# Lionel 8041-50 smoke unit stinks when running



## L0stS0ul (Feb 6, 2015)

I recently purchased a 1993 Costal Limited set at a train show. The guys at the train shop called it a "scout".

The smoke unit that came with the train worked but was shorting out causing the train to stop. Yesterday I picked up a new one and installed it. It is smoking well and the light on the front is working but there is a horrible smell like burning plastic filling the room. I noticed there was some red goop on each side where the wires go into the plastic smoke stack. I'm guessing this is the smell as I don't see any melted plastic on the outside of the smoke unit. 

Is it normal for these things to make a horrible smell when they are new? It was so bad I had to open up the house for about 3 hours to let it air out after running the train for 10 minutes. 

Attached are details about the train and the parts. I am a little shocked this smoke unit is all plastic. Doesn't seem like the best material to use for something that is making oil smoke.

Thanks


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I honestly don't think I've ever had a brand new one of these, so it's hard to say if they stink when new.


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## L0stS0ul (Feb 6, 2015)

Good to know it's not supposed to do that  Hopefully it stops smelling like this or my wife is going to make me disconnect it.


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## 400E Blue Comet (Jul 11, 2014)

Does burning plastic mean it smells like... What do I call it... It's at train layouts sometimes, like the Brandywine River Museum Christmas trains. Train smell? Does it smell like smoke fluid? Agh I can't think of the word to describe it.


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## L0stS0ul (Feb 6, 2015)

When I first ran the train I put in it some Mega-Steam fluid that I was using in my other train. I am used to the smell of that fluid. Immediately I could tell it wasn't right and the plastic burning smell was made even more horrid by the fact that the fluid was also adding in a hickory burned wood smell. 

I've switched to using the lionel fluid that came with the train since that doesn't have much of a smell but I've never used it before so not sure what that smells like. I believe the plastic smell is dissipating as the train runs. I took it outside and let it run on a piece of track in the cold air for about 20 minutes on the lionel fluid then brought it back inside. There is still a hint of the plastic smell and my wife reminds me every time she comes down to the basement heh. Hoping it goes away completely soon. I was thinking of trying some of the eliminator fluid mega-steam has.


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