Hi Ed and all -- I can tell you that MTH developed a high output smoke for steam engines a long time ago (more than 10 years). I can also tell you that it can fill a hobby shop to IFR (instrument flight rules) conditions in just a few minutes and leave everyone choking for clean air. I can also remember a convention in Anaheim (the last NMRA PCR / PSR combined) where a coal burning live steamer running out on the patio almost evacuated the whole display room. While realistic “smoke” would be a visual treat, it is a totally unrealistic thing to actually have indoors.
I have several sound systems (PFM/PBL) and have used DCC sound in my shop. Idling diesels and steamers are cool. This is great stuff when used in moderation, but to constantly have to moderate the volume while a loco passes through tunnels is a pain, and a whole room full of these things is obnoxious. I find running the trains with metal wheelsets creates enough racket and sets the scene, noise-wise, pretty well. To each his own.... Have fun! Bill Winans Prescott Valley, AZ From: Ed Sent: Sunday, October 21, 2012 8:20 PM To: [email protected] Subject: {S-Scale List} Re: The "York" Conversation Hi Mike....I guess we all have our opinions. And they are not always the same for everyone. Can I comment on your thoughts: > I consider both the sound and smoke of a steam locomotive the most important > sensory experience of the prototype. Can this be interpreted to mean that smoke and sound are more important than dimensions? Thus, huge couplers, giant flanges, lack of details, tracks with few ties, etc. are less important? Or, in other words, traditional AF is just fine as long as it has smoke and chuff-chuff? Is that what you really mean to say? > Does the prototype labor down the track without billowing puffs of smoke > emanating from the smokestack? You are right -- the prototype has large billows of puffing smoke. Most models have wispy wimpy white (not dark) smoke that is a poor representation of the real thing. And the smoke/steam on the models rarely comes from the steam chest or the steam lines on passenger trains. I suppose some smoke is better than no smoke, but really strong wonderful smoke has not yet made it into our model world. I'd like to see it get there, but until it does the realism just isn't there for me. > I never understood how the sound of a model steam locomotive is considered > realistic when smoke is looked down upon as a gimmick. Tsunami sound is realistic because it is made from recordings of actual steam locos under load. Cannot get much more realistic than that. Pretty much the same as standing by the side of the track. Smoke from the real thing is sometimes black or gray in addition to white and the volume of smoke emanating from the prototype is MUCH greater than from typical models. Smoke realism has not yet reached the level of the Tsunami realism. Just an opinion, of course, but one shared by many. > I believe the most appropriate route is to replicate both for a total > experience in a scale model. > Mike A. Yes, I agree -- as long as accurate dimensions and slow smooth operation are not sacrificed in the process. We should ask MTH and Lionel for better smoking features. Perhaps a volume button and a color button -- black, gray or white. Once it becomes realistic, I would agree it is a major feature that will be much in demand. Right now, most scale modelers do not care that much about smoke. Cheers....Ed L.
