Wondered about this

I had wondered if these could be used for just such a purpose, thanks for doing the experimentation.

The only concern I have is how much glycerin may condensate back on the tracks/layout.  We have seen problems after running engines with smoke with much higher dirt levels on the track and the only thing we can figure is the smoke is leaving a residue on th track that is collecting dust.  Of course I don't know if the smoke liquid used in steam engines is glycerin based or not.

Another great animation

Nicely done Dave and the how to tutorial on your web site is extremely good.  Thanks for sharing.

Halloween fog juice / e-cig juice

residue

Jim - I ran one of my test units all day yesterday and noted nothing coating the table that it was sitting on.  Same with the train show.  It appears that such a small quantity of the glycerin vaporizes that it doesn't contaminate anything.  I suppose that a static display would eventually get some coating but so far, so good.

dave

You are qutte welcome

Jim - it was great fun experimenting and its even better when others find my experiments of interest!

thanks

dave

Diluting Glycerin

Yaron - doing some tests with a diluted mixture is on my list of things to do!

thanks

dave

While experimenting...

Funny you should say that!

Yaron - my HO module has a switchback line that goes into a coffee mine to recover prehistoric coffee beans.  See: 

http://www.trainelectronics.com/Module/

One of the factory buildings is a coffee refinery - I have ordered coffee scented (flavored, too?) juice that I may try for the next train show.

dave

Anyone try this stuff?

http://www.megasteam.com/

2nd video added

I just added a 2nd video on YouTube that shows details on how the smokestack was set up on my module along with some video clips from a recent train show where it was displayed. 

It also shows an interesting discovery that can be used to improve the smoke flow from a chimney.

See:

dave

Megasteam works

I installed a G scale loco's smoke generator under one of my traveling NTRAK modules a few years back and I've used a variety of "smoke" products in it over the years. They all work. But Megasteam's coal-scent is my favorite. 

Note that we never smoke non-stop! Less is more. Since it's wired through a stationary decoder and a relay, I can turn it on and off through my Digitrax throttle from anywhere around the layout. (There are also two pushbuttons on the module itself.) When I see people looking at my city, I flip it on. It takes a few seconds to "warm-up." And it's always fun to watch people's faces as they discover it.

Megasteam is highly recommended.

AL

Airflow

Have you tried pulsing the air pump to create "puffs" of smoke?  Can it be hooked to a DCC decoder to vary the speed (stream of smoke or lazy rising smoke)?

Another thought I had for animating the smoke would be a motor controlled bellows, either single- or double- action.