We all strive one way or another even in 3 Rail, to recreate something nostalgic, be it the trainset you had as a kid, to what you watched over the garden fence on the main line.. Earlier today I was sent this video.... Mind blow!!
You can't beat O gauge for being able to pack it all in! I saw something similar 10 years ago at Warley, steam trains with low level steam and diesels that spewed both white and black smoke! Anything is possible these days!
I contacted Steve B last year and had started to communicate with him re his smoke installations, sadly he passed away in December, a great loss to the hobby.
It was very sad news when Steve passed away. I had the good fortune to see the 8F and the Ivatt, in the flesh at Warren Haywoods house just before he painted them. They were most impressive.
Apparently the layout will live on as an Eastern region layout, I was never really a fan of smoke until I seen Steve’s work. This is a layout that inspired me. Sad loss indeed.
Wow - really impressive, and what a legacy to leave behind. Now just need to workout how he did it Paul
The technology has been around for quite a while, the steam chuffs can be synchronised from a sensor (crude speed encoder) on the drive using a reflective PEC/reed/hall effect and the rate/puffs are made by a variable speed blower fan and variable voltage fed smoke generator. All programmed and driven by the encoder on DCC. I looked into this as soon as I discovered DCC, as the first thing I noticed was the bad synchronicity of the chuffs did my head head in. Although it can be set in a CV and adjusted to match the speed setting, it is not perfect, TTS are notoriously rubbish. Given the amount of work/complexity of adding all the extra's (in OO), I gave it up as a pipe dream from the start, I have even climbed down further and since bought TTS engines. I would rather have many Loco's than only one or two that are exemplary. However, it is much more doable when it comes to O gauge and likely fewer in the collection to convert!
I like it but it would be nice if the smoke could cut off when coasting. Also something to give a sense of size would have been handy. I doubt I could get one in my 0-4-0's. Cheer's, Pete.
