Smoke effect for N Scale steam?

[Black Diamond]

I was invited to view the last running of a pretty significant Lionel collection that is being sold off and I thought the smoke effect from the steam and diesel engines was pretty neat. I've seen it HO scale before, so maybe it's possible in N as well--I'm not sure it would show up all that great though...

[Mark5]

It was done in the 1970s. Rowa made a version of the N&W Y6b that had a smoke generator. It was pretty cheesy though in effect. I don't think it's been offered commercially since then.

[Dave V]

I would probably avoid such a "gimmick" in N scale for two reasons:

1.  The smoke effect would really not scale well.  A very thin wisp at best...  probably wouldn't look good coming out of a large steam engine climbing a grade!

2.  More importantly, the smoke fluid tends to leave an oily residue which can affect traction, electrical conductivity, and the surrounding structures and scenery.

I have a smoking engine in Lionel that does the Christmas tree loop every year; we don't use the smoke much.  When you first smell it, it's a wonderful trip down memory lane.  But after a little while it starts to make the living room stink!  The fact that Lionel is just so big (and heavy) probably overcomes the issue of oil resiude on the rails, though I know it's there.  I can see it when I wipe the railhead.

[wm3798]

Try wiring in your decoder backwards... It won't last long, but you WILL get smoke...

Lee

[3rdrail]

Arnold Rapido also made a DB BR41 2-8-2 with a smoke unit about 20 years ago.  They still come up on eBay occasionally. Again the smoke looks more like a lit cigarette than a steam engine.

If the locomotive is properly designed for the job and the fireman knows how to fire, all there should be is an almost invisible light haze anyway.

[Nato]

  Yes the manufacture for the smoke generator in both locos was Seuthe of Germany. Arnold was going to do a U.S. 2-8-2 locomotive usuing the same German Mech with smoke,so I reserved an NYC loco through Model Railroad Equipment Corp. in New York City,but then Arnold never produced them. I have seen the same smoke unit installed in a factory smokestack on an N Quack (Trak) module and have to agree, someone lit a cigarette in the building.                                                                                 Nate Goodman (Nato). Salt Lake, Utah.

[Black Diamond]

Thanks for the info. I figured it wouldn't look right but I was just curious....

[Roger Holmes]

I bought a used Rowa 2-8-8-2 in the early 1970's.  The smoke unit was a fun novelty but, as mentioned, produced very wispy smoke.  It looked best standing still though still looked mostly like a tiny Lionel tinplate engine.  The smoke unit burned out not too long after I got it but I enjoyed running the engine for a few more years before disposing of it at a train show.

IIRC it pulled better than my LL 2-8-8-2 even with the smoke unit on. :'(