Smoke Problems Vision line Hudson

Thats strange, but no, I cant say that Ive ever experienced anything like this before. But, are you adding too much fluid? If so, turn the engine upside down to drain off excess. I also heard from Lionel a tip on smoke units, if you run the train for a while, turn it off, then immediately add smoke fluid, since the unit is hot, the fluid will crystallise, and block off smoke, so it stops smoking. They say wait until at least 10 minutes after you turn it off to add smoke fluid. But if this happens, they say to just leave the engine alone for a while, and the crystallised smoke fluid should go back to liquid form.

This may sound silly, but have you checked that the smoke switch is 'on' on the locomotive?  If so, it could possibly be a bad switch, a broken wire to the switch, or even just a loose connection in the harness to the switch.

Problems at the smoke unit itself, including loose connections, should give you a blinking light code, so I'd suspect the smoke on/off switch or wiring first.

Also, have you tried doing a 'factory reset' on the locomotive? This can often cure all sorts of odd behavior. 

Hi

I have had a few that have had three blinking lights in the cab.

with smoke problems.

Found out that most of the time that there is to much smoke fluid put in the smoke unit.

Then we have to clean them out. This fixes the problem most of the time.

you can over load them with fluid that cirtboard gets wet. then we have to drie that board out.

Hope this helps you.

Good morning folks, thanks for the comments.

I have re-programed the engine and checked the on off switch, turned the engine up-side down, nothing ran out.

I don't have a clue how to take the smoke unit out to clean it. The train will run without smoke until I send it out to be fixed.

I do believe the problem as a good chanch of being operator error.

Thanks for the comments

Brent

Not Quite Right...

Broken wires or bad switches (open) will ALLOW smoke to work.  When the switch is closed, smoke is disabled.  So bad harness, switch, or broken wire won't shut down the smoke.

"Factory reset" - Since the Vision Line Hudson, the first loco with the latest electronics, there is NO factory reset.  One can only set the TMCC ID in program mode, no AUX codes are needed or supported. To "Reset" the loco, simply hold down the "R" or "0" key (in RUN mode) for a few seconds, all features are reset and a refueling sequence is heard.

Can you hear the fan running? If so put your nose over the stack and see if you can feel any heat. When is the last time you added fluid?

Rick is correct, remove the tender from the track, and listen for the fan when you turn smoke on from the cab controls.  If you hear the fan running, heat up the smoke element quickly thusly:

Power up the track, start up the loco, wait 10 seconds, power the track off.\

Repeat the above sequence 3 times, just 3 times!!!

Did you get smoke?

Thanks Jon, I'll remember this in future.

BReece, please accept my apologies for the incorrect advice. 

Hi Brent,

Not sure if "Vision" is different, but on my Legacy steamers the smoke switch has to be on, wires connected to the switch with continuity, for the unit to smoke. My switch was bad, (open). When I twisted the wires together the unit smoked. Replacing the switch with one that had continuity fixed it.

Bill  

some times you will get a air pocket in the stack between the smoke unit and engine shell. try blowing down the stack with a puff of air.

As most forum members probably already know, OPENING the VL Hudson VOIDS the warranty.