email from Mike Reagon

Any idea what engine this advice is in reference too?

Might help if you modified the title to tell us what the heck you're talking about.

ironlake does it again!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by ironlake2:
I got an email from mike reagon that if you push aux1 plus 0 when the engine is stopped it will make the mars light work correctly. Have not tried it yet so not sure if it works.

This just has to be the Legacy Milwaukee Road S3. Had not you guys been reading the forum a month ago?

Boy if thats the case, all of the folks that cut the wire going to that light are gonna be upset.

quote:

ironlake does it again!!!!

Must be something in the Water!

It doesn't work on any of mine... Oh wait, none of my engines have a mars light!...Never mind.

I tend to believe it is the S3, now I will be curious to see if it works

The engine in question, of course, is the Milwaukee Road S-3 which Lionel did a magnificent job on but managed to F.U. in one particular area: On the real locomotive, the Mars light (that's that light mounted above the headlight on the front of the engine, that "oscillates" from side to side and, on this engine is red. On the real engine, it is turned on when the engine is stopped or when the engine is being backed up. Lionel's model works in the exact opposite: When the engine is stopped or in reverse and backing, the Mars light is out. But on this model, when the engine is running forward, the Mars light is brilliantly illuminated.

Supposedly, when Lionel was designing this engine, they contacted the Friends of the #261 and asked them how the Mars light was operated. One can only assume that the guys up in Minneapolis (where the engine is located) had a great laugh at the expense of the guys at Lionel. Anyway, the engine's Mars light runs exactly opposite from the way it's supposed to be.

I'm going to try that fix that, on my engine, as was suggested earlier: that is to push 0 as the Aux 1 button is pushed, but I don't have a great deal of expectation that it will fix the Faux Pas that Lionel created. If it works I'll let you know.

Paul Fischer

Sounds like the answer to a question on the TV show "Jeopardy".

Ironlake, Did it work? Been waiting all evening for your report.

MARS = Multi-Area Radial Scan -actually a figure-eight pattern.

Personally, I have never liked these on any steam engine.

AUX 1, 0, is the normal key combo for "reset" on most every TMCC and Legacy engine ever made. It should turn on the Mars light, headlight, sound, etc., on any engine so equipped.

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Water:
ironlake does it again!!!!

got to keep you happy so you can keep complaining. seems to be your modus operandi

I tried it last night. Does not work..
I enjoy sounds whistles & horn so much on this engine, these days I hardly notice the red light. I see it now as a minor blip on the finest sounding model ever made.
Joe

MARS= last name of the guy that provided the capital to start the company that made the lights. Same Mars as in Mars Candy Company.

From a fire fighting web site

If you wanna go with Wikipedia's version of the history (usually okay, but not always the most accurate):

"Mars Lights are signal-safety lights used in the United States and built by Mars Signal Light Company for railroad locomotives and fire apparatus. Mars Lights used a variety of means to cause the light to oscillate vertically, horizontally, or both, to catch the attention of motorists and pedestrians.

Mars lights were developed by Jerry Kennelly, a Chicago firefighter who realized that oscillating lamps would benefit fire departments and railroads. He performed an operational test with the C&NW railroad in 1936, and Mars Lights began appearing on locomotives in the 1940s.

The name "MARS" Light originated when the Mars Candy Company took over design and production. The majority of funding was provided by Mars, and they insisted that it carry the MARS name. It has nothing to do with "the light from Mars"."

nope, tried it last night, does not toggle off in start mode.
According to an earlier post. Jon CTO of Lionel stated that you need to splice the mars light into the cab light function.
The question is what happens when there is a malfunction error code, does the red light flash as well?
Probably.
I am waiting for the legacy program chip fix... anyone on the ETA of this?

quote:

Originally posted by J Daddy:

I am waiting for the legacy program chip fix... anyone on the ETA of this?

There isn't a chip fix, there is the legacy software that you program your base with via a cable. The software still isn't out yet though

Guess I miss understood too, As I thought Jon Z indicated the fix would involve a new module.

It's the same software that was demo'd at the Fall LUG meeting.

quote:

This just has to be the Legacy Milwaukee Road S3. Had not you guys been reading the forum a month ago?

Are you sure? Lionel has issued some really nice Legacy steam locomotive models with operating Mars Lights. Such as:

UP FEF-3 4-8-4 (Red Mars)
SP GS-4 4-8-4 (clear Mars)
CMStP&P S-3 4-8-4 (Red Mars)

You could write the profile to a black module as a back up, but the software itself makes the changes to the information on the Legacy base, no module required

quote:

Originally posted by cbojanower:
You could write the profile to a black module as a back up, but the software itself makes the changes to the information on the Legacy base, no module required

I must be recalling the black module. Thanks for the clarification.

I remember Mike's cousin "Rail".

Jon

quote:

Originally posted by MartyE:
It's the same software that was demo'd at the Fall LUG meeting.

Anytime soon?

Reagan.

quote:

Originally posted by MartyE:
It's the same software that was demo'd at the Fall LUG meeting.

Wonder what they're waiting for, to see how much we'll pay for it?

I emailed mike to see if they had done anything yet and that was mikes answer. He also said once you do the aux1 0 the mars light will work as it is supposed to, so he is still operating under the assumption that flashing when going forward is correct. My light goes off when the engine is in reverse.

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Water:

quote:

This just has to be the Legacy Milwaukee Road S3. Had not you guys been reading the forum a month ago?

Are you sure? Lionel has issued some really nice Legacy steam locomotive models with operating Mars Lights. Such as:

UP FEF-3 4-8-4 (Red Mars)
SP GS-4 4-8-4 (clear Mars)
CMStP&P S-3 4-8-4 (Red Mars)

But, only the SP GS-4 should have the Mars light ON while going forward.

Rusty

quote:

Originally posted by gunrunnerjohn:

quote:

Originally posted by MartyE:
It's the same software that was demo'd at the Fall LUG meeting.

Wonder what they're waiting for, to see how much we'll pay for it?

No, they're making it all work as correctly as possible from the get go so people like you won't complain that it's not right.

quote:

Originally posted by MartyE:

quote:

Originally posted by gunrunnerjohn:

quote:

Originally posted by MartyE:
It's the same software that was demo'd at the Fall LUG meeting.

Wonder what they're waiting for, to see how much we'll pay for it?

No, they're making it all work as correctly as possible from the get go so people like you won't complain that it's not right.

Oh, harsh!

quote:

Originally posted by MartyE:

quote:

Originally posted by gunrunnerjohn:

quote:

Originally posted by MartyE:
It's the same software that was demo'd at the Fall LUG meeting.

Wonder what they're waiting for, to see how much we'll pay for it?

No, they're making it all work as correctly as possible from the get go so people like you won't complain that it's not right.

No feedback would be worse.

cjack

It's been getting feedback

About as harsh as assuming you'll have to pay for it.

Bazinga!

quote:

But, only the SP GS-4 should have the Mars light ON while going forward.

Rusty

Quite true but, Lionel also "got it right" on the UP FEF-3 locomotive model, i.e. Mars off running forward, Mars on (and flashing) when running in reverse.

If I remember correctly aux1 0 is just the reset function. If you continue to hold the 0 you will get a sound effect of filling coal into the tender.

I thought the Mars Light is a turn signal for locomotives. I must be spaced out???