Help with the Engine of Doom

Hi Bob, it sounds as if you have an engine that has seen better days. I don't know why leaving it in neutral would cause it to burn up. My guess it was the smoke unit as you stated, but it was run dry a few times thus causing the cotton packing to gum up. The smoke fluid not only produces smoke it actually cools the mechanism and keeps it from self destructing.

I don't understand why you don't have a smoke switch on yours. I thought it was standard on these engines. It could be that someone worked on it and bypassed the failed switch by tying the wires together then removing the bad switch. Of course as always I can be wrong and there never was a smoke unit. If that's the case your smoke is a much worst problem then I thought. 

That said it is probably a simple solution like the packing needs to be changed. When doing that check the heating resister in there and make sure it's in good shape and then add a cut off switch for your smoke unit.

Stalling out could be caused by a number of things. have you service the engine at all? It could need lubrication, as well as cleaning of the wheels and pick up rollers. The track could have dirt on it as well. You will be surprised how dirty rails can drop the voltage going to your motor. That stalling then shooting off when the track voltage is spiked makes me think about the dirt issue.

In any case I would look at all the obvious issues that have a simple fix because more times then not a few minor touches can work wonders.

Have fun and good luck!

Oh yea don't feel bad about your show stopper, we all go through it.

That series locomotive has a plastic smoke unit.  If the unit runs dry and the smoke switch is not turned off, the plastic housing melts and makes a terrible stink.  Generally you have to replace the smoke unit after this happens.  27 ohm units are track powered and 16 ohm by the motor leads so they won't heat up in neutral.

There definitely is no switch on the bottom, just one for the e-unit.  I'm going to take the body off tomorrow and poke around a bit. Is it possible to put a better smoke unit in? I really like the engine and would love to see more steam from it.

A few drops of acetone or an acetone based nail polish remover will help to clean the residue off the smoke wick and it will smoke as good as new after a bit of running.  Don't remember where I got that tip, but it sure does work!

I know you can up grade the smoke unit but I can't say what product to use.

Once you remove the body you can tell better about how much real estate you have inside to work with.

Gun Runner John and others can better direct you what to use, but I'm pretty sure even an MTH fan driven unit could be made to work.

One more question, is there a place for the switch as is shown in the drawing above?

Good luck.