't change the smoke parameters in the 5V PS2 sound-set, why can't he simply add a 50-cent power resistor (series or parallel as the case may be) so that the smoke resistor itself receives the same/original Wattage?

If I understand the shell design, the smoke stack is that gray plastic piece above the white arrow.  And the simplest/logical place to mount the smoke unit is the pink zone.  I think measuring and posting the dimensions of that space between the PS2 board set and the motor would be helpful to then compare with available fan-driven smoke units.  If for whatever reason the smoke "nozzle" cannot be aligned directly under the shell's stack, I've had great success re-directing fan-driven smoke around corners/bends/angles of several inches or more using heat-shrink tubing or the like.

how about a smoke unit from a premier Alco S2 switcher?

First off, you have to find one that will fit between the board and the motor.  As far as the resistor, with the smoke unit resistor getting hot enough to vaporize mineral oil, do you really want a resistor outside the smoke unit getting that hot?

Sorry I don't have any pictures of the insides of the engine and it is also PS/3.

Is the one needing a smoke unit here a RK Scale version? I have no idea how many versions/sizes of the RS-3 MTH has put out, but I was just looking at the picture of the shell above and it looks smaller (narrower anyway) than mine? Could just be the photo, but if it is not RK Scale then there might not be enough room for the smaller smoke unit.

Given that maybe 5 Watts into a smoke unit heater is plenty for a diesel, I figure an external resistor might be stealing just a few Watts which should be safe.  Plus, we are talking DCS so at the penalty of losing low-medium-high smoke selection, one could simply always operate at the "low" setting which might obviate the need for an external resistor.

@rtr12 posted:

Sorry I don't have any pictures of the insides of the engine and it is also PS/3.

Is the one needing a smoke unit here a RK Scale version? I have no idea how many versions/sizes of the RS-3 MTH has put out, but I was just looking at the picture of the shell above and it looks smaller (narrower anyway) than mine? Could just be the photo, but if it is not RK Scale then there might not be enough room for the smaller smoke unit.

This one is the first RS-3 they made back in 2000. I believe its near scale proportions. Even so, I doubt they changed the tooling much between this first run and subsequent runs but who knows. I'd be curious to see how the smoke unit in the PS/3 model is done which is why interior photos would be nice. Unfortunately, I can't find any.

The PS/3 diesel board is lower profile than the 5V PS/2 board, that's probably why it's easier to fit a smoke unit in there.  With the new board, the smoke unit could be above the PS/3 board.