Do Lionel dummy engines have smoke units?

Most dummy units do not and don't have engineers or lights.  There are a few, but you would need to look it up on the features where it will mention what it officially has.  Do not go off of picture alone.  I am currently not aware of a SD70Ace that smokes, but there may of been one.  I do know that some AC6000's and Dash 9s smoked, but were not recently made.  Some were made between 2008 and 2011.

No, most of mine don't.  Not sure any do, for that matter.

The only recent, non-powered Lionel locos that I recall having smoke are the DD35A's, and they're priced accordingly.

Most dummies being produced nowadays are truly just expensive box cars.  Most don't even have electrocouplers anymore... which means you effectively can't use them as trailing units in an MU/lash-up configuration.

Check the Lionel website closely and expand the "features" section to see what's listed.  Don't go by the catalog illustration.

David 

They're called dummy for a reason!!

Seriously, like other have stated most don't. Check the Lionel website carefully!!

The recently released Lionel E-8/E-9 AA units have smoke in the dummy.

My dummy unit smokes much better than the powered unit.

George

If the units are new Lionel then some have them and some do not.......but for the ones that do not just count your blessings that the dummy matches your powered unit since the new powered unit likely does not have the smoke unit working anyway......hahaha.

The only one comes to mine is the 6-28300 Dash 9 Norfolk Southern. See below:

• NON-POWERED DASH 9 UNITS FEATURES:
• Metal frame and handrails
• Two ElectroCouplers
• Die-cast trucks
• Directional lighting including LED headlights
• Illuminated cab interior
• Lighted number boards
• Fan-driven smoke unit
• Engineer and fireman figures

Road Number: 9811

Gauge: Standard O Scale

Dimensions: Length: 18"

RailLine: Norfolk Southern

Minimum Curve: O-31

Woody

Overtime I have purchased 2 dummies, -- Never again.  Issue I have is when I configure them in a train, not real practical..

.. If I configure it in the front behind an active engine, no rear coupler capability.  Can be frustrating.

.. If I push it as the lead engine, lighting is incorrect.

So I have purchased from Lionel the dummy upgrade kit for lighting, which was a premium price.  That helped with one problem, but no way of controlling the lights (reversing).  A couple years later I decided to buy the ERR dummy upgrade for the AC4400 dummy, I felt very resonably priced, and also bought some operating couplers.  I needed to change the lights to LEDs but no big deal.  I have what I wanted, (I think still no smoke).  And it essentially is like another engine in my remote.

So say I want to drop a caboose off the rear of two engines, the rear being the dummy.  

- Reverse the direction of the power engine

- Reverse the direction of the dummy unit (for light)

- Move the train

- Activate the dummy coupler, change direction of dummy unit, (light)

- Move the train

Each ONE of the steps require changing engines in the remote.  (HMMMM, haven't tried setting them up as a lash-up or MU yet and see if that will work).

Anyway after considering the cost difference of the dummy vs powered unit, then what I've spent on upgrading the dummy.  The cost benefit of the dummy is really diminished.  When just by purchasing the 2nd power unit you have so much more and a 2nd fully operational engine.

Just my opinion

-  

To amplify what Don (Cerritos) said, the "best buy' seems to be two actual powered units anymore since you also get sounds with it. Nothing like a dummy going by "dead' with no sounds or smoke.

Just to confuse you further, some of the F3/F7 "B" units have smoke and some do not-recent production "B"s usually don't while some mid-decade (2000s) "B" units do. Makes it a gamble adding smoke fluid when you forget which ones do and don't.

OBTW: Don't always regard the catalog description as accurate either since all catalogs contain that disclaimer to the effect "specifications may change at any time" or some such blather to protect the importers fanny.

The only dummy from Lionel that I have with smoke is the Lionmaster Conrail Legacy SD-80.  A bit surprising for a more inexpensive model to have smoke, couplers and full directional lighting.

As far as I can see none of the written catolog descriptions of SD70ACe "non-powered" units include reference to them having smoke, including those that are described as Legacy-equipped. You can't rely on the catalog pictures over the text although I see that the non-powered units' illustrations show smoke.

Apart from waiting to hear from someone who actually has one of these you can check the Lionel replacement parts list. None of the non-powered SD70ACe models I have looked at shows a smoke unit in the parts diagram/list.

In addition to smoke in the unpowered Legacy DD35As referred to above, I know that the Legacy Texas Special E7 trailing A units have smoke, but they were described as having that feature in the catalog.

One of our techs at NJHirailers added an MTH PS1 smoke unit, with an on/off switch, from track power in a non-powered unit with roller pick-ups. Not a big investment.

It's easy to add a manually controlled smoke unit.  You can even add a TMCC controlled one using the ERR dummy locomotive board.

Not sure if this was mentioned:

The Lionel CSX and Union Pacific AC6000 non-powered units from a few years back both had functioning smoke units.

6-28299 CSX 

6-28305 CSX "SuperBass"

6-28328 Union Pacific

Lionel has been putting smoke in dummy locomotives for some time now.  They do it with an R2LC/R4LC, motherboard,  and a smoke unit.  Easy to work on.  This goes back a while.  Seen more in anything with an ABA or AB locomotive. 

Dummy units should have electro couplers, smoke and sound. 

Many of the Lionel dummy locomotives have electro couplers.

Not many have sounds, though. 

any you want to know why is that?..No motors taking any of its power away..=more extra juice to the smoke unit..

I have a Lionel SD70Ace dummy unit(6-38740). It does not have a smoke unit. I double checked for you by opening up the hatch and I can see from the back all the way to the cab, nothing is inside.

I bought that unit thinking it was a super cool addition to my powered unit. I'm currently trying to add coil couplers and maybe lights after I figure out how to add a center rail pickup. If I could go back, I should of just bought 6-38738 and 6-38739.

Keep in mind that without Legacy electronics, you won't be able to have electrocouplers or directional lights that operate under Legacy control. 

A possible addition to allow you to have those features is this board that is used in the Lindbergh Atlantic, it has Legacy capability and handles lights and couplers.

I haven't tried this, but I've thought about doing it.  I'm just not sure if it would have the backup lights or rear coupler as those would be on the serial data stream to the tender.  OTOH, it may well have them in the code, the hardware is there to support them.

ERR used to sell this board with TMCC code, I don't know if they still do.  I have a couple of them, and they have directional lights and couplers.  They also have serial data out, of course getting a Legacy sound board is another issue.  Legacy sound boards are pretty much unobtainium without a trade-in defective board.

I picked up ERR Mini Commander EX in my attempt for electro couplers.

I'll make another thread so we don't go off topic from the OP. Would you mind answering some questions I had over there.

Thanks