Gentlemen,
I am with Marty F on this one, I run Legacy and want Lionel to make more Legacy controlled rolling stock instead of the sensor control tracks. The Box Car like Guns is talking about would be cool however.
PCRR/Dave
A demo
I'd like more TMCC/Legacy rolling stock as well, but then I want everything! 
I now have 4 of the LCS tracks on my legacy layout and they are fantastic. The single commands are not all that worthwhile. I prefer to use the record/playback feature for a series of commands. I have one LCS track recording/playback set up just before the start of an ascending grade. It will make the train (diesel consist with at least one engine with IR sensor) increase rpm and labor, turn on the smoke, blow the horn before the bridge, decrease labor on downgrade, some dialogs, turn off smoke, and eventually resume speed. The other LCS tracks are used to blow horn, some dialogs, reduce speed, turn on bell, blow horn, & resume speed at crossings or stations. I haven't set up a recording for a passenger train with the stationsounds diner yet. I used to do that with the cab-2 recorder.
I usually run 3 trains at a time and intervene as required to keep them on schedule or from running into each other. I do the switching myself although the LCS could handle it. There is no way I could do all this pushing buttons on a single cab-2 without the LCS tracks. Trains without an IR sensor equipped engine in the consist will ignore the LCS.
For Lionel I think that many of us are still waiting for more rolling stock with the Vision railsounds. You could add the IR sensor at a small additional cost. It has been a long time since the Vision ethanol car set, long ago sold out. The Vision cattle cars can't turn off the moo sounds and get rail sounds only. No Vision reefer yet, shipping delayed till May.
I just installed my first 3 sensor tracks this weekend. I installed them in Ross track. It was pretty simple.
I have a question for Jon.......
Can the sensor tracks be programmed bi-directionally? At this point, based on what I read in the manual, I think the answer is NO. But I think it would be cool if when going "left to right" the sensor triggers one action(s) and when going "right to left" it triggers another. Could that be possible?
btw, i found the yellow sheet of notes for the non manual reading types funny!
Many actions (5-8) do have an alternate direction action already built in and an independent recording for each direction.
Fom page 18 of the manual...
Each SensorTrack stores two recordings, one for “left-to-right” and one for “right-to-left.”
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Gentlemen,
I agree with Marty F, with Legacy and DCS I have no need for that particular track,
unless somebody gives me one for Christmas doubt I will ever own one.
PCRR/Dave
The sensor track is to Legacy as Legacy is to TMCC. Limited by your imagination.
Sensor Tracks are what you make of them. I used to use mine a lot before the layout was taken down. When I start a new one there will be many sensor track especially since the High Rail App makes them accessible anywhere on the layout.
I was thinking if i program 1 for left to right i would like to record or select a different number for the opposite direction
MartyE posted:My experiences have been good as far as that is concerned. Granted I only have a loop without grades.As long as the speed you are entering the ST is the same as when the recording was made when entering the ST or you make the speed set part of the recording before activating other events that are required to trigger based on locomotive locations then it does seem to do a pretty good job.Again I am limited to what I have but ran a recording playback for a half hour with stops at a water tower. The engine stopped consistently within an inch each time. Also used layout reference points to fire the whistle, bell, and other accessories to operate and again they seemed to be accurate with in an inch or so.Originally Posted by graz:Marty,
When using their record function, does the presence of multiple sensor tracks help to ensure that the recording playback stays in perfect sync, as far as accurate loco position in concerned?
Meaning, do you get a much more accurate recording and playback compared to just using the record function on the CAB-2 remote?
I'm a bit new to the LCS conversations posted here on OGR forum. Have been reading, reading, saving info, for some time to learn the ins and outs of LCS and the various LCS components. I have had a CAB2 and three Legacy engines with IR capability for a year now and am comfortable using the CAB2 handheld remote to manually trigger the various legacy features on my engines. I use Gargraves track with Ross switches and DZ1000 switch controls operated remotely via DZ1002 push button controls.
So far, I haven't pursued using the CAB2 / hand held controller to control switches or accessories either manually or via CAB2 "Recording" feature. I only recently looked at the "Recording" feature of CAB2 and that sounds quite interesting for some autonomy of operation occasionally for the engine. So have now learned how to do "Record" and "Loop Record" for locomotive event triggering. I've also decided to facilitate automating switching / accessory events via CAB2 Recording so just ordered the required DB9 pigtail cable assembly along with one ASC2 initially dedicated for switch control (maybe get a 2nd ASC2 later for accessory control).
