Model railroad smells

[MK]

I would buy a CRHS Annual Rail B-Que Newport scented candle.

It could smell like grass, diesel, roast beef, and white nationalism!

No smell of fire/charred meat, blackened to perfection?   

[VonRyan]

I would buy a CRHS Annual Rail B-Que Newport scented candle.

It could smell like grass, diesel, roast beef, and white nationalism!

I’m pretty sure that candle would just smell like burning grease.

[Chris333]

So how does this "smoke fluid" work?

[CRL]

Boat shops (where they build wood boats, not plastic) smell fantastic.

Not if they’re using cypress... that smells like cat $hit when you cut it. But it’s a great wood for traditional wood board construction because it’s highly resistant to marine boring worms.

[Dave V]

@Dave V what specific product brand/flavor do you use for your pine scents?  I've tried several things but haven't really been satisfied with the aromas compared to what I remember watching a loaded woodchip train roll through Northern Idaho.

We use the Balsam scent from Bath and Body Works.  I don't see it listed anymore but FWIW I stocked up:

https://www.bathandbodyworks.com/c/home-fragrance/wallflowers-refills?start=0&sz=48

[wazzou]

@Dave V what specific product brand/flavor do you use for your pine scents?  I've tried several things but haven't really been satisfied with the aromas compared to what I remember watching a loaded woodchip train roll through Northern Idaho.

Those Tree shaped car air fresheners have a pine scent.  🤷🏽‍♂️
You could always find a source, and they are out there, for some chunks of Aromatic Cedar. 
Think hope chest, closet or drawer liners.
It may not smell exactly like Fir or Pine, but the scent is pretty long lasting.

[Dave V]

As for the original idea, I'm still undecided.  As with most great ideas, it could either be an epic win or an epic failure, but I somehow doubt the results would be inconclusive.

Now...could a dab or two of the smoke oil straight up on the layout near the two enginehouses work?  Or will it only smell that way when heated?

[propmeup1]

One of the IPMS model shows I was at few years ago a man built a German tiger tank. It was a diorama with the tank broken down and the crew working in the engine compartment. There was a note next to the model telling of what he has done to the model. At the bottom there was a special note,it said  "lean over the model and take a sniff."   He burnt a small amount of motor oil and placed it in a tiny dish under the engine.   The effect was excellent. Really made you think the tank had a blown engine.     This was a 1:35 model.
   I always thought that was a good idea but i didn't come up with it.

[chicken45]

Can’t wait to see and smell some offal/hide cars.

[randgust]

One of my first jobs was working as a contract accountant for a local farmer that did cow and deer hide processing - by the truckload.

The 'office' was right next to the hide trimming house, where raw hides were trimmed, graded, and put into a dump truck for hauling to the leather processing plants in New York state (this is the 70's). 

He was paying a cash payroll to guys drawing unemployment to do the hide processing, and asking me to help cover it up.   I kinda blew the whistle on him, the employees had to take a real paycheck, and they were relatively pissed about it.   My last day there my near-new 1976 Nova Hatchback was COVERED in rotten hide trimmings when I left, with the employees standing at the door laughing at me.   I didn't get the smell out of the car for a couple months.

Every time I pass that building (now closed) I can still smell my car.   So much for noseblind.   Oh yeah, I want to model that!!!!

[Albert in N]

While railfanning and taking photos in the early 1970s, the heavy odor of creosote treated railroad ties in the hot Texas sun stood out.  Since it is a carcinogen, that probably would not be suitable for a train layout fragrance.  Recalling the smell of coal smoke from my Army Basic Training (initial entry training) in 1962 at Fort Leonard Wood, MO, we still occupied the old buildings there that still used coal for cooking, heating water, and heaters in the winter.  I was "volunteered" to be a company fireman, so I had to start coal fires from scratch using matches and wood kindling.  My favorite coal smoke aroma was the mess hall cooks using coal to cook breakfast bacon or evening fried chicken.  As a child living not far from an Oklahoma Rock Island branch line, steam locomotives were used until about 1955.  When we heard and saw a steam train coming, my mother had me take the wet laundry off the clothes line and bring the basket into the house until the train passed.  Otherwise, coal cinders would soot the laundry.  Sure, mom knew the normal schedules, but an extra would be the problem. 

[GonzoCRFan]

I would buy a CRHS Annual Rail B-Que Newport scented candle.

It could smell like grass, diesel, roast beef, and white nationalism!

Don't forget the horse vajayjay...

[chicken45]

Don't forget the horse vajayjay...

That’s specifically why I mentioned the roast beef. 

[pdx1955]

As for the original idea, I'm still undecided.  As with most great ideas, it could either be an epic win or an epic failure, but I somehow doubt the results would be inconclusive.

Now...could a dab or two of the smoke oil straight up on the layout near the two enginehouses work?  Or will it only smell that way when heated?

I tried doing a direct sniff test with "Pumpkin Pie" scented fluid on an abandoned layout section- you almost have to have your nose the same distance from the ground as that a HO figure would be to smell anything. Don't know how long it would last anyway. I put some "Christmas Pine" scent in one of those nightlight wax melters - this is a lot lower temp than in a smoke generator but the idea to waft the aroma a bit versus trying to vaporize it - I'll report back.

[nuno81291]

My Vallejo paints smell pretty nice. Or is it the cleaner...