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Hi all,

I know there was discussion years ago about the Big Boy from 2006 being a JLC model or a Legacy model. On my original Lionel shipping carton it says JLC (see photo).  I remember when it came out. It was about a year late in delivery but when it came, it arrived with a new Legacy control system as part of the sale. Even though it was a JLC model, it had the then new Legacy system so Legacy is what JLC turned into. 

Now, my question is, the whistle on this particular Big Boy model is not accurate in any way. Even the older JLC Challenger whistle from 2000 is far more accurate of a tone. Has anyone been able to put a better sound card in their JLC/Legacy Big Boy?  It's a beautiful model but the current whistle is a let down. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Ralphthumbnail_20200911_140712

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You could send the tender off to me and I could install a newer LEGACY sound board with the “Proper” whistle. But it will not have road number specific crew talk.

OR

Lionel did a VL Version of #4012 and we could install the sound boards from that into it. But we would need both soundboards they are $79.00 a piece.  

Last edited by Bruk

Hi Bruk,

Which of the above would you recommend? I'm not big on the crew talk and chat. I really like the Vision Line whistle sound. Is the Legacy whistle match the Vision Line tone? I believe I'd go with the Vision Line boards. So how much would that install cost? I am definitely interested in having you do this for me. 

Thanks Bruk,

Ralph

Ralph,

If you don’t want the crew talk we could just use a board that has the same whistle maybe from the recent run of the LM Challengers. You’ll need another board to go with the sound board(s) that controls the coupler function and lighting. Thats boards only $20 from Lionel, 

If you’d like send me an email, and we could talk about pricing for the whole installation. I plan on placing an order with Lionel this week. 

Bruk, the new RS-Lite Legacy boards don't talk properly with anything but the RCMC, won't that be a stumbling block for just using the boards?  The serial protocol was changed when going from the Legacy modular electronics to the RCMC.

I just put my older Legacy 10-wheeler (modular boards) with the new H10 tender.  NODA!  The startup command doesn't work to start.  So, I separated them and let the tender start in conventional, then moved it back to the locomotive.  That gets you the whistle and coupler sounds, but no crew talk and only the single hit bell.  Chuffing did work once I get them started manually.

Jon Z. explained all of this to me a while back, they made the RCMC smarter and the RS-Lite boards dumber.  That prevents the multi-event sound sequences from getting out of sync with the RCMC.

Bruk, the new RS-Lite Legacy boards don't talk properly with anything but the RCMC, won't that be a stumbling block for just using the boards?  The serial protocol was changed when going from the Legacy modular electronics to the RCMC.

I just put my older Legacy 10-wheeler (modular boards) with the new H10 tender.  NODA!  The startup command doesn't work to start.  So, I separated them and let the tender start in conventional, then moved it back to the locomotive.  That gets you the whistle and coupler sounds, but no crew talk and only the single hit bell.  Chuffing did work once I get them started manually.

Jon Z. explained all of this to me a while back, they made the RCMC smarter and the RS-Lite boards dumber.  That prevents the multi-event sound sequences from getting out of sync with the RCMC.

John, thank you for jumping in here. I completely forgot about that. You would think I would remember such a thing. Ive been so focus around the new generation. 

I’m embarrassed now. 😥

 

 

Ralph, 

John is correct, we would also have to upgrade the engine to the latest legacy electronics which would be the RCMC boards.

This adventure will end up being a little more costly than Adding just sound. Since it already has Legacy. You wouldn't need as many parts to convert but it would be around 300-$350 for all the parts and that is using the two soundboards.  

 

Last edited by Bruk
@Bruk posted:

John, thank you for jumping in here. I completely forgot about that. You would think I would remember such a thing. Ive been so focus around the new generation. 

I’m embarrassed now. 😥

No embarrassment required.   I'm glad to have company for the foot-in-the-mouth disease that sometimes afflicts us all.   I actually had to do the experiment again, I thought maybe you knew something I didn't about those sound boards. 

Hey, no need to be embarrassed. Imagine how I feel. Any more these model trains require an electronics education/degree to operate. I don't think I would want to go down that road with my Big Boy, not right now. So would this apply to the JLC Allegheny? It has Railsounds5 of course. Would it be around the same in cost?

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