seeking smoking caboose opinions

Quite honestly, I wouldn't touch a smoking caboose. I've got a couple. I used the smoke unit on each the first time I ran them just to be sure all functioned as advertised. Once I know they work, they are shut off and left off. I've also unplugged a few. Same as diesel smoke units. Make sure it works then turn it off and leave it off.

Each one, Lionel and K-Line got SO hot, the plastic began to feel "tacky". I wouldn't recommend using one. One totally melted.

I remember someone doing a modification with an MTH HO smoke unit that seemed to work very well and ran very cool. I'd be curious about learning more - I like smoke but I also don't like my trains melting.

This is my Kline

Marty

As mentioned above, I see if it works then never use it again. They love to melt plastic. Safely it would be a nice feature with coffee or bacon smoke fluid.

First criteria is it would be diecast. Lionel has made a few NYC diecast cabeese with smoke. Not sure if they have done other styles. I have melted the sides on one of Lionel plastic bay window cabeese. If you want a specific type of caboose and want it to smoke then you have make sure there is some heat insulating material around the smoke unit.

Pete

I don't think these caboose smoke units were designed to be used in a command environment.They over heat under full voltage I have one that disintegrated the rear 1/3 of my caboose As it has been said keep them shut off Nick

rockstars1989 posted:

I don't think these caboose smoke units were designed to be used in a command environment.They over heat under full voltage I have one that disintegrated the rear 1/3 of my caboose As it has been said keep them shut off Nick

Agreed. The few "smoking caboose" models I have, have the smoke unit shut off, or removed. Some years ago Lionel issued an absolutely EXCELLENT and accurate model of the Union Pacific CA-4 caboose. Except, Lionel had a smoke unit in it, but NO illuminated marker lamps!?! I thus removed the smoke unit, and used those wires to ad TOMAR illuminated marker lamps.

John, These K-Line cabooses commissioned by The Western Depot.  Been running for years with the smoke unit, no problems.   If you need one  -  $65 delivered to Massachusetts.

Car on the left runs with its smoke unit on, no problem in the past six years.

John in Lansing, ILL

The later model K-line cabeese have switches for conventional and command operation.

The newer Lionel's I've never had a problem with smoke(scale bay windows/extended vision)

I have one of the Lionel,  NYC cabooses with smoke and interior lights.  It operates perfectly with no overheating problems.  It runs on DCS and on a conventional line with no issues.

In the past I have bought smoking cabooses pretty cheap that had heat damage.  Less than  $10 for a one pickup roller caboose and $15 or less for ones with two pickup rollers.  Based on what I have seen, I don't think I would run a new smoking caboose with the smoke unit on unless I added some protection.

I always wondered why you couldn't line the interior walls and frame with some copper to dissipate the heat.  I recently bought some copper sheet material out of the junk bin at the local metals distributor to do that on a UP smoking caboose I picked up last year.   And if I put one of the smoking units in a MPC B/W caboose I would have the metal chassis to help transfer the heat.

I have a K-Line SP Police Smoking Caboose.  Ran it one time with smoke on, meh, I'll pass.  

Smoking cabooses, never seen one in real life or in any photos. Kind of pointless. All it does is drive up the cost and melt plastic from careless operators. Don't need lights and extra drag from rollers either.

I never run caboose smoke units. But I don't run diesel smoke units either. I also don't allow smoking in my house. Though sometimes some food might get burnt and make smoke (I don't like that either)

All that said, on rare occasions I run smoke on my steamers (but not often and not for very long time periods.)

I do know that some like smoke from their railroad equipment. And it is okay with me. Whatever makes you happy. As they say, "It's my railroad."

SIRT posted:

Smoking cabooses, never seen one in real life or in any photos. Kind of pointless. All it does is drive up the cost and melt plastic from careless operators. Don't need lights and extra drag from rollers either.

I've never seen a real smoking caboose but if it is a must have, go for a Right of Way; they're brass.  And the smoke unit has a voltage regulator.  I know because I did the circuit design.

Lou N

I have seen some bad situations with those.  I do not use that feature.

