I have been running 3 Legacy engines with the new App on an iPhone 14 Pro. So far I have been very happy with it. It is very intuitive and easy to use. It is great to be able to select multiple locomotives in Bluetooth mode.

The only issues I have run into is the whistle sticks on some times. Usually when I change locos and then press the whistle button on the new locomotive. The other issue is if I switch to another app and come back to the Cab3 app the throttle settings all go back to 0. The engines don’t stop but the slider is back at 0 for all engines. Touching the slider causes the selected loco to stop.

Nicely done @Dave Olson and your dev team. I love forward to running with the Base3.

-Ryan

I just realized the voice help menu exists in the CAB3 app with an expanded list of voice commands.

@MartyE posted:

It appears that the Lionel Cab3 app for both Android (per Dave Olson), and Apple devices is available in the respective stores. As of now, the functionality is strictly Bluetooth, but the app is up and available for download.  I guess I got my iPad mini just in time.

Here is a very useful webpage.  It would be wise to take a look at it and keep it handy while playing.

  Lionel Power and Control.

Let the games begin.

Can’t find the App in the Apple Store

@Fredstrains posted:

Can’t find the App in the Apple Store

This is what I searched. Came right up.

You are right!  I used that one and it came right up!  Was able to install as well !!

Thanks,

Fred

Tried out the new Cab3 app tonight. Did a shakedown run with 3 locos.

A LC+2.0 Doodlebug

Legacy Bluetooth SW-1200

LC/BT RS3 (recent upgrade)

Took a few minutes to adjust to the Cab 3 from the LC app but all 3 engines loaded and I was able to switch between them easily.

Note that I was running 3 generations of boards and all ran well.

Cool stuff.....

I have diverted people from the thread I started 'CAB-3?' to this one as it is more up to date and getting more traffic.

You know what would be really cool? The ability to run Blunami via the CAB3 app BT tab. Maybe not access all the CVs but just be able to run them out of one app.

Does an engine or train need to have Bluetooth on board to run via the App?

@Paul Kallus posted:

Does an engine or train need to have Bluetooth on board to run via the App?

Yes.  Until the Base3 version and Base3 comes out, Bluetooth equipped is required.

@Norm Charbonneau posted:

You know what would be really cool? The ability to run Blunami via the CAB3 app BT tab. Maybe not access all the CVs but just be able to run them out of one app.

Would be great, but we all know Lionel won’t give up that control.  They have invested too much into the Base3 for them to do that.  They won’t make any money.

@MartyE posted:

Yes.  Until the Base3 version and Base3 comes out, Bluetooth equipped is required.

I wonder if you could run an old LC or LC+ using the hotspot mode of the Universal Remote?

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I wonder if you could run an old LC or LC+ using the hotspot mode of the Universal Remote?

I guess I should have said that as there is a a little "Remote" icon that I suspect is for hotspot mode but looking at the Power and Control site I couldn't find it referenced.

@Dave Olson would need to chime in.

It would be interesting to see if that is an option.  Obviously, with the BASE3, you'd probably connect it to the BASE3 and not the Universal Remote, so they may not have added that path.

I'm joining in just to keep up with the topic.  I'm curious if the CAB3 App will still be able to connect to and use the regular Legacy Base with the LCS Wifi installed like was mentioned in the introduction video a few years ago.

@C&O Allan posted:

I'm joining in just to keep up with the topic.  I'm curious if the CAB3 App will still be able to connect to and use the regular Legacy Base with the LCS Wifi installed like was mentioned in the introduction video a few years ago.

Unfortunately that had changed and the CAB3(L) app will only work with the BASE3.

@C&O Allan posted:

I'm joining in just to keep up with the topic.  I'm curious if the CAB3 App will still be able to connect to and use the regular Legacy Base with the LCS Wifi installed like was mentioned in the introduction video a few years ago.

Watch this at the 53:32 mark.  Dave explains this.

