> Ed,
> I always thought that the big black smoke cloud meant the steam engine was
> aplying more horsepower to move up certain grade conditions but after
> leveling off the smoke turned white or disapeared as horsepower was met for
> flat rail and speed conditions.
> Alan Lambert
Alan...
Assuming your description to be accurate, this is a great specification for a
Digital Smoke System (DSS). The DSS should be able to adjust the smoke's color
and volume for each speed step. More volume and more color under heavy load
and vice versa for lesser loads. Tsunami already does that for the chuff-chuff
volume by comparing the set speed step to the current actual speed step. And
Zimo decoders have an accessory smoke generator with a fan which is controlled
by the decoder so that individual puffs emanate at the rate of four per wheel
revolution. The puffs can actually be synchronized to the position of the
wheels via a cam on the axle.
So the electronic and mechanical issues are fairly well solved. It is the
chemistry that is not yet fully developed and needs improvement. If we could
only add some color to political hot air and capture it in a pressure can, we
might have something to use.
Until a really fantastic DSS is created, my layout room will remain a smoke
free environment for health reasons. But I would not mind changing that some
day -- at least for one loop around the mainline.
Cheers....Ed L.
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