Why no Smoking Lionel Diesels?

Mostly all of Lionel's diesels produced in recent years have the smoke feature. The only one's that don't are the lower end one's and maybe some that come in starter sets.

 

I personally can't think of the last time I have purchased a Lionel diesel without smoke.

That might be why, I don't really look at the bigger expensive diesels, we mostly have lower-end starter set stuff at our house.

I don't smoke my diesels anyway.  They look silly when they put out as much as a steamer.  A real diesel that smokes a lot needs a rebuild I think.

.....

Dennis

Most Lionel diesels in at least the last 10 years or so have smoke.

Earlier ones are kind of anemic, but this is perhaps not a bad thing for a diesel.

I have overhauled a couple with MTH elements and tiki torch wicking, but they almost smoke too much for a diesel now.

 

Rod

I don't want to start a war here, but I must point something out.

All but one of the Diesel starter sets in the 2012 catalog have operating ditch lights and Smoke.

The exception is the Santa Fe F3 warbonnet, but it and all the others came with the DCS Remote Commander system.  Yes, Command Control is in the starter sets.

Sadly, the 2013 RTR catalog is the exact same sets. Nothing new there.

BTW, the 2012 sets only arrived in December so I'm sure there are some around.

My Geeps and RS-11s smoke.....as Dennis says......you have to keep it subtle for a realistic effect. It's really exhaust, not smoke!

 

However, smoking is bad for you .

 

 

 

 

We don't want our expesive models going the same way.....

 

Peter

Yep all of the above, Lionel diesels do smoke. Exception would be the starter sets.

Note: The question was about Lionel diesels.

The bottom line is that Mth offers almost the full feature package on most of their starter locos (dcs, speed control, sound, smoke) while Lionel continues to be stingy with these features in their starter lineup. I'm sure they'd claim that the starter community doesn't want that stuff but they just can't figure out how to do it while maintaining their inflated margins.

Shouldn't smoke from a diesel be black anyways?  The standard smoke effect included in my MTH premier diesels is white/clear, more appropriate for stimulating steam.  If they made a fluid that produced black smoke, I might buy that.

 

In the meantime I keep all my smoke units turned off.

 

Also, why do they even include a smoke unit in those blue/green hybrid es44's that Lionel and MTH make?  Those "green" locos should be low-emission.

MTH seems to be the leader in European trains, how about smoke........and fire? ( I never get tired of seeing this video)

 

That's a great video Rick.  Them Russians don't wimp out with all those silly regulations the EPA imposes!  Anyway, one thing for sure, the person that comes out with blue and black color producing smoke fluid is going to be rich!  I don't mind smoking first generation diesels.  Modern equipment is much cleaner runing until they get some miles on them.  I only wish my short frame switchers (SW's and such) had smoke.

 

Stack

Here's another one for you Rick.  

 

 

There are some great videos of the 2TE-10 and 3TE-10 units belching smoke and flame on the net. 

 

 

This is how they look on the inside.

Nicole! That locomotive has a steering wheel!!!!!

Lionel makes a less expensive starter sets than MTH. Although they may be sturdy, reliable, and less expensive, they do have a lot fewer bells and whistles...and good smoke, and speed control, and sounds, and lights, and command control etc.

 

You get more with MTH, but you also pay more. I have seen the Lionel  Scout Set for under $175. The new MTH PS 3 starter sets rarely get as low as $289.

 

You have to determine if the extra cash is work all the extra features.

 

Oh, and as far as smoke on diesels, I really like it going crazy on older Alcos, but keep the level at low for modern engines that should produce very little visible exhaust.

The old saying, you get what you pay for, is true with some of the starter sets. Personally, I love the smoking feature on Lionel diesels and use it all of the time.

There's one at the other end too! (At 3:02) Perhaps they are for use on really sharp curves?  Does anyone know? 

It's the throttle.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSAYlwBkvs4

 

Regarding lack of features in the Lionel starter sets.  This is a trade off.  By keeping all of the components the same the MTH loco is cheaper to manufacture but the repair/replacement costs are moved downstream in the supply chain.  If you want to see some real sticker shock, wait till someone that bought the full featured unit in a starter set takes it in for repairs and finds that it will cost almost as much as the set to get the unit repaired.

I like smoking diesels and hope MTH And Lionel keep this feature. Like someone said before, turn it off if you do not like it. As you can tell, I am not into prototypical trains, I just like to run them. Btw, this is a great forum. David56