Thanks Marty Fitzhenry

Marty and Dotty are two of the finest ambassadors for the hobby. That is just the way they roll! Their help and advice is always given without ever expecting anything in return.  You did good by stopping in. Nice to hear that all is well with your Dreyfess Hudson.

Jeb

Mind like a steel trap that Marty.  You don't blow much by him!   Glad he was able to fix you up, another nice turn by the man!

BlueComet400 posted:

He explained to me that running it with a damaged heat element could very easily have ruined the circuit board, and that I was very lucky nothing happened. I had no idea that I could've fried the electronics,  which would've been a very expensive lesson. Since I still have the DCS training wheels on, I always do my best to absorb everything Marty tells me. 

 

John

very interesting comment.

just another thing our members need to be aware of!!

Marty and Dotty are the epitomy of helpfulness and friendships created through this forum.  They make you feel like you know them your whole life   Love them!!!

They are great people. You can tell, just with the first conversation. They'll go out of their way to help and steer you right! 

I hope they get many blessings back in return. A post like this is well deserved. I'll never grow tired of reading of their helping this hobby forward.

Thank you for this post!

bigdodgetrain posted:

BlueComet400 posted:

He explained to me that running it with a damaged heat element could very easily have ruined the circuit board, and that I was very lucky nothing happened. I had no idea that I could've fried the electronics,  which would've been a very expensive lesson. Since I still have the DCS training wheels on, I always do my best to absorb everything Marty tells me. 

 

John

very interesting comment.

just another thing our members need to be aware of!!

Thanks to Marty!!  Yep, I am in that same boat with the Big Boy; I burnt out the heating element on the front stack and am rebuilding the smoke unit; I will find out when I am done if it took the RCMC with it.

Guys, one pointer that you want to keep in mind when working on Lionel or MTH smoke units.   Both Lionel and MTH have many smoke units with a metal smoke reserviors  where the heaters and wicking reside.   Before putting the PCB with the heaters or heater  back inside, be sure the heater is centered so it will sit as close as possible in the smoke reservior.   Doing this has nothing to do with smoke output.  What you do not want is the heater to touch the side of the reservior and ending up doing damage when power is applied..  

Here is what I always do.  Take your continuity meter and with one probe hit the heater pad or screw on top of the PCB.   Take the other probe and hit the reservior and hope you see no continuity.  If you have no continuity, you did the job right and are good to go.  If you see continuity, open the unit up again and re position the heaters and repeat the step until you see no continuity.

Today, many of the smoke reserviors are plastic.  That makes life easy.   Lionel is always a bit easier to do with the single heater.  You have all read some of the great info on updating smoke units by GRJ and Alex.   Even with modifications to the smoke unit, always make sure the heater does not say hello to the metal reservior.

Rick, you may be lucky.  The RCMC is tough.  I am a very big fan of the RCMC.

hi Yes they are both the best and always go out of there way to help anybody! A real wealth of knowledge from both of them.

Many thanks for they make this hobby a pleasure and the forum is great as well!

Alan

MartyF, priceless info, thanks a million!

Wish I knew this info before.  Thanks MARTY!!!!

Gosh, I'm thinking about buying a house next to Marty. Don

Don, if you move near me you we be assigned all catenary operations.

DEAL!!!! Thanks Marty, soldering iron at the ready. Don

Marty and Dotty are true genuine people. Our lives are all richer for knowing them.

Marty and dotty are the ambassadors of this hobby and great friends !!

Alex 

Great story, always a good thing to have someone there watching your back when you didn't even know it needed to be watched.

Thanks for the extra tips Marty.