Lionel Reading LionChief 0-6-0T '2332010' showed up today out of the blue. Will open it up tonight.
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They're great little locomotives. I love the heck out of mine. They pack some pulling power too considering their size.
My Lehigh Valley Coal and New Haven showed up today as well. Look sharp, especially with the black smokebox of the Lehigh.
The Lehigh runs clean, the New Haven seems to have the same catch from oversized side rods that the previous run of LC+2.0 ones did. I'll be ordering the side rods from the conventional ones to fix it, that worked well on my previous LC+2.0 one.
I love mine as well. I really like the electro couplers as I switched to an operating layout from loop running.
My performs good with no issues. Paint is crisp and bright. The only negative comment is check your side rod screws, 2 of mine were loose.
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How's the sound when they get moving? The first run sounded fine until you got moving, then the chuff sound went all wonky! I changed mine from 4/chuffs to 2/chuffs just so it would run as fast as I would run it and still keep the sound.
I really like mine. I got the first LC+ 2.0 run for $225. New ones are a little pricey but nice locomotives. The chuffing sounded like a machine gun at a normal medium speed. @BillYo414 and @gunrunnerjohn did a really nice simple modification that made a huge difference. I did it and it was a huge upgrade! I assume the newer ones have the same issue with the smaller wheels so you guys with the newer model may want to check it out. Just do a search or they may just leave a link here. Great simple mod. Makes me want to go get mine back out with a set of ore cars.
Brad
The chuffing was fine at moderate speed, did not run it fast. But the mod link would be nice to have just incase.
@gunrunnerjohn posted:How's the sound when they get moving? The first run sounded fine until you got moving, then the chuff sound went all wonky! I changed mine from 4/chuffs to 2/chuffs just so it would run as fast as I would run it and still keep the sound.
I only had a short 40" test track, so I was only testing slow speed; I'll see about setting up a bigger loop this weekend. (my layout construction has stalled)
As low speed they sound fine, it's when you move at anything but yard switching speed that the sound suddenly goes completely wonky. Obviously, reducing the chuff rate from 4 to 2 doubled the allowable speed before the sounds crash.
At the start of this video you can hear what happens at speed. Note that this one has the 2-chuff mod, so the sound breakup happened at half that speed before the mod.
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I was NOT going to buy another engine, but mine is in route to me as I type.
Ron
I had no plans on purchasing another locomotive this year other than the Lehigh Valley model. I have a short section of whisker track which will be perfect for this engine. It should be arriving today.
Gene
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I have a lot of short whisker tracks that I park small stuff on. 
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@gunrunnerjohn posted:As low speed they sound fine, it's when you move at anything but yard switching speed that the sound suddenly goes completely wonky.
Yeah, I have one from the last run and recall that issue. I'll try to run them back to back and take a video to compare.
@gunrunnerjohn posted:I have a lot of short whisker tracks that I park small stuff on.
That’s where I got the idea from while you were helping me with the electrical end of the turntable.
Gene
No sense in wasting the space, right? 
This is still one of my favorite runners. Got one in the first run (the nice looking Brooklyn Terminal livery). As noted, the pricing on these then was fantastic. Almost pulled the trigger on another from the latest batch but passed.
Maybe keep my eyes out for a future deal. 
@PSM posted:Yeah, I have one from the last run and recall that issue. I'll try to run them back to back and take a video to compare.
I can't imagine the new one will have a different chuff rate. It's just a very small switcher that's designed to run at slow speeds. It is proto typical at 4 chuffs per revolution but the wheel diameter is tiny. It just sounds so much better at 2 chuffs per revolution. One thing I like about the MTH DCS system running MTH trains you can set the chuff rate to whatever you want.
Brad
@johnstrains posted:This is still one of my favorite runners. Got one in the first run (the nice looking Brooklyn Terminal livery). As noted, the pricing on these then was fantastic. Almost pulled the trigger on another from the latest batch but passed.
Not sure what first run you're speaking of, but I have one from the very first run, a conventional Santa Fe. I also have a LC+ Rio Grande from the previous LC run. The LC Rio Grande has been problematic -been disappointing. The electrocouplers have been a problem. Even ordered new parts from Lionel. Finally got the rear one working, gave up on the front one. I also replaced the side rods, but it still doesn't run as smoothly as the older conventional Santa Fe. That one is one beautiful running sweetheart!
@B rad posted:I can't imagine the new one will have a different chuff rate. It's just a very small switcher that's designed to run at slow speeds. It is proto typical at 4 chuffs per revolution but the wheel diameter is tiny. It just sounds so much better at 2 chuffs per revolution. One thing I like about the MTH DCS system running MTH trains you can set the chuff rate to whatever you want.
Brad
Its definitely still 4 chuffs per rev, I think the question is did they find a way to clean up the audio so it doesn't become completely muddled at normal operating speeds. Obviously at high speeds there's not really anything they can do, but the previous LC+2.0 run did get messy at fairly normal speeds.
You can run other steamers at breakneck speeds, it's true the chuffs blend in together, but with the 0-6-0T they just go nuts. It's clear that they just got lost in the audio generation at a certain point.
@breezinup posted:Not sure what first run you're speaking of, but I have one from the very first run, a conventional Santa Fe. I also have a LC+ Rio Grande from the previous LC run. The LC Rio Grande has been problematic -been disappointing. The electrocouplers have been a problem. Even ordered new parts from Lionel. Finally got the rear one working, gave up on the front one. I also replaced the side rods, but it still doesn't run as smoothly as the older conventional Santa Fe. That one is one beautiful running sweetheart!
Right, should clarify.
Mine is from the Lion Chief Plus 2.0 group that was released several years ago.
No problems with couplers or otherwise. And these smoke like a champ!
