# Lionel Roadside Diner Smoke Unit?



## SteveC (Feb 13, 2012)

My son has one of the Lionel roadside diner's that were built with a 9500 series MPC passenger car shell with a smoke unit in it. We had a problem with it where the 1 ohm resistor that is inline with the ground side of the smoke unit got VERY hot It was so hot that it melted the bottom of the car and also damaged the base that the diner sits on where the wires attach. Both light bulbs were burned out, and now the smoke unit does not work. I checked the smoke unit with an ohm meter, and it read 30 ohms. I placed power to it, and it started to smoke, then the resistance continued to increase, but no longer smoked. When I gave up on it last night, it was reading over 450 ohms. I know that resistance will increase with heat, but something went very wrong with this thing. Does anyone have any experience with these? Do you know where I can get a new smoke unit? The resistor is in a ceramic block about 2" long X 1/2" square amd was glued to the bottom side of the car shell. I imagine it was designed to get warm, but not like this. It fused some of the wires together that were adjacent to it. I need to locate new bulbs, (I think they are the same for the 9500 series passenger cars, and I need bulbs for several of those anyway, and a new smoke unit. Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated.

Steve


----------



## old464 (Oct 12, 2011)

i think a fan driven unit from a mth steamer will work, since you dont need a plunger type. not sure on power to those, but you could use some sort of Power variable switch to control the output like an engine. 

Chris


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

If you get the MTH smoke unit from a PS/1 locomotive, they use track voltage and regulate it for the fan. They also provide modulation for the smoke resistor so it isn't cooking at high voltage. Just stick 12 volts AC on one of these and it'll work great and pump out great quantities of smoke!


----------



## SteveC (Feb 13, 2012)

Thanks for the help!!! Do you know where I could get one of the MTH smoke units? What part number should I be looking for?

Steve


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Well, the MTH PS/1 smoke unit for the GS4 Daylight is P# AA-1200005, but it's pretty dear at $50! Not sure where you might score one used.


----------



## SteveC (Feb 13, 2012)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> Well, the MTH PS/1 smoke unit for the GS4 Daylight is P# AA-1200005, but it's pretty dear at $50! Not sure where you might score one used.




Ouch!!!! The whole diner isn't worth that much, but it is a nice addition to the layout. Especially when you add the Hamburger or Apple Pie scented smoke oils!:thumbsup:
Steve


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Keep your eye out for MTH smoking tankcars. I just bought two of them for $25/ea. They have a fan driven smoke unit that smokes up a storm. You could take it out and still have a nice looking tank car and your smoke unit.


----------



## Big Mike (Dec 2, 2011)

*smoking tank car?*



gunrunnerjohn said:


> Keep your eye out for MTH smoking tankcars. I just bought two of them for $25/ea. They have a fan driven smoke unit that smokes up a storm. You could take it out and still have a nice looking tank car and your smoke unit.


A smoking tank car?.......what do this car be looken like? never seen one, might want one,or two,or three, for $25.00 bucks each, might want four.........mike :laugh:


----------



## Dave Sams (Nov 24, 2010)

Steve, I feel your pain.

I have the Lionel BBQ Shack, which I like, but fan driven smoke is not realistic.

I recently bought the I 12 smoking caboose. The gent at the shop said they have had them come in with the side of the car melted.

Mine did not smoke worth a darn. They gave me some new fiberglass packing, and it smoked better, but still gets too hot.

I like the car because, it is B&O and very nicely detailed. Besides, I got if for a good price.

This a smoke generator I have on one of my buildings

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/667-117E

It produces a good amount of smoke without being fan driven.

My bucket list includes replacing the smoke generator in the shack with one of these.

If you are still interrested, I'll post a video of the unit in a few months.

My layout is covered and apart as I create "Dave's Train Experience".


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Big Mike said:


> A smoking tank car?.......what do this car be looken like? never seen one, might want one,or two,or three, for $25.00 bucks each, might want four.........mike :laugh:


Here's what one of mine looks like, this was recently posted in the "Got anything new" thread.


----------



## Big Mike (Dec 2, 2011)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> Here's what one of mine looks like, this was recently posted in the "Got anything new" thread.


ok, is this to simulate pressure releasing from an over heated car? 

dose this type of car really exist in real life,ie. real bleed off ?
.......mike


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

You bet, a LOX car would certainly have venting, because the pressure builds up there. I've seen LOX tank trucks with a plume of steam coming out of them.  It's just cold oxygen making water vapor.


----------



## SteveC (Feb 13, 2012)

Thanks guys, Mike, it would be great to see your video when you are ready.

Steve


----------



## Big Mike (Dec 2, 2011)

SteveC said:


> Thanks guys, Mike, it would be great to see your video when you are ready.
> 
> Steve


OOO, its comming,got some work left to do on the inside of the building itself , and then ,Bam! we gunna make a video,got lots of nice trash to put on the layout ,lots of junk to run, lots of crap going on at the same time, should be good ...........mike


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Steve, I'm on the trail of possible cheap smoke units, I'll let you know what I find out.


----------



## Big Mike (Dec 2, 2011)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> Steve, I'm on the trail of possible cheap smoke units, I'll let you know what I find out.


yea, let me know too, I just want to run the tank cars intacked, like yours, 

went to the MTH site, but with out correct item numbers, its like shooting in the dark, [witch I've done a few times] LOL !..............mike:laugh:


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Someone over on OGR mentioned that Williams smoke units are $8, but I haven't gotten any more information. That sounds like a price I could live with.


----------

