ADDING SMOKE TO NON POWERED UNIT

In reality, EMD second and third generation units usually do NOT smoke unless poorly maintained, including the  the GP38's. 

To go manual with switch, you need a PS-1 smoke unit $50, switch and pickups for the dummy.

To go tethered you would use a 4 pin harness and PS-2 smoke unit.  $50 plus harness and internal connections to both units.  No pickups required.  If you used a 10 pin harness you could get a remote coupler and lights too.

To go remote requires slave board.  So you looking at $200 in parts.  G

Thanks guys.

PRR – The real ones probably never smoked while they were painted Cornell Red.  Lehigh Valley only had them for about 4 years so there probably wasn’t enough time to be poorly maintained.  But I like smoke.  Too bad I only have it in one of my Alcos.

G –   Think I like option 2.  Since it’s a PS3 engine and I have a PS2 smoke unit, looks like the only parts I need will be a tether and a few connections.  The GP9 smoke unit is about 1/16” too high for the GP38, but other than that it fits perfectly.  I may try to grind the legs down a bit.

More questions:

1.  I’m thinking about putting a speaker in the dummy as well.  Will the board in the PS3 powered unit run an extra speaker?

2.  Does MTH make different size brass funnels for the top of the smoke unit? (so I don’t need to grind down the smoke unit legs)

I would not add a speaker unless you series wired them which would change impedance from 4 to 8.  Or you replace both with 8 ohms in series to get back to 4 ohm impedance.  Frankly I have not been pleased with this approach, though only done once or twice.

Yes, but to difficult to figure out unless Midge gives you the part number for the unit you need.  G

I'd put the 8 ohm speakers in parallel if you want 4 ohms impedance, I suspect that's what you really mean.   If you wire them in series, you'd get 16 ohms and probably knock down the volume significantly.

For parallel or series speaker connections, you so have to pay attention to phasing.

I suppose I should follow up on this.  I took the engines to Henning's and GRJ installed smoke in the dummy (he installed a tether and repaired the smoke unit that I had fried with track power).  Works great.  Makes plenty of smoke although the smoke does not show up well in photos.  BTW, I didn't need to grind down the legs of the PS2 smoke unit.  It fits OK in the GP38 without any mods.