how to make it smoke

[cmcalvin]

We lost our directions and are not sure how to make our train smoke. It came with a liquid and I think you would just put a drop ortwo in the smoke stack, but my mom says she remembers seeing a white tablet that came with it. So, how do you make the train smoke? I am about to just try with the liquid.

[Joe323]

What brand of train and what scale?

[rogertra]

Don't!

1)  It will mess and gum up your track as it spits that fluid everywhere.

2)  It's unrealistic and looks nothing like smoke and steam.

If you must use the smoke, then Google the make and model of your locomotive (Its not a "train".  A "train is what a locomotive pulls.) and there will probably be instructions on line.

[Doneldon]

(Its not a "train".  A "train is what a locomotive pulls.)

roger-

I agree with you on the smoke but I think the above statement isn't quite accurate. According to the rules of most, if not all, railroads,
even a locomotive operating by itself is considered to be a train. However, I've always felt that a loco operating alone is either on its
way to pick up its train, on its way to the roundhouse after dropping off its train, or kind of like Little Bo Peep, looking for its train. It
always bugs me when someone lists a "train and coal car" on eBay because it isn't a train in my mind and everybody should know that
a coal car is a hopper or gon and the thing behind the locomotive is a tender. But then I sometimes let little things annoy me.

                                                                                                                                                                                           -- D

[mf5117]

If its a DC engine run it on a DCC layout for about 30 minutes at full throttle .

[mf5117]

Most scale model toy trains have a smoke unit, if smoking is appropriate for the particular type of locomotive. Those units require either pellets that heat over the locomotive headlight bulb, or liquid that heats within the smoke unit. It is not recommended to convert a non-smoking locomotive to smoke, since heating fluid in a locomotive that may be made from inappropriate materials could be a fire hazard. And you certainly wouldn't want to see a diesel engine running down the track with smoke pouring from under it.

[Desertdweller]

Might be an ALCO.

Les

[GG1onFordsDTandI]

Ive run 5 postwar pill engines for years with fluid 2-20 (yes twenty)drops on DRY fill-ups. Each has wicking materials of different size and density. Finding your wicks saturation point is the key to avoiding the mess. Look down the stack if you see a dented bulb, THIN-wire wound ceramic piece or fiber board its a pill unit. A funnel, or a cloth covered resistor(or THICK, bare wire) would mean its fluid. The smoke chambers on  pill units have an air hole which weeps if overfull or has bad packing wick which wont hold the fluid. I used 20 drops before my 2037 took to liking it. Try 2-5 drops first, let it sit 20min. on paper towels, run. Got smoke? NO? Your element may be burnt out. (or look for an off/on switch) If you get smoke but it stops too soon(5min. or less) the wick may not be fully saturated yet. Try a little more the same way, always waiting for wick to fully prime. After long periods the fluid will dry out more and need more. But with regular use a couple of drops lasts 20min-2hrs+ for me. Dont flip over, with liquid you can now spill and drip. So raise and look under loco and on towel for overflow. Wipe it clean if you spill it. Its usually a non toxic mineral oil base, but oil can cause wheelspin. Liquid retro fits for many pill-types are available, pretty easy, and cheap. There is/was even kits for some smokebulb units. The pill to liquid retro is just a new resistor, a resistor cover and/or wick, a new chamber cap(plastic now), and a new stack-gasket. If you have the dented bulb they can shatter when hot and touch cold oil(1-2drops max.) Also do some research on aftermarket pills but beware! As some are not equal to others. Also a note Lionel's old fluids are thicker, last longer, wick slower, than megasteam and others. I have not used Lionel recent liquid stuff. Don't use the Seuth fluid. (unless it is a seuth smoke unit then only use this type) 1 drop of unscented babyoil on the element would let you know if your element is bad before you head to the shop. It works. Stinky but works. Lots of my Gramps crew used nothing but. Couldn't hardly smell it thru the lucky strike and cigar haze.