How many different versions of legacy are there?

I think only Lionel could really tell you.  Also, before the RCMC somewhat standardized Legacy around 2011, there were a host of smaller boards that performed specialized functions. Before the RCMC, the TMCC/Legacy receiver board was the R4LC, an upgrade in memory from the TMCC R2LC to support Legacy functions.

The Vision Line Genset has three independent smoke units, and they have a special board that controls those.  I believe a similar or the same board was used in the early Vision Line Challenger to control it's smoke units.  There is a smoke motor controller in the Legacy 10-wheeler that's not a "standard" board.  I'm sure the list goes on and on.

That would be an interesting study for a data hound. A list of all the PCBs and their features since TMCC started in what...1995?  Something for Schleicher or Greenberg to do for the new generation of collectors.

Boy, if you include some of the TMCC stuff, the list really gets long!   I forgot to mention the RCDR that Lionel uses in some of the small TMCC and Legacy stuff before the RCMC.  I suspect the RCDR is still used in some accessories and maybe even a locomotive or two. 

One of the biggest changes in Legacy functionality is when they added the sequence control that came out about the same time the sensors on locomotives hit the streets.  I'm sure there are other minute changes.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

I think only Lionel could really tell you.  Also, before the RCMC somewhat standardized Legacy around 2011, there were a host of smaller boards that performed specialized functions. Before the RCMC, the TMCC/Legacy receiver board was the R4LC, an upgrade in memory from the TMCC R2LC to support Legacy functions.

The Vision Line Genset has three independent smoke units, and they have a special board that controls those.  I believe a similar or the same board was used in the early Vision Line Challenger to control it's smoke units.  There is a smoke motor controller in the Legacy 10-wheeler that's not a "standard" board.  I'm sure the list goes on and on.

Wow John,  that Just made my brain hurt.  You are a very knowledgeable guy when it comes to this stuff.  When I was visiting the Lionel headquarters last week,  I did ask Dean this question and he started to tell me all kinds of history to the present legacy.  I meant to get him to right it down because I couldn’t remember it all.  Guess I will have to email Dean and see if he can put together a list of the different boards and their differences between others if he can or will.  My biggest thing is why do the older legacy units identify there specific road names and numbers but the newer ones are just generic announcements that are heard in all later legacy models.  Sounds kind of backwards doesn’t it?

Actually, all of the Vision Line stuff has the IR sensors, but the sequence control came along when the RCMC was introduced to the Legacy line.

Blake, I'm sure that was simple a cost cutting move on Lionel's part, one size fits all.  FWIW, the Vision Line stuff still gets unique road number announcements, but the standard Legacy stuff is generic.  A guy that knows a lot of this history would be Mike Reagan, he lived through a lot of the iterations.  I'm sure Dean is another guy that has a lot of the tribal knowledge, having been there for some time.  My knowledge is just picked up as I work on this stuff.  I still find new stuff to learn as the days go on.

I would like to understand what all these acronyms stand for.  

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Actually, all of the Vision Line stuff has the IR sensors, but the sequence control came along when the RCMC was introduced to the Legacy line.

So the RCMC is circa 2011?  I didn't think it was that old.  Interesting.  I know my SF F3s from 2010 just missed the sensors.

I believe the first RCMC stuff was 2011 as I recall.  Other than the Vision Line stuff, the sensors didn't appear until the RCMC was standard.  I have to run one of my old Vision Line locomotives over the sensor track and see what they put in the pre-RCMC sensor equipped stuff, don't think I've done that yet.

Update:  This thread mentions early RCMC showed up in 2010: https://ogrforum.com/...69#73368898614650869

Blake Morris posted:

I would like to understand what all these acronyms stand for.  

So would I.

To further complicate it all, the RCMCs are all engine specific. They are programmed for wheel diameter and gear ratio so all the engines run at the same speed/step. Likely many diesels are interchangeable but rarely are steam engine RCMCs interchangeable. Also early RCMCs didn't have circuitry to monitor the thermistor in the smoke unit. Later version have that "feature". Feature in quotes as its a source headaches when you get the 3 headlight blinks. The more nannies, the more headaches. K.I.S.S.

Pete

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Blake, I'm sure that was simple a cost cutting move on Lionel's part, one size fits all.  FWIW, the Vision Line stuff still gets unique road number announcements, but the standard Legacy stuff is generic.  A guy that knows a lot of this history would be Mike Reagan, he lived through a lot of the iterations.  I'm sure Dean is another guy that has a lot of the tribal knowledge, having been there for some time.  My knowledge is just picked up as I work on this stuff.  I still find new stuff to learn as the days go on.

I agree John!  Mike is very knowledgeable about this stuff, however; he is a busy busy man these days with TW.  I stopped by his shop last week to pick up an item he fixed for me as well as to see his latest build for a client.  I asked him some of the same things that I asked on this forum and he gave me some history, but he couldn’t go into much detail because of his current project that he was working on.  I guess when you guys talk about this board and that board, I just want to understand the new language that I’m hearing.  I’m relatively new to the model train collecting and operating.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

I believe the first RCMC stuff was 2011 as I recall.  Other than the Vision Line stuff, the sensors didn't appear until the RCMC was standard.  I have to run one of my old Vision Line locomotives over the sensor track and see what they put in the pre-RCMC sensor equipped stuff, don't think I've done that yet.

Update:  This thread mentions early RCMC showed up in 2010: https://ogrforum.com/...69#73368898614650869

Blake Morris posted:

I would like to understand what all these acronyms stand for.  

So would I.

Haha!

I bet this guy would know...  Dr. ZW!

Bruk Bannister produces a couple of great PDF guides on the RCMC, BEMC, RCDR, and the RS-Lite boards and wiring.  Here's a Perma-Link to the post, I just put them in the TMCC/Legacy documentation thread: https://ogrforum.com/...08#81114579227203508