12-30-2008, 09:37 PM
Smoke is typically viewed a toy train item. That is why no one offers it. I've had HO locomotives that smoked, and frankly, it looked terrible. It didn't add any realism at all...the exhaust didn't match the cylinder strokes...in addition to being the wrong shape, color, scent...etc...
It is more popular in larger scales because they have more toy influences. Lionel until recently was far more of a maker of toy trains than model trains...MTH cut their teeth reissuing old Lionel stuff. They skirt the line between toy and model...hence 2-rail and 3-rail offerings. This allows those whom are into toy trains to become modelers...and vice-versa. (some of their models today are gorgeous) LGB was also on the interface of toy and model. It doesn't make their products any less interesting, but they have a certain sector of their market which still enjoys toy train gimmicks...smoke...more so than in smaller scales. The drawback of the residue (which is well known) is not felt as badly in larger scales. You also see this in the types of track and wheels that are used...large scales frequently have steel on steel...which causes sparks in HO and doesn't work in N...due to electrical conductivity.
Bachmann's old N&W J did have smoke...but I don't think they've ever offered it for their Daylight. Think of it being like an Athearn Genesis SD-70 having a button on the top which caused the engineer to pop out of the cab and wave...most people that want the detail of the Genesis model don't want the toy-like feature. If you are brave and want to kitbash, you can probably add a smoke unit...but you might find a circuit board in the smokebox which prevents such an installation.
It is more popular in larger scales because they have more toy influences. Lionel until recently was far more of a maker of toy trains than model trains...MTH cut their teeth reissuing old Lionel stuff. They skirt the line between toy and model...hence 2-rail and 3-rail offerings. This allows those whom are into toy trains to become modelers...and vice-versa. (some of their models today are gorgeous) LGB was also on the interface of toy and model. It doesn't make their products any less interesting, but they have a certain sector of their market which still enjoys toy train gimmicks...smoke...more so than in smaller scales. The drawback of the residue (which is well known) is not felt as badly in larger scales. You also see this in the types of track and wheels that are used...large scales frequently have steel on steel...which causes sparks in HO and doesn't work in N...due to electrical conductivity.
Bachmann's old N&W J did have smoke...but I don't think they've ever offered it for their Daylight. Think of it being like an Athearn Genesis SD-70 having a button on the top which caused the engineer to pop out of the cab and wave...most people that want the detail of the Genesis model don't want the toy-like feature. If you are brave and want to kitbash, you can probably add a smoke unit...but you might find a circuit board in the smokebox which prevents such an installation.
Michael
My primary goal is a large Oahu Railway layout in On3
My secondary interests are modeling the Denver, South Park, & Pacific in On3 and NKP in HO
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://thesouthparkline.blogspot.com/">http://thesouthparkline.blogspot.com/</a><!-- m -->
My primary goal is a large Oahu Railway layout in On3
My secondary interests are modeling the Denver, South Park, & Pacific in On3 and NKP in HO
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://thesouthparkline.blogspot.com/">http://thesouthparkline.blogspot.com/</a><!-- m -->