I have the following questions:

1.) Is there anybody out there who has knowledge about any sort of improved smoke systems which may be available?

2.) I am seeking any input on my project to backfit an MTH smoke unit to my Lionel Mohawk locomotive ( first issue ).
If anyone has done any smoke unit backfits , please let me know any ideas which you may have.

3.) Does anyone have any
first -hand experience with K-Line caboose smoke units? If so , how well do they perform?

4.) Has anyone experienced problems with the smoke unit in the Lionel H-8 Allegheny? This question is aimed at the operator who really uses the smoke feature on a regular basis.

Any response to any of the above questions would be greatly appreciated as would any opinions , ideas , or observations , in general , concerning the smoke feature in todays electric trains.
If there are enough operators interested in a better toy train smoke and steam system , it might be possible to pursuade the industry to develop such an improved system.

At minimum , I think that the following changes should definitely be made , and I have expressed this to one prominent manufacturer ( MTH ):

1. Smoke generation should be totally controllable by the operator and should be controllable separately from the locomotive speed. In the real world , a steam locomotive doesnot have to be moving to generate smoke / steam emissions from the smoke stack. Right now , an operator really has no direct control over smoke output other than to load up the engine with a large number of cars or to run at fast speeds. Using smoke boost buttons is fine but the units are not designed to take much of this before giving out.

2. Smoke units should be designed to function at a steady and reliable pace for prolonged periods of time without fast occuring decreases in the smoke output.The units should be designed for real and constant use.

3. The need to re-wick should be eliminated or at least made easier than having to go inside the locomotive and having to partially disassemble it each time.This is important since many of the new choice models are heavy and contain internal components of a delicate nature , which can be upset by any intrusion into the internals.

4. The need to constantly refill smoke units with fluid should be eliminated.

5. Steam emissions from turbogenerator and booster outlets could be included.

6. A good system for simulating high pressure steam releases from relief valves and steam chests could also be added.

The truth is that the smoke feature has never really been taken as seriously as the other features such as sound.
Even reviewers of toy steam engines for model railroad magazines have mentioned that they turn on the smoke unit for a few minutes , get good results , and then turn it off.
Since I am a very heavy user of the smoke feature , I easily burned out the Lionel Allegheny unit several times. Lionel informed me that they , in fact, had no provisions to even re-wick this unit. The idea was that when the smoke unit degrades , thats it , and the standard fix is to install a new one. At least this is what I have been told on the phone by one of their technicians. So far , I have managed to get around the problem by using MTH wicking material in the Lionel units , but I really shouldnt have to do this for a $1500.00 locomotive model.

Thanks very much ,

R. Coniglio

[This message has been edited by Robert Coniglio (edited 08-25-2000).]

[This message has been edited by Robert Conigl
io (edited 08-25-2000).]