Scented smoke fluid - comments?

Love it.  I use JT's Megasteam here.  Although I have diesel and steam scent, I prefer the less obnoxious scents, and they also help with the boss.

I started with JT Megastream  diesel and my wife said NO SMOKE.  I then tried vanilla which she actually likes.  It makes the basement smell good.

Marty

Another Megasteam fan here. I like some of the Christmas themed scents. The coal scent not so much, but even with my anemic postwar smoking steamers the train room can get a bit overwhelmed with train smoke!

Anyone have thoughts on the cedar scent? Or something that won't make my room/house smell like a Yankee candle store? I'm guessing the diesel scent can get a little obnoxious? How long does it linger after running (any of the scents)?

I go through a lot of JT's Megasteam.  Although I occasionally use the "prototypical" scents, I prefer the more pleasant scents like hot chocolate, cedar, and the various fruit scents, depending on my mood.  When doing public shows, I avoid diesel and coal or oil fired steamer scents because most people think they are unpleasant or just downright stink.  The average non-train person doesn't have any kind of fondness for RR-related industrial smells (personally, I like the smell of burning coal).  I exclusively run hot chocolate in my Polar Express engines, and one night during our recent stint at Kennywood, I had a lady ask me "Why does the Polar Express smell so good and the other trains stink?"

In the end, it is just personal preference.  Personally, I say try the prototypical scents and some of the others and then settle on your favorites.

Andy

I don't think there's any kind of reliable one-scent-fits-all solution to your quandary. There are lots of variables that may affect the choice -- size and ventilation of the train room, the number and planned running time of the smokers, etc. -- but probably the most important factor IMHO is the opinion of those who you plan to subject to the resulting scents. After one scented bottle (some sort of mint IIRC), I switched to unscented (which really *isn't*, at least not entirely!) and haven't regretted it, or ever been tempted to try either realistic or themed scents. YMMV . . .

@Paul Khoury posted:

Anyone have thoughts on the cedar scent? Or something that won't make my room/house smell like a Yankee candle store? I'm guessing the diesel scent can get a little obnoxious? How long does it linger after running (any of the scents)?

The lingering depends on your ventilation.  I have an air cleaner to try to tame the lingering scent, but it takes it some time to "clear the air".

Family approved here include Hot Chocolate & Cranberry Woods.

I have been using JT's Megasteam for several years and after some experimentation with many of their different scents other than coal or diesel I finally settled on their Cedar scent a couple of years ago.  In my opinion it is pleasant and not too overpowering .  Several visitors have commented favorably on this fragrance when I have used it on my Christmas layout.  Even the warden does not object to it.

I am also a big fan of JT Megasteam. I like Vanilla, but my current favorite is Cut Grass Arnold

I like "Coal Fired Steamer." It's a train room, so I figure it should smell like trains. If they ever develop "Deep Fried Turkey" or "2-Stroke Outboard Exhaust," I'd buy those for sure, just for a change of pace.

We, too, use JT's Megasteam smoke fluid. Diesel for my son's Geep and coal-fired steamer for my steam locos. I love the smell of both. :-)

Cinnamon Roll from MTH!  Makes me hungry!

Another JT Megasteam customer here.  I use Diesel Power in diesels and Coal-Fired Steamer in steamers.  The diesel scent reminds me of the days I worked on diesel submarines.  And yes, I'm that old.  I like it.

I mostly limit smoke to warmer days when the attic fan is on.  Don't use smoke too much in the winter.

I use JT's Mega steam. Diesel Power and Coal Power. Just placed an order as I was getting low, and I tried the new Big Boy steam blend. We'll see how that is. My son likes to put other scents in our steam/smoke units on our buildings. Currently still using Christmas Scent....

Mike

Personally I'd never recommend coal or diesel smell.  Terribly stinky.  I'd go with no smell or a pine.  The coal and diesel would be very low on the list.  One of them, can't remember which, smells like burning tires.

But do recommend JTs. 

@MartyE posted:

Personally I'd never recommend coal or diesel smell.  Terribly stinky.  I'd go with no smell or a pine.  The coal and diesel would be very low on the list.  One of them, can't remember which, smells like burning tires.

But do recommend JTs.

I'll sing along with this answer.   My wife likes the smell of JT's Clove Sensation, so guess what I use here.

Nothing beats original Gilbert Amercan Flyer smoke fluid.

