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Based on what I am hearing with supply chain, you prob will see some come in in the 4th quarter but I would be they don't routinely come in until next year, could be same thing with MTH.

The other thing I worry about is something I am seeing and hearing about it with computer systems, there are serious quality problems with chips (not surprised, if they are trying to push the supply chain). At work we are building out new data centers and we are having a horrible problem with memory chips (DIMMs) failing on a large scale on the servers (these were prob purchased mid to late last year). Friend of mine works for a place that builds custom systems for industrial firms, and said they are having issues with everything from custom circuit boards to CPU chips they get from the usual suspects, as well as the ASICS they have made for them, lot more than normal issues with DOA or failing in a short time.  I will probably end up ordering both, but I may wait until it sounds like they got the bugs out and the like.

Last edited by bigkid

I can wait until sanity returns to the chip market.  Since I don't have any LC stuff that doesn't run with TMCC, this product won't bring anything significant to my layout that I don't already have.  I've had enough issues getting parts for my builds to know that any date they're tossing around now is very fluid.  I had also experienced an uptick in defective parts.

I have a theory/hope that Lionel is going to make a Cab 3 handheld remote to go with the Cab 3 base.  A handheld remote that can operate everything Lionel makes in one package (TMCC, Legacy, all Lionchief products, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth).  The apps used on your smart phones, tablet’s, and computers are fantastic but having a handheld remote would be awesome.  I think a updated handheld cab3 would be welcomed by a majority of us.  Most of the folks I talk to still like a dedicated remote over a smart phone (glad they at least have the Cab1L still).  I cannot believe some people are paying $1500 to $2000 for the Cab 2 sets. (Insane in the membrane).  Just fruit for thought.

Take care my friends!

Bill

I have a theory/hope that Lionel is going to make a Cab 3 handheld remote to go with the Cab 3 base.  A handheld remote that can operate everything Lionel makes in one package (TMCC, Legacy, all Lionchief products, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth).  The apps used on your smart phones, tablet’s, and computers are fantastic but having a handheld remote would be awesome.  I think a updated handheld cab3 would be welcomed by a majority of us.  Most of the folks I talk to still like a dedicated remote over a smart phone (glad they at least have the Cab1L still).  I cannot believe some people are paying $1500 to $2000 for the Cab 2 sets. (Insane in the membrane).  Just fruit for thought.

Take care my friends!

Bill

I'm not going to hold my breathe...

Would you pay $500 to $700 for a new CAB3 remote? That's what Lionel may have to charge (just for the remote without a base), just to turn a profit.

@Keystone Bill, I like your wishful thinking about a new, more up to date Hand Held remote, and I think all Legacy Users should let Lionel know their thoughts. We had 200 plus LCCA Members at my home yesterday, on tour  (The LCCA National Convention is going on in Nashville this week) and the Cab 2, Cab 1L Remotes were Pertinent to running our trains. The I-Phone I-Pad just are not the best way to operate,our Expensive trains yet. So, for the hobby to stay on track, with everything going up dollar wise, folks Buying $2500 Locomotives, We need a very good and very dependable hand held Remote, which we would kindly pay for, I would be a player. Please listen Lionel, a modern Cab 3 remote would be well received. Happy Railroading Everyone

@H1000, thank for chiming in, and if one is willing to pay $2500 for a locomotive, $3500 for a set, so to speak, $500 for a new and reliable remote would be money well spent. Many model railroaders have layouts, track cost a good bit, wire cost a good bit, lumber, Scenery materials cost a good bit, layouts are expensive, that being said, the locomotives/diesels pulling trains throughout our layouts are the characters, so I see no problem purchasing a good hand held remote. It just makes sense, running hi dollar trains, a good remote is necessary. $995 for a Cab 3 set with hand held  Remote (I won’t hold my breath either) Happy Railroading Everyone

@leapinlarry posted:

@H1000, thank for chiming in, and if one is willing to pay $2500 for a locomotive, $3500 for a set, so to speak, $500 for a new and reliable remote would be money well spent. Many model railroaders have layouts, track cost a good bit, wire cost a good bit, lumber, Scenery materials cost a good bit, layouts are expensive, that being said, the locomotives/diesels pulling trains throughout our layouts are the characters, so I see no problem purchasing a good hand held remote. It just makes sense, running hi dollar trains, a good remote is necessary. $995 for a Cab 3 set with hand held  Remote (I won’t hold my breath either) Happy Railroading Everyone

Larry, I think the other problem becomes ongoing support. When you look at all of the free repair Lionel has had to perform on CAB2 remotes over the years, a device they sold 15 years ago at a profit is now be serviced at a loss. Software apps don't require the same level of physical service, and the hardware is now the customers responsibility... you drop your phone and break the screen, you pay for the repair, if you drop a CAB2 and it stops working... Lionel is picking up the tab (minus shipping). Honestly I think it is very generous of Lionel to repair CAB2s the way they did.

