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Using Smoke Units at Public Shows?

I was wondering if operators of public model railroad shows that feature larger trains by Lionel and MTH allow them to use their smoke units.

Two members of our (mostly HO scale) local club setup several loops of Lionel track and run some of the locos with smoke units during our local shows. Some of the MTH engines (diesel and steam) have smoke units with fans that allows them to blow out quite a bit of smoke. And they have large tanks to hold the fluid, so it is more or less continuous.

While we've kidded the guys about their smoking units (some suggest it looks like someone is having a barbecue behind the spectators), the smoke does bother some of our members who have respiratory problems. Manning our modular layout or a display table all day with the smoke regularly drifting by can be problematic to some.

With the increased restrictions on cigarette smoking in most areas, I wonder if allowing this form of indoor pollution is beneficial to the hobby? Our city bans cigarette smoking in all public places.

Usually young children have their faces real close to the smoking models, and some stay for quite a while. We have yet to have any complaints from the public, we really don't want to have any. I've suggested to the large scalers that it would probably be best to use the smoke only sparingly if at all. It does not bother me personally, although the lingering smell of the smoke isn't all that pleasant after several hours.

Any opinions?

Thanks!

Bob Boudreau Canada

Reply to
Railfan
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Don't most of the smoke units just vaporize glorified vegetable oil? That's what it smells like, anyway. I've never seen smoke which looks anywhere near realistic anyway (it should turn black or at least dark gray when under load, like up a hill, and whitish like steam and other times, etc.).

I also don't like the grime it leaves everywhere, but especially on the engine: shiny stuff which attracts dust. Steam engines have enough small parts that breaking things is pretty easy while trying to keep them clean.

If some are sensitive to the "smoke" vapor and particulates, that's enough reason to avoid it at shows or other public displays. There are enough "non-toxic" products that are irritants anyway (carpet fiber and out gassing from new carpets at trade shows like CES come to mind) that I might be a good idea to voluntarily limit their use before some governmental agency requires you to stop.

Ed.

in article ksp4b.2737$ snipped-for-privacy@ursa-nb00s0.nbnet.nb.ca, Railfan at "fundynorthern"@ NO SPAM lycos.com wrote on 8/31/03 9:34 AM:

Reply to
Edward A. Oates

Now you guys have gone and done it! You know there are hundreds of lawyers that monitor this list just to find work. :) and all that!

Reply to
Jon Miller

Bob....

Interesting you should mention this. My wife and I go to a few train shows each year, and it seems the past year or so, there has been a major increase (or so it seems) in the use of the smoke units on the display layouts. And the smell is VERY unpleasant, at least to us. Perhaps it had something to do with the show venues not having the greatest ventilation...but in any event, I agree with your thoughts on the subject.

Reply to
Steve Hoskins

On Sun, 31 Aug 2003 16:34:24 UTC, Railfan wrote: 2000

A year or two ago I had the misfortune to be part of a modular group (HO) that got stuck next to a Lionel group. Not only were they using smoke but they also had sound. I could have stood the sound and smoke for about 10 minutes but all day was too much. The stench and tacky sound were most unpleasant.

Reply to
Ernie Fisch

1) Bathe before train shows.

(I know it's a definite minority in our hobby who forget/ignore this rule, but you gotta start with the obvious!)

Reply to
Mark Mathu

WAAAAAA!!!!!

Reply to
Three-Railer

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