Smoke unit changeout Williams brass 'J" engine

I did an MTH PS2 upgrade in mine and added an MTH smoke unit. Fit perfectly used an MTH bracket too

I recently did that conversion for Lionel Bill.  I used the MTH unit and fabricated a mounting bracket.  Matt, you are a very lucky man as the bracket needed some work.  A special pad needed to be made to fit under the fan motor so the motor contacts would not hit the body and short out.  A special sleeve was fabricated to go down the existing smoke stack that in turn fit inside the MTH smoke (brass) outlet pinning the smoke unit in place.  

 

I would love to see some pictures so the next time I can do it right.  I am curious how you removed the front nose of the locomotive.

 

 

Matt,

 

About 2 years ago I replaced the origional electronics boards with the DALLEE electronics boards and sound system, mounted in the tender. Engine runs and sounds great with the DALLEE system, what is an estimated cost of the MTH smoke unit and mounting bracket,did you mount the bracket to the shell by soldering and I would have to check with DALLEE if the smoke unit could be powered off their boards or would I use track power through a slide switch to power the smoke unit. 

 

John

Look in this post.  This one is a Lionel unit added.  G

 

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/t...02#45918754378578402

Marty,

 

There's 2 small screws near the ladders that hold the "nose cone" in place.  Remove the screws and you may be able to wiggle the nose cone out, you may have to use something to help pry it out also.  Once it starts moving it gets easier to come out.

 

You also have to spring the handrails out of the way.  Lift each one up and rotate it out of the way.

There are a couple of screws, I forget where but it is fairly easy to get off once the screws are out. My MTH bracket was for a Berkshire or something and it just needed a bit of dremel work and a re-bending to get it to work right. With the brass cup installed it lined up perfectly. I did make a mistake and marred the finish on the top of my boiler with the drill when I was drilling the holes for the smoke unit bracket. Ill have to touch up that part with some spray enamel but the upgraded worked out great

Marty, That whole nose, pilot ladder assembly is one piece.  So as Bob said get those 2 screws on the ladders and then the whole assembly comes out.   G

George, I know that.  I did the engine.

I thought you asked the question in the post above  Unless you were talking about Matt's nose.  G

I've put the MTH smoke unit into a number of Williams, Weaver, and 3rd Rail brass locomotives.  Most will fit the full sized smoke unit, usually with a custom bracket.  In a couple smaller locomotives, I used the single element smoke unit that is used in diesel switchers like the VO1000.  I use a spring to simply hold them in place many times, this allows easy removal for service, which is something smoke units will all need if they're used.

 

 

Thanks for everyone's responses, one final question, given that the smoke unit is to be track powered does anyone one have available a current MTH/Lionel part number for a track powered part number and source for this unit. 

Guys, I know how to remove the nose.  I was wondering how he did it and used a stock MTH bracket.  

I can't imagine how he used a stock MTH bracket, I don't think I've ever done that.  If I don't do the spring, I usually bend one out of aluminum, and a couple of times I've used fiberglass sheet stock to make a mount.

 

Question John, are you running command of conventional with this locomotive?  If it's conventional, I'd try to see if the MTH PS/1 smoke unit fits, it works directly off track power, but the footprint is larger than the PS/2 one.  The PS/2 smoke unit requires a resistor change and a source of fan power to run off track power.  When I do these upgrades, I'm either putting TMCC and my Super-Chuffer in them or a PS/2 upgrade, so I already have power for the smoke unit.

 

The stock MTH bracket was made to hold a smoke unit inside a boiler shell. The feet just pointed the wrong direction, well actually the 8 pound lead weight was in the way

John I can sell a PS-1 smoke unit that will fit. 

 

I used the spring method, because I really did not want any more holes in the bottom of the shell.  They would be visible or interfere with steam cylinders.  G