Have read a number of OGR posts that caution use of Loop Record for switch triggering as the locomotive position can/will incrementally change with each loop even if loco speed is carefully managed via the CAB2 settings. Hence, my inclusion of Marty's above 2015 quote about using sensor track Recording feature to trigger activating a variety of layout control system events like switch position and locomotive bell/whistle/horn/throttle position/etc. And now Lionel has come out with the IRV2 LCS component for incorporating in non-fastrack track systems like Gargraves and Ross. So, looks like I can buy a soon-to-be-released Lionel IRV2 sensor track LCS component to do the event recording for triggering some of my DZ1000 switch machines.
Here's my current wish ... integrate CAB2 recording of series of locomotive events with sensor track recording(s) in order to accurately trigger my DZ1000 switch firings at correct timing in sync with my CAB 2 "Loop" recording. I know that the CAB2 "Loop Recording" feature alone can include switch position changes as part of the recording, but that could lead to derailment at a switch if locomotive position shifts after multiple oval track looping. So, it appears that one or more track sensors would ensure correct locomotive location for triggering a switching event. But, how integrate the track sensor recording with the CAB2 Loop Recording?
Thanks for your thoughts.
Regards,
Tom
ToledoEd posted:If you use a Smartphone (iPhone, eg.) an app called HiRail is an excellent tool for programming SensorTracks.
I 100% agree.
I need some more sensor cars. I converted a few refrigerator cars of various RR to sensor cars, but I need maybe a boxcar or a crew car, and of course a caboose to make use of some of these ideas. A refrigerator car behind the engine in a coal train just doesn't look right.
Chuck, I've pickup a few whenever I see them offered at good prices. One day I'll get to putting the guts into the stuff I have planned. 
RE: High Rail App.
Ok, I went online to the High Rail website and reviewed the app info ... yes, it does look very useful for interfacing LCS sensor track with legacy engine operation events. However, will have to buy yet another LCS component, WiFi Module, that I hadn't planned to buy now in order to enable the High Rail app to communicate with sensor tracks. I do have ios smart devices so won't need to invest in that. I will likely go ahead and buy the WiFi Module now in order to take full advantage of LCS and 3rd party apps like High Rail ... appreciate the heads up on that. I feel more comfortable with the Legacy CAB2 hand held remote, but I do see/understand the benefits of smart device control screens ... have read a lot of favorable reviews on OGR and elsewhere on WiFi train/layout management.
I just Googled High Rail and came across Marty's 2015 review of High Rail App version 1.0 and that was helpful in furthering my understanding of ins and outs of the App. https://ogrforum.com/...high-rail-app-review So, that convinced me to pursue a LCS WiFi module and download the High Rail app.
But I still don't know how sensor track recordings can be integrated with CAB2 or LCS WiFi module Loop Recordings or vice versa. I get it that once programmed, a sensor track will initiate a preset sequence of engine functions upon the locomotive passing over the sensor track. But how might I incorporate a sensor track recording as an event-driven (i.e. engine passes over sensor track) subroutine as part of an overall CAB2 (or WiFi module) Loop Recording? Perhaps sensor track recordings cannot be synced with CAB2 Loop Recordings?
Thoughts?
Tom
Another use for the LCS IR Sensor Tracks is to use my eTrain Command Console (L) Windows software. It will display all of the information the engine sends out, not just the fuel level like on the CAB-2. Here is a screen shot of the display. The screen shot looks much better if you look at the attachment.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Click on the links below for more information on my software.
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I don't know. Still waiting for my IVR2 LCS module and add on sensors ?
Harvy posted:Another use for the LCS IR Sensor Tracks is to use my eTrain Command Console (L) Windows software. It will display all of the information the engine sends out, not just the fuel level like on the CAB-2. Here is a screen shot of the display. The screen shot looks much better if you look at the attachment.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Click on the links below for more information on my software.
Harvy, excellent tip. I've also used the SensorTrack with this program. Helped my diagnose a problem. Thanks for posting.
ToledoEd posted:Harvy posted:Another use for the LCS IR Sensor Tracks is to use my eTrain Command Console (L) Windows software. It will display all of the information the engine sends out, not just the fuel level like on the CAB-2. Here is a screen shot of the display. The screen shot looks much better if you look at the attachment.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Click on the links below for more information on my software.
Harvy, excellent tip. I've also used the SensorTrack with this program. Helped my diagnose a problem. Thanks for posting.
Glad the software could help you. Do you mind posting how it helped you diagnose the problem? Just curious.
