Large Scale Central

Smoke fluid

Problem Solving
#1

Can Lionel smoke fluid be used in a big hauler? If not what can be? Thanks Denny

#2
Dennis Blockburger said:
Can Lionel smoke fluid be used in a big hauler? If not what can be? Thanks Denny
Just so long as you keep it downwind from me ;)
#3

You must be an american flyer guy!

#4

Years ago, the SoCalif. Garden RR group did a “study” on smoke fluid and what-works-with-what per locomotives. Those participating found:

  1. Smoking quantity differences with LGB/USA/Bachman/Aristo smoke units is independent of the fluid used;
  2. Genuine lamp fluid (genuine?), not a “lamp oil”, works as good as LGB’s fluid, and the others.
  3. Whatever the choice, don’t overfill. The LGB (Suethe brand) works best when 1/2to 3/4 full.
    Wendell
#5

I used to like the Dept 56 Magic Smoke. They discontinued it and my bottle has gone dry :frowning:

#6

Smoke?
What’s that?
Oh, you mean that wispy, wanna-be, can’t hardly see stuff coming out of a locomotive’s stack?

Now if you can give me lots of black, billowing smoke, I’ll re-hook up my smoke generators. :slight_smile: :slight_smile:

#7

Isn’t smoking bad for your health?

#8

When saying lamp fluid, do I try my kerosene?

#9

Doug-
You likely have experimented with lamp fluid vs. kerosene already. If so, please let us know if the smoker system heat will ignite either the kerosene and/or lamp fluid you purchased.

The labeling of lamp oil, kerosene, tiki torch fluid, etc., may all have the same application in the manufacturer’s thinking. I buy those fluids that illustrate on the label or state in writing an application for wick-type lamps. A tiki torch fluid appears to be the same as the “lamp oil” I have purchased. I have not had any of the fluids I’ve experimented with go from smoke to flame when used in either LGB/Aristo/Bachmann smoke units.

There is always a first time.

Please let us know what you have discovered – and the brand names.

Thanks,
Wendell

#10

Hmmm. Lamp oil?? Enlighten me please… flamables scare me.
I bought all the dept56 smoke fliud I could when a local store was closing, still have a few bottles.
When thats gone in a few years I’ll have to find a source for propolyne glycol and mix my own odors into it.

john

#11

I’ve just always used Aristo fluid 'cause I have mostly Aristo trains. I didn’t use the smoke unit till a year or so ago.

Lewis Polk adds candle cents to his. His wife says they’re lovely.

#12

Confusion? Understandable. “Lamp Oil” is the fluid used in kerosene (huh, now the word kerosene?) cloth-wick lamps – the ones brakemen used and seen on T.V. “B” western movies hanging above log cabin poker tables. K-Mart had it with their wick lamps. I found the lamp oil works great in loco smokers. The “tiki torch” fluid may be the same – I don’t know. Home Depot has it in 1/2 gallons at $9.

Wendell

#13
Wendell Hanks said:
Confusion? Understandable. "Lamp Oil" is the fluid used in kerosene (huh, now the word kerosene?) cloth-wick lamps -- the ones brakemen used and seen on T.V. "B" western movies hanging above log cabin poker tables. K-Mart had it with their wick lamps. I found the lamp oil works great in loco smokers.[b] The "tiki torch" fluid may be the same -- I don't know. [/b[Home Depot has it in 1/2 gallons at $9.

Wendell


The Tiki lamp oil usually will keep 'skeeters away, too.

#14

I actually have about six kerosene lamps in our 60-foot “log cabin.”
And I even have two Skater’s Lamps! My mother collected antiques.

#15

Okay, I’ll bite. What’s a Skater’s Lamp?

#16

We are toooooo young but they are actually small kerosene lamps that ice skaters on the lakes and rivers would use for ice skating at night.
One of the lamps I have has a green glass to cut down on the brightness of the light!

#17

Lamp oil is more or less #1 kerosene.
Processed to remove odor, clarified and sometimes scented and colored.

If buying “canned” kerosene, I believe it is usually #1 kerosene.
At the pump, you may find lower grades.
Ralph

#18

Ralph-
Any thoughts on #1 kerosene, sans the clarifiying, creating smoke via the LGB/Aristo/USA/Bachmann “smoker” units?

Paying the $10+ for a small container of commercial “smoke fluid,” knowing it might simply be repackaged #1 kerosene with an odor additive, does not sit well.

Any brand names for “canned” kerosene? Where purchased?

Many thanks,
Wendell

#19

Wendell,
I don’t know what they use in “smoke fluid”.

I can buy a gallon can of kerosene for around $6.00 at the local hardware.
Don’t remember a brand. I usually buy it at the pump at half the price for my lamps and tiki torches.
Ralph

#20

OK since all this knowledge is being passed around. Anyone know how to make the smoke black instead of white?
I like the smoke generators in the USA GP 38’s but I don’t like the white smoke as it’s not appropriate for diesels.