smoking trains (Chimney not Motors)

[shaka]

How do I make trains produce smoke from chimney

[Chrissaf]

Google research "Seuthe".

But be aware that modern locos as opposed to older models are typically made of softer plastic. Excessive use of a Seuthe smoke generator or choosing an inappropriate model from the range to install in modern models could result with the model chimney melting.

Oil base smoke is also heavier than air and tends to quickly sink down and coat the loco, the baseboard and the track rails, requiring lots of cleaning.

These days models are rarely factory fitted with oil based smoke units due to these highlighted issues and is loosing favour with modellers. Hornby are currently working on developing a genuine 'water based' steam generator. These are expected to become only available in factory fitted models. Hornby may possibly produce retro kits at some time in the future, but given the detail of the complexity needed for the installation I suspect IMO that retro kits will be unlikely well at least not for several years. The water based steam prototype was featured in episode two of the current Hornby series airing on the Yesterday UK TV channel.

Since you have posted this question in the General Discussion forum, it is assumed that your layout is DC Analogue. Smoke generators consume power, so you will need a powerful controller. The Hornby train set controllers R7229 & R8250 are not really suited to support the current required by smoke units, particularly if fitted to more power hungry locomotives.

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[96RAF]

To add to Chris response . . .

TRS Trains currently offers a return to works fitting service for the same concept ‘smoke’ system as Hornby is currently developing. This concept is in practice an ultrasonic water atomisation device as found in garden water feature mist generators.

Both systems link to and synchronise with a sound decoder so the product is only suitable for DCC systems, hence the price for conversion factors in the price of a quality sound decoder and is not cheap.

It is however much more realistic than the old oil burner system.

[Potterton]

Whilst on the subject of the oil burning smoke generators, is it possible that harm could be done to the heater elements in these units if the loco is run "dry"? i.e. with no oil on the wadding in the reservoir.

[Going Spare]

Probably inadvisable with the metal synchrosmoke units even though the chassis block provides a heat sink, but definitely not a good idea with the plastic-bodied units which are normally a tight fit in the smokebox and have caused many a melted/distorted body as a result.

[AndyMac1707817969]

If you want smoke and steam best go up a gauge to O and look at live steam locos.

[ColinB]

I have some of those old Hornby locos fitted with smoke generators. The trouble is the hot element eventually distorts the loco body even though Hornby put in a foil shield to try to avoid this. YouChoos do Seuthe smoke generators but as with the Hornby ones they can distort the loco body. I did fit an old Hornby one to an old tender driven Hornby Duchess controlled by DCC, and that did work quite well plus it was mounted on the diecast chassis so less chance of distortion. When I converted all my Duchess locos to loco driven, the smoke units got removed.

[Potterton]

Thanks for the replies. I have an elderly Hornby 57XX Pannier tank which more often than not ran without any smoke oil when I was a child/teenager and has suffered no ill effects, although it has lost the element and I have no idea when! persevere However, I have been more concerned about my Hornby 28XX which I've only just started using, (had it for many years, but never got round to using it). I've never yet put a drop of smoke oil in it, but having said that I've never run it for extended periods either.

[Going Spare]

If you are happy to run it without the smoke unit working, I would suggest you disconnect it - a simple procedure (Service Sheets 155 (UK) and 236 (Chinese) show the connections.