Lou N posted:

SIRT posted:

Smoking cabooses, never seen one in real life or in any photos. Kind of pointless. All it does is drive up the cost and melt plastic from careless operators. Don't need lights and extra drag from rollers either.

I've never seen a real smoking caboose but if it is a must have, go for a Right of Way; they're brass.  And the smoke unit has a voltage regulator.  I know because I did the circuit design.

Lou N

I've sure seen 'em. I'd love to have one that wouldn't melt. Until then, I'll keep shutting them off. 

If you are running command you will need to install a 3A diode in series with the smoke unit.  This drops the voltage enough to prevent the K-line caboose smoke units from melting the roof. After seeing some melted ones at train shows, I did this to mine. It smokes just fine after the change but does not run hot. Here is a nice blog article that tells you how to do it.
Bob

You all have provided a ton of great information!!! Thank you!

The one thing I am not clear on is how you feel about the volume of smoke produced by what you have run.

I had a 6557 postwar in the past and also a 90s era Lionel smoking caboose. Neither put out enough smoke to be visible unless they went by a window with some daylight coming in.  If I turn the unit On, I want people to say "Wow! Look at that!".    Anyone get impressive results approaching that?    (then I can work on getting the bacon & eggs scented fluid for it)

Thanks again.

  John

CPF3 posted:

if one were looking for a smoking caboose and the criteria were simply  volume and reliability of the smoke,  what manufacturer (or specific caboose) would you pick??

I'd pick yourself as the manufacturer - in other words, if you want something done right, do it yourself.

Use a fan-driven smoke unit and install an adjustable voltage regulator module (less than $5) to set the volume to your liking.  Include thermal protections alluded to by comments above.  The DIY approach, albeit not for everyone, comes up occasionally in the Electrical forum with thermal control methods such as cycling the smoke unit with a $1-2 timer module from eBay.  This allows you to run hotter for some limited interval to get the volume that turns heads...and then has a cooling-off period so to speak.  The same cycling effect can be perform by a $1 resettable thermal cutoff switch that kills power when the temperature in the caboose reaches a pre-warp/melt temperature...then when it cools down it automatically re-enables power.  The on-off cycling adds to visitor interest in a layout (in my opinion) since anticipation of an event can be as alluring as the event itself.  Maybe have a lamp turn on when the smoke unit is active illuminating a conductor figure standing over the stove making his breakfast or coffee (depending on which scented fluid you're using).

I am not aware of any practical method to specify the volume of smoke and what seems like a lot to one guy may seem anemic to another.  It's also difficult to gauge smoke volume from youtube videos.  Hence my opinion that you need some method to adjust smoke volume to your liking.

I've done a few cabooses for folks with the MTH HO fan driven smoke unit.  It doesn't get hot enough to melt the caboose, and it puts out a decent volume of smoke, just about right for a caboose.  I pair it with a small AC-DC power module to provide power.

Lionel smoking extended vision 

Rusty

gunrunnerjohn posted:

I've done a few cabooses for folks with the MTH HO fan driven smoke unit.  It doesn't get hot enough to melt the caboose, and it puts out a decent volume of smoke, just about right for a caboose.  I pair it with a small AC-DC power module to provide power.

Indeed.  So if you're not inclined to mess with electronics and such, you can also commission someone to be the manufacturer.

In the opinion category, the fan really helps to blow out the smoke to get a healthy stream.  AFAIK the Lionel EV caboose shown in the video above does not have a fan.  The video shows it moving, but the first one that came up on youtube showing it stopped. 

This one was purchased "used" but discounting that, note how without a fan, smoke can settle in the caboose itself and leak out the bottom.  Additionally, when stopped (which it may never be on your busy RR) smoke tends to settle around the stack which may be a who-cares but to each his own.

I found this video of a fan-driven (using an MTH HO smoke unit like GRJ mentions) of a stopped caboose.  Again, to each his own.

I rarely use the smoke unit in my smoking cabooses. The smoke is difficult to see on a moving train at best and I have peace of mind knowing it won't burst into flames.  

When I put the fan driven unit in a caboose, I slow the fan down some to allow the smoke to come out reasonably, but not "blast" out.  The nice part is you can tune the airflow to get the effect you desire.