Couple minute video of the bluetooth polar express 6-84328. FWIW

How is the set overall? I recently purchased a Lionel RTR set and was very un-impressed with it. Very cheap, lots of plastic. The top half of the boiler was diecast, the bottom half of the boiler, chassis, detail parts, etc were all plastic. 

Is this newer PE all plastic or is it still diecast? Chassis?

Looks like you might have a stuck smoke piston. Really isn't puffing smoke.  Looks like it's  kind of just oozing out. Or maybe it's just the way it looks in the video. I had a Hogwarts doing the same thing. Kind of just oozing out like a seuthe unit.  Piston was misaligned and wasn't going up and down.  I have the original lionchief Polar Express.  My favorite RTR set!

The locomotive is diecast.  Near as I can tell.  Tender, cars, all plastic.  Here are some detail photos if it will help. It's still Lionchief RTR, so I didn't expect something more.  And, will get a kid started with the included track, power supply, etc.

Train Nut posted:

Looks like you might have a stuck smoke piston. Really isn't puffing smoke.  Looks like it's  kind of just oozing out. Or maybe it's just the way it looks in the video. I had a Hogwarts doing the same thing. Kind of just oozing out like a seuthe unit.  Piston was misaligned and wasn't going up and down.  I have the original lionchief Polar Express.  My favorite RTR set!

Yeah, gets stuck sometimes.  Then starts puffing away.  Can it be lubricated?

Short strip of puffing

Lubricating it would just make it stick more as the Piston is very lightweight. Your best bet if it continues and you feel comfortable fixing it would be to take the shell off and  inspect. Most likely the bracket or actual lever are mis aligned slightly causing the piston to tilt slightly in the chamber. Usually a little bend with a pair of pliers is all it needs.  Overfilling can cause the piston to get clogged with excess fluid and cause it to stick also. If so just clean it off real good.  

Ted,

I wouldn't think that it is stuck. The smoke piston is moving at such a high rate at that speed it leaves no time to vaporize any smoke fluid. If it were stuck, the train wouldn't move, it would lock up an axle and set of wheels. (There's a cam or an eccentric as they call it in train terminology that moves the piston)

The engine shell is not too difficult to remove and replacing is a little tricky aligning the puffer. Rebuild the smoke unit with new wicks (add a little more) and use Lionel premium or JT's smoke fluid.

There will be some smoke at ludicrous speed (Dark Helmet), but good smoke at anything less.

Thx guys for the help on smoke.  I kinda think too much fluid could be the issue.  Trying to make it work as long as a Legacy unit.  I do use JT's.  Before I do anything I will regret, I'm gonna run it awhile.  It runs fine, and I'm the only one in the house who likes smoke, , so obviously that's not important!   I know I'll get it working properly down the road. Still a few months left before crunch time.  Although the stores are already gearing up for xmas here.  

Looking good Ted. I think the PE Berk is nicely done for a rtr. I have a conventional set that I bought second hand a couple of years ago and it's a nice runner. The bluetooth app is a perfect  way to pull today's gadget-centric kids into the hobby. 

Watch the bell if you turn it over to service anything...don't ask how I know this

Moonman posted:

Ted,

I wouldn't think that it is stuck. The smoke piston is moving at such a high rate at that speed it leaves no time to vaporize any smoke fluid. If it were stuck, the train wouldn't move, it would lock up an axle and set of wheels. (There's a cam or an eccentric as they call it in train terminology that moves the piston)

 

It most certainly can and would without affecting engine performance if it's stuck in the "up" position which if misaligned is almost always where it gets stuck.   it happens when a lever is exerting upward pressure and it tilts the piston slightly.  It could also be stuck at the top of its stroke due to excess fluid on the walls of the Piston chamber.

RSJB18 posted:

Looking good Ted. I think the PE Berk is nicely done for a rtr. I have a conventional set that I bought second hand a couple of years ago and it's a nice runner. The bluetooth app is a perfect  way to pull today's gadget-centric kids into the hobby. 

Watch the bell if you turn it over to service anything...don't ask how I know this

Yeah, and this looks vulnerable too.  Thx for the heads up.

Another thing to watch out for.  Since I can't leave well enough alone, the little 3mm jewel simulating the end of train, wasn't good enough, so I installed a 3mm red led in place of the jewel.  Now, in the dark, because of the translucence of the white roof(ed) shell, I have a clown nose trailing my nice little PE.  

Train Nut posted:

Moonman posted:

Ted,

I wouldn't think that it is stuck. The smoke piston is moving at such a high rate at that speed it leaves no time to vaporize any smoke fluid. If it were stuck, the train wouldn't move, it would lock up an axle and set of wheels. (There's a cam or an eccentric as they call it in train terminology that moves the piston)

 

It most certainly can and would without affecting engine performance if it's stuck in the "up" position which if misaligned is almost always where it gets stuck.   it happens when a lever is exerting upward pressure and it tilts the piston slightly.  It could also be stuck at the top of its stroke due to excess fluid on the walls of the Piston chamber.

Thanks, Nut, I see now that the lever is not attached to the cam or the piston. I'll have to revisit mine soon for a wick check. I have the first LionChief version.

There just isn't enough wicking material from the factory and even after adding wicking, it doesn't leave a Legacy like trail at high speeds.

TedW posted:

Another thing to watch out for.  Since I can't leave well enough alone, the little 3mm jewel simulating the end of train, wasn't good enough, so I installed a 3mm red led in place of the jewel.  Now, in the dark, because of the translucence of the white roof(ed) shell, I have a clown nose trailing my nice little PE.  

 

paint the inside of the roof black in that area the next time you feel like removing it.

Thanks

I've seen a few of the LC and LC+ at the shop.  The Bluetooth is a nice addition.

Nice video, thanks for showing us. Enjoy!

So implementing Carl's advice, got the roof painted black, including inside of hole drilled to accept led, and all around the base of the led, except for the very end.  Reglued and is much much better.  Is acceptable now.  Thx for sharing the fix, Carl.

Ted,

Your attention to detail is amazing.  I overlooked the problem with the lighting mount being the light colored material also.

The fix is a shared fix that I passed on from lighting Plasticville buildings.

Do you like the silhouettes in the windows better than the "shadow" type? 

Moonman posted:

Ted,

Your attention to detail is amazing.  I overlooked the problem with the lighting mount being the light colored material also.

The fix is a shared fix that I passed on from lighting Plasticville buildings.

Do you like the silhouettes in the windows better than the "shadow" type? 

I presume your're talking about the images in the window.  On close up, nice, a subtle touch of realism for the detail kids, but at layout distance or in motion, it's very difficult to notice the difference.  YMMV. I cut and pasted some views in the this photo for your comparison.  TW

TedW posted:

Moonman posted:

Ted,

Your attention to detail is amazing.  I overlooked the problem with the lighting mount being the light colored material also.

The fix is a shared fix that I passed on from lighting Plasticville buildings.

Do you like the silhouettes in the windows better than the "shadow" type? 

I presume your're talking about the images in the window.  On close up, nice, but at layout distance or in motion, it's very difficult to notice the difference.  YMMV. I cut and pasted some views in the this photo for your comparison.  TW

 

 

Billy, in the observation car, looks more defined at a distance, but I see your point. Perhaps better edge resolution is the result for distance viewing. Thanks for the photo detail.