# Fantastic smoke on Bachmann 2-8-0



## mickey (Jan 28, 2009)

Love the results of this smoke. Anyone else tried this or know what smoke unit he used? I have the Phoenix sound and the LocoLink. The Phoenix guy suggested the Massoth unit. Any input? 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mr4_mxg7pqo


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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

That's an MTH smoke unit. The best on the market in my opinion. I think that is Raymond's (on MLS). 

I saw the Massoth at the Garden RR Convention last July. It smoked okay, nothing like the MTH. The Massoth did have a synced chuff and puff like the TAS unit. 

The problem with the MTH is, as I understand it, you need an protosound board, and they are very expensive. I'd love to have an MTH in my B'mann K-27 but haven't figured out how to get one to work.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yep, the control electronics are in the massoth unit, only requiring a chuff contact, but the MTH control electronics are in the MTH decoder, the MTH smoke unit has wires that go directly to the motor, so you would have to come up with a circuit to pulse the motor, and to make it work, you would use electronic braking to make the puffing react fast enough, kind of like the electronic brake on a battery powered drill or saw, where it stops really fast when you let go of the trigger. 

I believe MTH has patents around this. It shows because of the very nice distinct "puffs"... 

Regards, Greg


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## mickey (Jan 28, 2009)

Posted By jimtyp on 10 Mar 2010 11:31 AM 
That's an MTH smoke unit. The best on the market in my opinion. I think that is Raymond's (on MLS). 

I saw the Massoth at the Garden RR Convention last July. It smoked okay, nothing like the MTH. The Massoth did have a synced chuff and puff like the TAS unit. 

The problem with the MTH is, as I understand it, you need an protosound board, and they are very expensive. I'd love to have an MTH in my B'mann K-27 but haven't figured out how to get one to work. 
What is MLS? I would like to contact him to see what is involved.


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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

MLS is the site you are on: MyLargeScale.com 

Here is a link to Rayman :  Rayman


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Yep Raymond did a good job on the 2-8-0. I think it was posted here somewhere before by Ray. Later RJD


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Mickey

Bachmann weights.. (Are they lead or regular metal?)[/b]
Fourteenth posted reply for pictures of smoke unit.

Rayman4449
MTH DCS Install Services[/b]

2-8-0 About half way down the page.


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## San Juan (Jan 3, 2008)

Wow that is fantastic smoke.

So there really is no simple way to get an MTH smoke unit to work without using their board as well. Well that's not going to work for me as all of our locos use Airwire, not MTH DCS control. 


I'd like to add smoke to my 2-8-0 (it was converted into a K-27). I was looking at adding a basic LGB smoke unit, but if there is something better out there I'd like to give it a try. Shame the TAS unit is no longer made. It would have been perfect. 


Any suggestions...other then MTH? Any TAS units out there and available?


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## JLienau (Jan 20, 2008)

I have a Bachman Big Hauler with a BBT conversion installed, a Phoenix sound system and an MTH smoke unit installed. The unit is not sync to the chuff sound. Its a all squeezed in pretty tightly but it all works nicely. The MTH smoke unit puts out so much smoke I can't run it on my indoor layout. Outside its great. 
Joe Lienau


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Anyone have a PN on the MTH smoke unit? No interest in the sound....but would need a way to trigger it to four puffs per rev regardless?


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## JLienau (Jan 20, 2008)

Garrett, 
Google "MTH SS 100 smoke units" and then look for Brasseur electric trains. There is a half page of MTH parts and smoke units listed. It looks like they cost about $50 dollars each. 
Joe Lienau


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Hmm... repeat, no easy way to get it to puff w/o the MTH board, two people stated this. 

If you don't know electronics, you can't do it. 

Relay not good or fast enough.. 

Garrett, putting the MTH control unit in your loco is pretty much the only choice... 

I've given my best advice. 

Regards, Greg


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By JLienau on 10 Mar 2010 07:28 PM 
Garrett, 
Google "MTH SS 100 smoke units" and then look for Brasseur electric trains. There is a half page of MTH parts and smoke units listed. It looks like they cost about $50 dollars each. 
Joe Lienau 

Thanks, I will take a look.

Greg, so the sound and smoke board are one? I was not sure how that worked, I was thinking it was via their DCC unit, not the soundboard from how I read it above, thanks for the clarification.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

The smoke board has basically no logic circuits in it, all the control comes from the MTH decoder board. The connections to the fan go right to the brushes of the motor. Unless you come up with a circuit to pulse the motor yourself, and again, to make it work nicely, you need more than just pulsed voltage, you have to leave it full on. I don't know if the MTH system also modulates the power to the smoke part, besides the fan speed, but it would not surprise me. 

Remember MTH has lots of patents on their stuff. 

Their system is not DCC (not yet), but the single MTH decoder board is motor, sound, lights, smoke unit control. 

That's why I keep saying go with the entire system or not at all. 

It would be nice to come up with a logic board to drive the smoke unit so we could use it as a general purpose unit. For now, my recommendation of the best "after market" install standalone unit is the Massoth. I have a few TAS units I bought, but they are no longer available. Can't be sure of exactly what unit is in the new USAT caboose. The other one that has been talked about seems pretty much designed to be full on. 

Regards, Greg


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## phillipsmk (Jun 4, 2009)

Very cool, I like it!


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