The regulator wiring sure sounds correct. FWIW, the smoke regulator SHOULD remember the last smoke settings. As stated previously, the smoke unit is actually energized by a pulsing current whenever the power is on the track, even if you have previously turned smoke off using the TMCC remote. Obviously, if you turn smoke off with the physical smoke switch, that no longer happens. Whenever you turn smoke off using the TMCC remote, the smoke reverts to the pulsing action.
In a disappointing test, I actually tested a new smoke regulator, 691-ACRG-E01 - AC REG BOARD / GENERIC. The smoke on/off works fine, however the smoke volume settings don't appear to function at all.
For my testing, I put a 5W 10 ohm resistor as a load on the test set, it was sitting at around 120C +/- a few degrees at idle with the smoke off and the smoke regulator pulsing the smoke resistor voltage, the temperature drifts up and down several degrees as it runs. Note that the temperatures I'm reading have no real relationship to what you'd actually see in a smoke unit, I just want relative readings based on the smoke settings. I'm reading the resistor temperature with a Type-K thermocouple clipped to the resistor.
I used the smoke volume controls to set low smoke, AUX1, AUX2, 9, L, AUX2. The temperature stabilized at around 164C when it stopped moving.
I then used the smoke volume controls to set high smoke, AUX1, AUX2, 9, H, AUX2. The temperature never moved from the 164C I had with the low setting.
VERY DISAPPOINTING! I have to wonder if the smoke volume settings that are published are actually correct! I have actually seen these make a difference in the past, I don't know why I get the results I do here. I even tried a second and third regulator, same results. I know the regulator is listening to the serial data, it turns the smoke on and off on command.
The smoke setting control keystrokes came right from the horse's mouth, This is from the User's Manual for the Lionel 6-38081 JLC Allegheny. I was checking to make sure my previous smoke control keystroke statement was 100% correct. I've seen this same description in several manuals, though many of the manuals for engines with regulators do not contain the setting instructions.
Test set connections to the smoke regulator and test resistor. The tweezers are clamping the type-K thermocouple to the resistor to take the readings. The bulb is just there to provide a visual reference to what the smoke unit heater is doing.