H1000/Marty,

Thanks for the update.  I was hoping to have it on my phone so I didn't lose my Cab1 capability since I have so many remotes...

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I wonder if you could run an old LC or LC+ using the hotspot mode of the Universal Remote?

Looks like it can be done John. Page 18 in the book.

I'll give it a go tonight with my A-1 switcher.

@RSJB18 posted:

Looks like it can be done John. Page 18 in the book.

I'll give it a go tonight with my A-1 switcher.

What book? 

@MartyE posted:

What book?

The instruction book for the UR.

Page 18.....

Please don't tell my wife that I read instructions......

@RSJB18 posted:

The instruction book for the UR.

Page 18.....

Please don't tell my wife that I read instructions......

Ahhh. I think we’re just unsure of how it works with the new app. Let us know what you find.

@MartyE posted:

Ahhh. I think we’re just unsure of how it works with the new app. Let us know what you find.

Marty- the Hotspot mode didn't work with the Cab3 app.

Worked fine with the LC app.

My engine was my new switcher with a first gen Lionchief board.

I didn't have time to test with other LC engines.  To be continued I'm sure.....

Bob

@RSJB18 posted:

Marty- the Hotspot mode didn't work with the Cab3 app.

Worked fine with the LC app.

My engine was my new switcher with a first gen Lionchief board.

I didn't have time to test with other LC engines.  To be continued I'm sure.....

Bob

@MartyE posted:

I guess I should have said that as there is a a little "Remote" icon that I suspect is for hotspot mode but looking at the Power and Control site I couldn't find it referenced.

@Dave Olson would need to chime in.

I did find the reference to the same ICON in the UR manual.  It's definitely related to doing Hotspots but just not sure how it is utilized.

@MartyE posted:

I did find the reference to the same ICON in the UR manual.  It's definitely related to doing Hotspots but just not sure how it is utilized.

Silver lining is that I hadn't gone through the whole book for the UM previously so I now know about hotspot mode.
Nice added feature to be able to control Gen I boards via the LC app.

I'd expect an update to the app that may enable the feature in the future. The icon is on the Cab3/BT screen, it just isn't enabled.

Bob

@RSJB18 posted:

Silver lining is that I hadn't gone through the whole book for the UM previously so I now know about hotspot mode.
Nice added feature to be able to control Gen I boards via the LC app.

I'd expect an update to the app that may enable the feature in the future. The icon is on the Cab3/BT screen, it just isn't enabled.

Bob

It may be a while for the CAB3 to enable this.  Since the BASE3 directly talks to the original LC boards and allows control from the CAB3 or the Legacy remotes, they have that base covered if you buy the BASE3.  Given that fact, I can't see them rushing to stick the hot-spot mode into the CAB3 app.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

It may be a while for the CAB3 to enable this.  Since the BASE3 directly talks to the original LC boards and allows control from the CAB3 or the Legacy remotes, they have that base covered if you buy the BASE3.  Given that fact, I can't see them rushing to stick the hot-spot mode into the CAB3 app.

I haven't ordered (or will for now) a Base 3 so I'll live with using the LC app for hotspot.

Thanks

Someone needs to explain what the heck a “HOTSPOT” is.  I’m sure there are a number of us that don ‘t know.

Also what is a “UR” Booklet.

Thanks!!!

@Fredstrains posted:

Someone needs to explain what the heck a “HOTSPOT” is.  I’m sure there are a number of us that don ‘t know.

Also what is a “UR” Booklet.

Thanks!!!

The HOTSPOT is a feature of the Lionchief (and CAB3-B) app that allows the APP to connect to the Universal Remote (UR) to control older non-Bluetooth Lionchief and Lionchief Plus locomotives.

@Fredstrains posted:

Someone needs to explain what the heck a “HOTSPOT” is.  I’m sure there are a number of us that don ‘t know.

Also what is a “UR” Booklet.

Thanks!!!

As H1000 said.....there's a feature of the Universal Remote (UR), called Hotspot mode. Same as using a phone as a Hotspot to connect other wireless devices.

