Update - Polar Express Lionchief and ERR Cruise?

I have the small motor polar express they released back in 2005 which as been converted to ERR.  On a flat surface, the built in cruise control works well for this engine going around curves pulling 6 cars.

Going up a steep grade using MTH Realtrax for Fastrack trestle set it slows way down as the motor has to work really hard pulling the consist up the grade with the throttle set to full power on the CW-80.

Coming down, it picks up speed, but not enough to derail.  As the track returns to level, the locomotive settles down to a constant speed it can maintain (which is full power since that's what I need to get up the grade).

I don't know much about the new Lionchef version since it really is a different beast on the inside.  For starters, you have the much larger and more powerful motor in it, but I would imagine that you would get better cruise control as well since the motor has more torque and a bigger flywheel compared to mine.

For me, one solution is to spread the tresltes out so I can get a less steep grade. MTH says to space them on the track joins which is about 10 inches, but that formula doesn't work well for curves.  I thinking 12 inches may be better to ease the climb.

As for changing out the Lionchief receiver for an ERR one, why would you want to do that?   I sure it's possible, but you will lose a way to access the extra sounds built into the Lionchef remote.  Both will have cruise control.  The only thing you would gain is the ability to run conventionally and use a Legacy or TMCC remote vs. the PE remote.

I would say no because you have an integrated board that translates throttle information and controls the motor FETs.  Since this is an integrated board (one piece) there is no way to connect the receiver and processor to the ERR Motor Driver.

You do as Paul did and upgrade to ERR and loose the LC capability or you live with it.  I don't know if the LC + has this capability built in, if so maybe in the future Lionel will offer it.  G

Just got a reply from Ken at ERR.  He confirmed that the chief system is not at all compatible with the ERR cruise module.  Also that the chief+ does seem to have some type of cruise circuit included, even thought the chief does not.

Lionel simply said they could not comment on making engine modifications.

Okay so my son is now the proud owner of a new lionchief polar express set.  this was his gift for his first communion.

Impressions -

play value extremely high - lionel figures have a hole in their feet that matches several pegs on top of the cars, on the engine pilot, and on the engine cab roof.  This makes things much more interesting.  Now my son is used to conventional trains so he asked more than once why I didn't hook up the regular transformer to the tracks.  (Still wish this would have been chief+ but Oh Well..)

Ease of use as a starter set = A+.  The plug from the wall to the receiving section of the track could not be simpler.  Also IMO one of the best features in the set is the incredibly easy wired draw-bar set up.  You can literally put this together with your eyes closed, and there are no exposed wires to get ripped up in event of an errant trip sideways off a curve.

Quality = B-, 3 things came to my attention.

1. the packaging, Most of the train is packed into a styrofoam insert.  While this isn't a big deal 2 of the 3 coaches are packaged into the backside of the insert.  This means when you go to put everything away you have to tape the back side of the insert shut or the cars will fall out either when putting the insert in the box or when taking it back out.

2. fast track defect.  One of the fast track curves had left over material on the center rail guide pin.  Upon further examination it was clearly a casting sprue that did not get cleaned off properly.  Fortunately I was able to loosen the center rail tabs, fish out the pin and file off the offending sprue.  Not a big deal to me but off course my son could identify the problem but did not know how to fix it.  My concern is that as a starter set he shouldn't have to fix anything.

3. Paint - this is minor but there were a few paint scruffs in the front end of the left side running board on the loco.  Not a huge deal but still a defect that should be there.

My Son's impressions were a huge series of I love you Daddy/I love you Mommy!  He found every piece of fast track in the house to build a roughly 60" x 100" oval in the basement. He was having a blast with the train including running it without the observation because that car came off in the movie.  In fact last night he decided that we were going to have a screening of the Polar Express with lights off "like a movie theater" so he could have the lights on the train while we watched!

The only thing I really don't like is the chuff.  once the engine gets up to speed I really couldn't understand what the noise was supposed to be.  thank goodness it has an off switch because it really makes a racket.

Over all very good product, happy with the purchase, slightly disappointed over having to rework brand new track.

It is a monkey with symbols (sp?) or a trash can lid being pounded on the can.  Really sounds like that to me.  I agree after a while you have to turn it down.  G

Lionchief+ has cruise. One route to upgrade your Polar Express engine would be to swap in "the guts" of a Lionchief+ loco.

Having not seen ether of these in the flesh so to speak I can't comment if it is possible.

You would need to investigate if the Lionchief and Lionchief+ boards are compatible and if the sound board or chip can be swapped so you could keep the Polar Express specific sounds when installing the LC+ system.  Also the remote would need swapping to the LC+ remote unless you can find away to alter the LC+ locos frequency to the original Polar Express frequency.

The other option is to rip out everything and do a TMCC cruise upgrade with Railsounds

but then you loose all the Polar Express specific announcements. I just had a thought on this, if you could find one of the scale Polar Express tenders this would give you a Polar Express Railsounds(Legacy) board. I wonder if that would work with the Cruise Commander?  

Nick

Nick, One piece setup, so it would have to be a complete transfer.  G

I've been looking towards planning our Christmas display too. How bad would the Lionchief Polar Express be on the up and down grades of a small helix.

I remember this layout from several years ago one of our forum members made. Lots of acceleration on the decline. Would the Lionchief be the same?