My two LC+ 2.0 0-6-0T engines from the 2000 catalog run fine. My only "fix" was to reduce the chuff rate to 2 instead of 4 so they didn't get wonky sound at even a moderate speed.
@gunrunnerjohn posted:How's the sound when they get moving? The first run sounded fine until you got moving, then the chuff sound went all wonky! I changed mine from 4/chuffs to 2/chuffs just so it would run as fast as I would run it and still keep the sound.
John is this something you can do through the remote control? Or does it involve soldering a jumper to the board, etc.? I encountered a LC+ 2.0 Pacific that sounds lousy at anything above slow speed. I was disappointed because the original LC+ (with two chuffs) had decent sound over a wide usable speed range. Please advise, thanks.
@Ted S posted:John is this something you can do through the remote control? Or does it involve soldering a jumper to the board, etc.? I encountered a LC+ 2.0 Pacific that sounds lousy at anything above slow speed. I was disappointed because the original LC+ (with two chuffs) had decent sound over a wide usable speed range. Please advise, thanks.
It's actually a mechanical mod. Here's a link to my simplified method of changing from 4 chuffs to 2 chuffs.
Lionel 0-6-0 Docksider LC+2.0 Chuff Rate Reduction
The LC+ 2.0 Pacific doesn't have a bottom plate, the axles are captive in the chassis. 
The next time it's in my hands, I'll have to take the boiler shell off, and see if it has "prongs." If not I guess they are deriving the chuff signal from the tach. Supposedly LC+ 2.0 was a step forward, with "Legacy-like" speed steps and features. Really disappointed in how garbled the chuff becomes at anything more than slow speed.
@Ted S posted:The LC+ 2.0 Pacific doesn't have a bottom plate, the axles are captive in the chassis.
Based on the topic, I thought we were talking about the 0-6-0T, that's a totally different deal. The chuffs are generated internally and there's no changing those. The back-EMF LC+ 2.0 board doesn't have that ability, so they have an external chuff switch or encoder.
My Lehigh Valley came in a couple days ago. After a quick check and a little lube, it runs great. It’s my first Lionchief Plus 2.0, and for the price, I’m quite happy with it. Smokes better than a couple of my Legacy units.
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Looks like the box got wet!
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@gunrunnerjohn posted:Looks like the box got wet!
It does look like it but it must have been a reflection from the plastic bag. No bag here.
Gene
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@Genemed posted:Smokes better than a couple of my Legacy units.
They do quite a job of smoking, that's for sure.
@breezinup posted:........ I have one from the very first run, a conventional Santa Fe. I also have a LC+ Rio Grande from the previous LC run. The LC Rio Grande has been problematic -been disappointing. The electrocouplers have been a problem. Even ordered new parts from Lionel. Finally got the rear one working, gave up on the front one. I also replaced the side rods, but it still doesn't run as smoothly as the older conventional Santa Fe. That one is one beautiful running sweetheart!
@gunrunnerjohn posted:My two LC+ 2.0 0-6-0T engines from the 2000 catalog run fine. My only "fix" was to reduce the chuff rate to 2 instead of 4 so they didn't get wonky sound at even a moderate speed.
My LC+ DRGW from 2000 runs OK, too, but it's not as smooth as the original run conventional Santa Fe sewing machine I have. You'd mentioned a couple years ago re: the 2000 batch:
"I bought the side rods for the old conventional model for my two Docksiders, they improved the running. They not the smoothest running locomotives, but they run a lot smoother with less slop in the rods."
My DRGW would also qualify as "not the smoothest running locomotive," I guess, although it's certainly acceptable. I'd be curious if the latest batch has improved any. I'm surprised they didn't correct the side rod issue.
I own two of the 0-6-0Ts'. One is conventional (USS) and one is the LC 2.0 (Pennsylvania). They are both fine little engines. The LC 2.0 runs great through my TMCC-DCS system. Here's the rub! I find the whistle to be hideous on both engines. Short back story: My Father was a charging foreman at US Steel's Edgar Thomson works. When the company went to diesel on the open hearth they simply pushed the old steamers into the furnace. Dad climbed up on the last steamer and removed the whistle. I still have it. Does the buzz instead of a whistle drive anyone else up the wall? Comments please.
John
Mine from the 2020 first run of the LC+ 2.0 have a decent whistle for a locomotive that cost me $200 new.
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@gunrunnerjohn posted:Mine from the 2020 first run of the LC+ 2.0 have a decent whistle for a locomotive that cost me $200 new.
I have the same one as well as the same road name. I paid $225. I do think it's a great engine especially for the price. Not sure I would pay the price for the new one though.
Brad
@B rad posted:I have the same one as well as the same road name. I paid $225. I do think it's a great engine especially for the price. Not sure I would pay the price for the new one though.
When they went to over $300, they're nice, but not the bargain they were in the first run. I bought two of them from the 2020 run, the PRR and the Bethlehem Steel.
Has anyone found a parts list and diagram for these latest versions of the 0-6-0T engines???
Ron
I have to believe they're the same as the 2020 run, they sure look and run the same. However, there are no parts listings for those either.
GRJ
I just played the whistle video. Yours sounds exactly like a small steam whistle. (within reason) So, I put the USS on my test track and tried again; still the same buzz. Then a saw the light bulb (brain metaphor) and took my hearing aids off, thinking the high pitch was feeding back. Yes, I'm older than you. Still no luck. You are right. For the price, I will just have to learn to live with it. But for me it was never the price, it was the fact that I own the D--- whistle. I rarely post on the forum but I'm on most everyday. I have learned a lot from you!! Favorite quote: "Who talks like that?". Then the next place I went was a thread on electricity. You were so far over my head I felt I had landed in a parallel universe and I realized; GRJ talks like that!! Thank you for your time AND knowledge.
John
