I found this video on youtube and thought it was kind of funny especially the comment at the bottom.
“The cotton “smoke” worse than a fake Santa beard.”
I thought it looked pretty good through the bridge but then when it got closer…
All I could think of was “things that make you go HMMMM”
What do you think?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoYybslOIyU
A loag train? Must be spelling by Boyd.
I tried using cotton to simulate smoke on a static ship model once, I could never quite get it to look the way I wanted it to.
And if the lead locomotive has “smoke”, why didn’t the second locomotive have it too?
If people don’t try these things , we’d never know it doesn’t work----or does , whichever your point of view .
However , it looks OK in the distance and properly used for still photos it can be realistic ; close up and moving , sorry , I do not think it’s any good .
Mike
If done properly and in moderation, it can be very effective. See the wisp of steam coming out of the goose’ radiator cap. A small, thin tuft of cotton was glued to the cap and blows back very prototypically as the car proceeds.
Oh dear! And they are Swiss, too! 
This is truly grotesque. And they call a through truss bridge a trestle? 
Did’ja see the “steam” coming out of the pipes on the side of the loco by the cab? Wonder why the didn’t do the steam chest?
Anyway, it was a nice try. 
I’ll give them 4 style points. They lost two for calling that through truss bridge a trestle, though.
I thought you guys would get a kick out of that Shay blowing cotton. It was a good attempt.
That little wisp coming out of the radiator does look good Todd. A clear case of less is more.
Yeah I remember pictures from the 50s with cotton smoke on HO engines, complete with a very thin wire to move the cotton just ever so slightly in long time exposures. State of the art back then, but not so hot 60+ years later.
Sometimes, not often a good effect was achieved by waving a piece of shaded cotton during a time exposure, then you could create the diaphanous look of evaporating steam… other wise it reminds me of my childhood when I didn’t see as much.
If it works for you, great!
Of course if I tilt my head forward I get the effect looking through brushy eyebrows…
John
If you want to simulate smoke on a still picture , get a piece of glass and spray the “smoke” on that then place it behind the loco . Lining it up carefully gives a pretty good effect , and , it has the added bonus of giving depth to the photo if you very lightly (and I mean very) cover the whole sheet of glass with a mist making the background a teeny bit distant looking .
Using two or more sheets will give graduated depth .
I use this technique of mist spraying when doing paintings , I was taught that way back and if you look at good paintings (way above my low class attempts) you will see mountain ranges given perspective by use of misting in layers . Just like nature does if you have time to stand and stare .
I am working on a way of making the glass move with the loco for videos .
Mike