Smoke

[jec125]

How do I best utilize the smoke unit on the G Annie 4-6-0?

John

[Flare]

What do you mean by 'best'?

Are you asking which fluid to use, the optimal voltage to generate a specific temperature, or whether or not to use it at all?

[Loco Bill Canelos]

Hi John,

My views on smoke are:  It takes much too high a speed on the loco to make smoke in any real quantity. When the loco slows down the smoke slows down or stops, and when the loco is stopped(no voltage) the smoke stops completely.   Also it has to be refilled frequently, and if overfilled it floods and makes no smoke at all.  It is easy to burn out the smoke unit by failing to turn it off or refill the smoke unit in time.  Smoke produced is oily and messy and in time gets all over the top of the locomotive and is hard to clean off.   

While the idea of using smoke seems to be appealing, when actually using it, it does not seem to be very realistic.  It comes out more like a burning cigarette all stringy looking. it is also white rather than the thick black smoke on a real locomotive.  I would love to see the day when a smoke unit will produce black smoke without the mess.

A good actual  fireman can keep his loco hot by carefully controlling his fire leaving little or no visible smoke.  That is what I pretend is happening on my layout.

End of Humbug on smoke!!

Smoke for the kids or grandkids is another thing.  Forget everything above, fill the smoke unit according to instructions crank up the speed and take what ever fake smoke you can get and have fun!!!

Loco Bill