JT's all the way...Coffee scented fluid seems to be my favorite, followed by Fireplace.  I also use a lot of Nada (no particular scent) it just smells like plain old smoke fluid that seems to bring back memories of  O-gauge trains back when I was a kid.

Every time I order new fluid, I consider diesel (for all my diesels) but I just can't pull the trigger on that one...I think I would get some push-back from the wife.

@Kevin MacDowell posted:

Every time I order new fluid, I consider diesel (for all my diesels) but I just can't pull the trigger on that one...I think I would get some push-back from the wife.

I have diesel, coal fired steamer, and oil fired steamer scents, they go largely unused.  I've had them for years and the bottles still have plenty in them.  Occasionally, someone will ask what they smell like, so I just stick a smoke unit on the bench and fire it up for them.

I use NADA, Clove Sensation, and Eliminator here, those are the ones that are sitting where I can easily reach them.

Ummmmmm, Baby Oil by J & J.... "Fresh as a Daisy"...   But, I run Post war Steam engines... because I never had one as a kid..... so now the Grandkids (smile) have several.

I do no know what that would do to the newer internals of modern engines and smoke-makers.......

Cranberry Woods - smells like someone has a Yankee Candle burning 😊👍🏼 - also use NADA

Anyone’s thoughts on Xmas Berry ???

Thx

I use Mega-Steam Eliminator. Smokes great with a mild citrus odor. It does cost significantly more than other smoke fluids.

Forgot about Eliminator 👍🏼 - also a favorite

@dorfj2 posted:

Cranberry Woods - smells like someone has a Yankee Candle burning 😊👍🏼 - also use NADA

Anyone’s thoughts on Xmas Berry ???

Thx

Stick with Cranberry Woods. Just sayin'.

Maybe I'm weird, but I like the smoke to smell real or turn it off.  Some don't like the smell, but that's what basement doors are for. 

John

@jim sutter posted:

Nothing beats original Gilbert Amercan Flyer smoke fluid.

Jim, where do you get the AF smoke fluid? I havent smelled that in over 50 years.

@Craftech posted:

Maybe I'm weird, but I like the smoke to smell real or turn it off.  Some don't like the smell, but that's what basement doors are for. 

John

When the basement door opens to the foyer, opening that isn't a solution at my house!

Chris, I have no idea were you can buy original A.F. smoke fluid.

Try Bart'S pneumatics great AF Scent

I dig the Megasteam. I have coal and oil fired steam, NADA for blowoffs and whistles, and diesel. I think they're all pretty accurate. The oil steam can smell a little rough and lingers longer than the other scents in my opinion. The diesel reminds me of the exhaust from a Powerstroke but not as strong. I really enjoy the scented smoke. It reminds me a lot of my time on steam traction engines and a diesel locomotive. I'll be set if I can find a sulfur scent for the mills

The hot chocolate scent from Megasteam is what I use at Christmas. Everyone loves it and it's subtle enough that it doesn't overpower a room (running a puffing smoke unit, maybe a fan driven would be different).

There are a few "approved" scents by the powers that be, which I am allowed to use:
-Vanilla
-Coffee
-Cinnamon Roll
-Clove Sensation (smells like the scented Christmas pinecones - my personal favorite)
- Maple Sugar
- Christmas Pine

I do NOT recommend Diesel Power or Coal, as the house smelled like burnt plastic. I learned that the hard way.......

Bryce

  I like the ginger bread and the root beer.

The JT Mega-Steam Diesel really does smell like diesel, which I thought would be cool, but boy did it stink up my house! LOL

The wife is OK with the "Spring" scent.

Anything that is appropriate to an industrial setting makes sense. Plain "smoke fluid smell" works for me. Food, perfume, flowers, incense - oh, dear me, no.

Years ago a friend dropped by to show me his recently purchased 4-6-8-2-4, in which he or the previous owner had put a floral (really?) fluid. For 2 months my RR building smelled like a brothel.

JT Mega Steam smoke fluid is the best. My favorite is Hot Chocolate.

Pat

I use Nada to keep questions about the "smoke" to a minimum. During Christmas time I hang the pine scented things you put in artificial Christmas trees all around the train room.

@D500 posted:

Years ago a friend dropped by to show me his recently purchased 4-6-8-2-4, in which he or the previous owner had put a floral (really?) fluid. For 2 months my RR building smelled like a brothel.

That's what JT's Eliminator is for.

CINC Obloy really likes Lionel's Pine scent.  Funny thing. so do I.