Lionel will have to feel out the market to see if 50 or 60 hold-outs on the OGR forum plus a a few hundred others in the world will really be worth the heavy expense of R&D, tooling, and ongoing support of a dedicated remote.

I think the best we can hope for is some time of hybrid app/remote combo where you'll still need a phone with the CAB3b app and then an attached hardware remote will interface and control some of the functions of the app.

@H1000 posted:


Lionel will have to feel out the market to see if 50 or 60 hold-outs on the OGR forum plus a a few hundred others in the world will really be worth the heavy expense of R&D, tooling, and ongoing support of a dedicated remote.



LOL! Did you do the research on that???   Legacy 990's going for over $1000 are a bit of an indicator of interest.

No matter how you slice it, running trains via screen requires half the time spent looking at the screen in order to find the correct spot to touch to access a desired feature. Once you find the feature you have to continue staring at the screen in order to adjust said feature.

The legacy remote is the only remote in ANY scale where the "meat and potatoes" train operations can be done without ever looking at it.

When base 3 finally gets delivered. I'd love to see a switching competition between a device/app and the Legacy handheld.

Last edited by RickO
@RickO posted:

LOL! Did you do the research on that???   Legacy 990's going for over $1000 are a bit of an indicator of interest.

And how many 990's have sold on eBay in the last year, 200... maybe 300. Not much interest if you ask me. Flood that market with 500 units and watch that price sag quickly. Do you think they will still be selling for a $1000+ in a year or two? People will panic buy when a supply is thin, but If there is an abundant source available the panic fades away. That's a lot of risk you are asking Lionel to take for an unknown benefit.

@RickO posted:

No matter how you slice it, running trains via screen requires half the time spent looking at the screen in order to find the correct spot to touch to access a desired feature. Once you find the feature you have to continue staring at the screen in order to adjust said feature.

The legacy remote is the only remote in ANY scale where the "meat and potatoes" train operations can be done without ever looking at it.



So the Legacy remote doesn't have a screen or a touch screen?

@H1000 posted:

Larry, I think the other problem becomes ongoing support. When you look at all of the free repair Lionel has had to perform on CAB2 remotes over the years, a device they sold 15 years ago at a profit is now be serviced at a loss. Software apps don't require the same level of physical service, and the hardware is now the customers responsibility... you drop your phone and break the screen, you pay for the repair, if you drop a CAB2 and it stops working... Lionel is picking up the tab (minus shipping). Honestly I think it is very generous of Lionel to repair CAB2s the way they did.

The profit has never been on remotes. One remote can run 100 locomotives. The money is in the $2000 locomotives. Folks don't wait for the new catalog to preorder several remotes.

Keeping one $300 remote operating for free, ensures they will buy more $2000+ locomotives to run with it.

@RickO posted:

The profit has never been on remotes. One remote can run 100 locomotives. The money is in the $2000 locomotives. Folks don't wait for the new catalog to preorder several remotes.

Keeping one $300 remote operating for free, ensures they will buy more $2000+ locomotives to run with it.

So they're loss leaders and not money makers. Development of a new remote will cost a considerable amount of money and Lionel's investors are not interested in products that might break even or products that could potentially loose money. That's not a good business plan.

Folks will keep buying those super expensive locomotives regardless, because there is still a way to run them with the Base3/CAB3b app and the universal remote.

@RickO, I agree, however, when Lionel runs out of parts for the Cab 2, many features disappear, understandably, possibly Lionel should offer a Free Cab 3 remote with these $2500 toys? Locomotives like  giving us the cab 2 set when ordering the first legacy Big Boy in 2006. I like incentives… Your correct, coming out with 4 digit capability for the Cab 2, you do the math, either make sure there’s no part shortage, or make a New remote. Thank you. Happy Railroading Everyone

@H1000 posted:

So the Legacy remote doesn't have a screen or a touch screen?

I sense now you're just trying to be contrary! If you know anything about operating with either the Legacy CAB2 or the CAB1L, that comment makes no sense.

With a smart device with no tactile feel, you have to look at the screen for almost any operation.  With any of the Lionel physical remotes, you can run trains with very little visual input required.  I run trains one-handed with the Lionel remote, try that with your phone!

@H1000 posted:

So the Legacy remote doesn't have a screen or a touch screen?

To be honest, yes, the numeric buttons are an advanced touch screen but it also has a tactile grid on it for just as described muscle memory where the user doesn't look at the remote and can activate features just based on pure feel. Again, the grey grid is raised on the surface of the numeric screen section and divides it into blocks. It's not just there for looks.

Blue Telephony Communication Device Gadget Telephone

And that's a difference that a tablet touch screen and app does not have.

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