Lionel Legacy 0-6-0 B6's

Sinclair,

I also have the 0-6-0. 

I don't recall regarding the existence of a speed control on/off switch but I can check when I get home.

Regarding the headlight being off at power-up, yes, I just assumed that this is the new norm as my older Legacy locos don't behave that way.

I like it as it seems more prototypically accurate. 

 

 

Sinclair,

 

    Make sure you did not accidently shut off the headlight. ALT 2 turns the headlights on and off.

 

JohnB

As soon as I start the locomotive, the lights come on.  And as soon as shut it down the lights go off.  If I had turned them off with AUX 2 they would of stayed off.

I don't see any cruise on/off switch.

Okay, so I'm not blind, there just isn't a switch.  I check the parts break down on Lionel's site too, only two switches.

 

So that leaves the question, does it have cruse?  I have no real way to test that as I just have a small simple flat loop right now.  Anyone with a grade and B6 can tell us?

All Legacy engines have Cruise. The product description should say Odyssey II speed control. Check your manual. There may be a way using keystrokes to turn cruise on or off. Default is ON.

 

Pete

Like Pete says, I've never seen or heard of a Legacy locomotive without cruise.  I ran this for several hours at our last modular show, it certainly had cruise then!

 

Yes it has cruise.

 

The lights coming on and shutting off as you describe per the startup/ shutdown buttons is "by design" as well.

It also has rule-17 lighting and cab light control.

 

Yes it has speed control and it is perfect. I can say that this is the finest engine that I have ever purchased, its my Winchester '73. It runs flawlessly and smoke output will clear a room of people..But, it does stay dark until called on from the Legacy remote.

Lionel hit a grand slam with the Legacy version of these switchers.

There was a very early SP GP7/9? that had Pullmor motor that didn't have cruise but was Legacy.  Only 1 I ever recall as such.

 

Jim

Jim, you're right of course, the couple of AC motored Legacy units they made obviously didn't have cruise.  Those are the exception that prove the rule.

 

FWIW, I believe all the new Legacy stuff stays dark until you start up.  The exception is sometimes the number boards come on with power.

Hello everyone,

 

 There is a simple way to check if an engine has cruise control or that the cruise control is in the on position. You don't need a grade to check this.

 

 Hope i explain this correctly....

 

Power up your engine get the engine rolling at a slow speed, while the engine is in motion put your finger on the front of the engine. If the engine pushes your finger that means the engine has cruise control or the cruise is in effect, if you can stop the engine with your finger and it doesn't push back at you. That means it either has no cruise control or the cruise is turned off. I've been testing Lionel engine's like this for years.

it hasn't failed me yet.

         

Thanks,

Alex

The way I do it Alex is address the engine, and hit whistle or boost. From a dead stop turn the Cab1 Controller until you see the red LED on the Command Base blink Once. If you are using Legacy turn the Cab 2 until the speed is 1. If the engine has cruise it will start to move and move steadily. If it does not have cruise rarely will it move at the first speed step. It usually takes 4-5 blinks or speed steps for it to move and then not necessarily at a steady slow speed.

 

Pete

Cool, thanks.  The manual didn't say anything about cruse, that I remember.  I look forward to running this little guy.  The yard will keep him busy.

Are the B-6's still available, and if so, do you think that they will be available at York, or am I just dreaming?

                         Steam Forever

                              John

      Co-ordinator for The Raritan Valley Hi-Railers

A quick check of some of the larger dealers still shows they have them in stock.  I doubt all these jewels will disappear by York, but I wouldn't expect bargain pricing either -- and certainly no less than most of the pre-order prices, which I recall being in the $565-$575 price range. Now that they've hit the streets, most dealers seem to have them in the $590-$625 range.

 

David

I still have a few left. With free shipping, why wait until York? 

Mine has a slight hesitation almost like its binding at roll speed going around O31 tubular track. Anyone else seeing this?

Mike

No hesitation or binding up on mine. Lionel hit a Home run with this engine. Detail, sound & smoke are outstanding.

Anybody have any photos? Thanks

I've never run on O31, but it has no issues at all on Atlas or Fastrack with larger radius curves.

Mine ran fine on FasTrack O36.  No photos, it's back in the box (But here's a video.).  It's actually my Christmas present.  The wife keeps claiming to not know what to get me, worrying that I won't like it (No matter how many times I told her as long as it's a train I'll love it.), so I buy the presents and set them aside and she wraps them at Christmas or my birthday to give me.

 

But it does drive me crazy sometimes knowing I have a B6, Ten Wheeler, and Heavy Mikado under the layout that I can't touch until she "gives" them to me.  But I love her, and she lets me have my trains!

A photo look-a-like. K-line B6, you would think the die cast molds at the least are the same.

 

Okay, new question.  I was playing with mine last night, and when I pushed and held one of the preset speeds from the speed menu, I was expecting the conversation between the town and crew telling them to go to that speed, just like my VL BB does.  Instead I got the radio key up sound, but nothing else.  Is anyone else's B6 like this?

Sinclair, There are no tower or cretalk when using the preset speeds on legacy steam and diesel switchers! I went nuts when I first ran a new Alco S2 afew years ago and there was no talk in the preset speed mode. But it seems that all legacy switchers are the same. My new LIRR B6sb does the same thing. Hope this helps.

I noticed the same thing regarding the preset speeds in both my S2 and b6.

 

So it's a switcher thing?  Silly, as they still play the radio fuzz sound when you do it.  And if you put it into sequence mode, the engineer announces when they get to slow speed.  So it's like half of it is there.  Whatever Lionel.  At least I know it's working as it should.

 

So, what happens if I put my switcher in a MU with my Big Boy?  Will they still run at the same speed together?  Does it slow the BB down to match or speed the switcher up?

The switcher will speed up and match the BB's speed profile!

The 2 Truck Shays are the same way. 

Ran mine extensively at the train show this weekend, the only problem was the smoke unit.  It had plenty of fluid, and I blew down the stack to clear any blockage.  But, after a few minutes, the smoke volume would die down and then come back for a few seconds after blowing down the stack again, then die down again.  I was running with a chopped sine wave transformer too.  The only idea I have is the batting.  I hear that Lionel is using a new type of batting that works great the first few runs and then chars badly (my friend's VL Big Boy had similar problems to my B6 and the batting was charred).  Any other ideas?

Occasionally, I find the wick is just positioned incorrectly and tends to form bubbles.  You might open it up and just rearrange the wick to allow space above the resistor so there's a free air passage from the fan chamber to the stack.

Mine has only stopping smoking once, after the locomotive came to a stop.  I looked down the stack and saw the bubble and blew to clear it.  As long as the smoke was coming out it was good, only after it stopped did the residue in the stack flow down and block the opening.

I didn't check it on straight track too. If it does it there it may need a trip to Lionel. Other than that it's a beautiful piece and smokes up the room.

 

Mike

 

Mike