@Garfield Irwin posted:The downside is that it will be impossible to replicate cab3 with a dedicated controller -- any hardwired controller is going to be an exercise in compromise going forward. Such is the power of software based control systems these days. Anyway, it's hard to criticize Lionel for taking the path they are w.r.t. train control systems, but I still hope they release some sort of cab2 replacement in the future -- I refuse to pay $2000 CAD for a cab2 on the used market that you can't get parts for any more. The high prices for cab2's on the used market in itself suggests there's a market for a fairly-full-featured dedicated remote.
I have to disagree. The Cab 2 does most everything the Cab 3 does, and better. A future CAB 3 handheld dedicated controller will surely have more features, perhaps even having a screen capable of displaying color graphics, pictures and video and suffice anyone's need to control a model railroad. And that leaves the phone free to do what a phone does which is send and recieve phone and texts wothout interrupting model railroad operation. It can be done, why not? And it would be a great thing.