How to tell if Polar Express Loco is Bluetooth capable?

I’m hoping someone will chime in with more help.  I have a couple Lionchief engines, only one with bluetooth.  The Penn Flyer(no bluetooth) 6-30233 and the fall 2017 Polar Express 6-84328 with bluetooth.  I checked them both for some markings indicating bluetooth and couldn’t find any.  If you can locate the lionel product number of the engine, a search would give you that info I’m sure.  Wish I had more info.

The FCC ID points to a Bluetooth module:

https://fccid.io/2AH7AKW2541A

So the FCC ID on the Penn Flyer without BT probably relates to the Lionchief remote wireless radio in the engine/tender.  I didn’t know that, thanks.

Yup!

https://fccid.io/LIV-LCFRX2G4

Ergo, the engine in question has BT capability based on the markings on the cab roof.  If, the BT module is working and/or the OP has downloaded the correct Lionchief Remote App, the engine should respond when powered up and the app is loaded.  

My 2018 Polar Express with BT does not have any labels on the engine to indicate BT, so doubt you will find any.

If it is an older version of the set it may not have BT and needs its remote.

BT did not come into Polar Express until 2017 catalog. 

However the new Universal remote when upgraded to latest software will run any Lion Chief engine whether Bluetooth or not.  

Thanks for the help, Gentlemen. It sounds like the next step is find someone with the universal remote and see if that can find the engine.

Ross posted:

Thanks for the help, Gentlemen. It sounds like the next step is find someone with the universal remote and see if that can find the engine.

Make sure it's the remote that is compatible with the PE engine. The first releases of the "Universal" remote was not.

Also, if a LionChief engine is powered up and doesn't see its remote it just sits there and beeps. I know it obvious, but make sure the blue tooth is turned on on your flat phone.

Gilly@N&W posted:

Ross posted:

Thanks for the help, Gentlemen. It sounds like the next step is find someone with the universal remote and see if that can find the engine.

Make sure it's the remote that is compatible with the PE engine. The first releases of the "Universal" remote was not.

Also, if a LionChief engine is powered up and doesn't see its remote it just sits there and beeps. I know it obvious, but make sure the blue tooth is turned on on your flat phone.

 

The universal remote is compatible with all Lion Chief and Lion Chief Plus engines once you update the software to the latest version.

I think there were one or two exceptions to compatibility, but with the software upgrade, it did get about 99.99% of them.  Once I upgraded mine, I haven't found one that it doesn't work with.

The exceptions, as far as I can tell, are the very first run of Thomas engines, that used the (I think) 27MHz signal.  The Universal remote should run anything with Bluetooth or 2.4GHz.  

As far as telling if an engine is bluetooth or not if you open it up and the radio board has the square metal can on it, it's bluetooth.  if it has a black chip or round black dot, it's not.  

I noticed a Bluetooth logo on the bottom of all LionChief Plus engines.   

Vinny26 posted:

I noticed a Bluetooth logo on the bottom of all LionChief Plus engines.   

Well, actually only on the new versions, they didn't always have BlueTooth.