The Hotspot mode in the UR allows you to run non-bluetooth engines (first gen Lionchief) engines via the Lionchief app.

UR book = operating manual for the universal remote.

Sorry about the abbreviations but typing the same stuff over and over gets old fast.

Bob

RSJB18

Thank You so much for the Explanation and what UR stands for.  I'm not involved with any of these Engines so didn't know. I run primarily LEGACY Engines.  I have a few "PLUS 2",  but that's it.

Thanks again.

Sincerely,

FREDSTRAINS

Well, the wait is almost over guys.  If Dave's schedule holds true, the base3's arrive Monday and the units should start to ship out the following Monday the 15th.  And the cab3 update should be out the date they ship.  Here's hoping for the best!

One observation on the CAB3 App vs the Lionchief App showed up here yesterday.  The Lionchief App doesn't ramp up the diesel prime mover on Legacy diesels properly, but they seem to have fixed that with the CAB3 App.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

One observation on the CAB3 App vs the Lionchief App showed up here yesterday.  The Lionchief App doesn't ramp up the diesel prime mover on Legacy diesels properly, but they seem to have fixed that with the CAB3 App.

So I wasn't imagining that huh??????

So far I'm impressed with the Cab3's improvements over the LC app.

Bob

@RSJB18 posted:

So I wasn't imagining that huh??????

So far I'm impressed with the Cab3's improvements over the LC app.

I can't speak to what you imagine Bob.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I can't speak to what you imagine Bob.

Yea...I scare myself sometimes......

Tried it yesterday.  Seems to work OK.  Thanks for producing it Lionel.

One niggle:  I had to come here to find out how to get to the settings pages.  There is nothing on the home page that even gives a hint.  The old app had that.

Maybe that should be a necessary change on the next version.

Keep up the good work.

John

@Norm I'm kinda new to all of this...When I entered(2023) the hobby(love it) I immediatly thought the Base3 was an IoT device. I was expecting Internet access and a developer SDK to allow me to run wild and build my own. I dont know the business model for Lionel and MTH but i wonder if the hobby would expand and revenue would increase if they opened it up.

I used the Cab3 app yesterday for the first time and I really liked it. It was my first time EVER to control a train using anything other than conventional control, and it was a blast!

I would encourage people to read the directions on the website or watch a video before using it, as it was not intuitively obvious how some of the features work or how to access the other screens besides the home screen.

A few very minor negatives:

1. I found that swiping to get to screens other than the home screen was a little balky. I assume it will get easier with practice.

2. The app does not allow multi-unit consists. That's about the only Legacy feature I care about that is not included in the Bluetooth app. I'll probably break down eventually and buy a Base 3 in order to do that, but I have higher priorities for my model railroad budget right now.

I would encourage anybody to give the app a try - hey, it's free! Thank you, Lionel!

@Maxandy posted:

@Norm I'm kinda new to all of this...When I entered(2023) the hobby(love it) I immediatly thought the Base3 was an IoT device. I was expecting Internet access and a developer SDK to allow me to run wild and build my own. I dont know the business model for Lionel and MTH but i wonder if the hobby would expand and revenue would increase if they opened it up.

Maxandy,

Most people who are toy trains enthusiasts, by a huge margin, could care less about programming anything.  In fact they try to avoid it like the plague.  If you follow this forum for a more than a few months you'll see this plainly, and we here are largely the most technically-skilled portion of the market.

Now, having said this, there are a few of us for whom advanced control is a desirable goal, my self included.  Follow this link.  If you go through this entire thread you'll get a good idea of the state of the art here with respect to advanced controls.  Realize that it's quite old (6-1/2 years), but so is Lionel's release of the TMCC protocol specification to the general public. (It was published about the year 2000.):

    TMCC Control With Arduino (02/18/18) | Don Furgerson

It can be done but is there a huge opportunity here?  Not so far (with nearly 25 years of hindsight).

Mike