H0 Scale Norfolk & Western J...Should it Smoke?

[kazvorpal]

I just bought an old Bachmann  N&W J 4-8-4, not a new DCC one, and when it slows to a stop, you can often see a whisp of smoke coming from its stack. Did this train come with the ability to smoke, or it possible that this is a problem with dust or wiring overheating?

I'm leery of running it, until I determine whether I'm burning it up, or just need to buy some oil to make it smoke more...

[Santa Fe buff]

After looking up a few models, it mentioned nothing about the ability to produce smoke. Although, it is Spectrum by Bachmann (Which makes steam locomotives known to smoke) and the smoke wouldn't come out of the stack if it wasn't a smoking locomotive. Locomotives that don't smoke either have a screw in place, or a molded shut area. Also, if it was having difficulties, one would expect noise and a "burning rubber" smell. Although when I sniffed the air at an ARCA race, it smelt like Farm & Fleet instead of burnt rubber...

See if you can find a smoke pan inside the stack.

Josh

[Tylerf]

Smoke requires smoke fluid so even if there's a smoke unit the wisp shouldn't be there unless it has fluid. Did the smoke have a smell. Burning plasic is a much different smell than smoke fluid. I have a bachmann GS4 that had a smoke generator so your loco may have one too but either way that smoke probably shouldn't be there. Looking down the smoke stack you should be able to see the generator with a thin tube up the middle

[kazvorpal]

SFb: What would a "smoke pan" look like? I shined a light in the stack, and there is a white, square sort of container with a coiled wire poking down into it, which certainly could be an oil holder and heating element, but I am completely speculating based on the context of what you said.

Tylerf: I had been speculating that there was left-over fluid. There was little obvious odor...it didn't smell like burning dust/wiring, but it didn't smell like the 0-scale smoking trains I've seen in the past, either.

I have no idea whether it's safe to keep running this train...it's my son's favorite engine, he gave up his entire birthday party to finance having it as his only real gift, and now he's desperate to run it ASAP, but it'd be an expensive disaster if it burned out.

[Stephen D. Richards]

Sounds like a smoke unit!  If you want to be sure, take the boiler off and see if the square unit with the coil wire in it is directly under the smoke stack.  Stephen

[ta152h0]

I have one and yes, it is a smoker..

[kazvorpal]

Thanks for helping me work this out!

Where do I get fluid for it? Are they all the same, or do I need to determine some specific brand or chemical?

[Stephen D. Richards]

Depends on your preference.  Bachmann sells smoke fluid.  Check their website.  Stephen

[SteamGene]

Do you have a hobby shop that might know - or a local train club?  Taking it there for verification would be a good idea, but it does sound like it has a smoke unit.  The older Bachmann steamers, pre-Spectrum and pre-Standard, generallyhad smoke units.  Running a smoke unit loco without the smoke oil will burn out the unit. 
Gene

[kazvorpal]

Wait, you mean I have to run it with smoke oil in it?

It may already be burned out, my kid ran it for a couple of hours this morning.

[SteamGene]

I'm not sure how long it takes to burn out a smoke unit.  They are not allowed on my layout and those few smoke unit locos I have/had never got a dose of smoke oil.  Sorry I can't be of more help.
Gene

[Yampa Bob]

I know absolutely nothing about smoke units, and I could be wrong but I don't think Bachmann would make a smoker that would burn out if it ran out of smoke fluid. Wouldn't there be a warning on the locomotive?  Of course I could just be "blowing smoke". 

[the Bach-man]

Dear Kaz,
An empty smoke unit will burn out if run continually for long periods of time. Each is different; there's no one answer to "How long?"
Have fun!
the Bach-man

[kazvorpal]

Can you stick somehousehold fluid in it in order to keep that from happening, even if it doesn't produce the desired smoke? If so, what? It'll be a couple of days before the stuff arrives...

[the Bach-man]

Dear Kaz,
None that I know of...
the Bach-man