This video combines two smoke animations. The locomotive smoke unit is a Suerte 5v element that is controlled by Digitrax DCC controller. The DCC signal is isolated from the smoke unit by an opti-isolator. The voltage to the smoke unit is ‘over clocked’ at around 7 volts. This shortens the life of the smoke unit, but I’ve only had one ‘give up the ghost’ so far.

The stations chimneys smoke is done with a commercial smoke unit. This unit requires some assembly, and of course I ruined the unit. I was always wondering how those vape things created so much smoke. It was discovered that the heating element that I destroyed is the same as the older vaping things. So I bought a half dozen from the local smoke shop. In describing what I using them for, the pulled out three small bottles of flavored smoke fluid. These three were nicotine free, did not sell well, and they sold them to me at a great discount.

The downside to the vape smoke elements is that they do not like to be on constantly, maximum time at 50%. So, again used a Arduino to turn on the elements for 3 seconds, then off for 3 seconds. The small air generator runs continuously.