Lionel Legacy Railsounds

@gunrunnerjohn

In a word, sometimes.

The new RS-Lite boards for Legacy have different firmware and recognize different commands.  Specifically, stuff like crew-talk and bell don't work when driven even by a Legacy R4LC.  This is due to the different structure of the commands coming from the newer RCMC Legacy electronics, they made the RCMC smarter, and the RS-Lite Legacy boards dumber.  This was done so that there was one "brain" controlling the sounds, this allows more precise control of the sounds and also avoids the possibility of things like the bell getting out of sync with the state the RCMC thinks it should be in.  Given that fact, the RS-Lite Legacy stuff really only works properly with the RCMC or BEMF Legacy boards.

RS 5.5 Legacy boards and RS5 boards for TMCC use the same hardware, the only difference is what is in the socketed chips.  As a rule, you can drive the RS 5.5 boards from a TMCC serial data stream.  I haven't exhaustively tested this, but I have run an RS6 equipped tender from a TMCC data stream without issue.  The only issue I had was I had to invert the sense of the serial data to get it working properly.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

In a word, sometimes.

The new RS-Lite boards for Legacy have different firmware and recognize different commands.  Specifically, stuff like crew-talk and bell don't work when driven even by a Legacy R4LC.  This is due to the different structure of the commands coming from the newer RCMC Legacy electronics, they made the RCMC smarter, and the RS-Lite Legacy boards dumber.  This was done so that there was one "brain" controlling the sounds, this allows more precise control of the sounds and also avoids the possibility of things like the bell getting out of sync with the state the RCMC thinks it should be in.  Given that fact, the RS-Lite Legacy stuff really only works properly with the RCMC or BEMF Legacy boards.

RS 5.5 Legacy boards and RS5 boards for TMCC use the same hardware, the only difference is what is in the socketed chips.  As a rule, you can drive the RS 5.5 boards from a TMCC serial data stream.  I haven't exhaustively tested this, but I have run an RS6 equipped tender from a TMCC data stream without issue.  The only issue I had was I had to invert the sense of the serial data to get it working properly.

John,

I know this is an old thread but I have an early legacy UP FEF 6-11116.  It’s a good runner but the sounds is crap.  I’ve replaced the speakers with fat boys, I’ve reset the sound settings and compared to my Lionel M1a (tmcc RS4) and my Legacy #9000(great sound) it’s just quiet and sad.  How complicated would it be to swap the RS 5.5(I think…it’s got the motherboard and the ic chips) to a newer RS lite?  I’m assuming it won’t be as simple as plug and play (but a guy can hope). I expect some surgery.  

Tony Sunday

@BeefyT posted:

John,

I know this is an old thread but I have an early legacy UP FEF 6-11116.  It’s a good runner but the sounds is crap.  I’ve replaced the speakers with fat boys, I’ve reset the sound settings and compared to my Lionel M1a (tmcc RS4) and my Legacy #9000(great sound) it’s just quiet and sad.  How complicated would it be to swap the RS 5.5(I think…it’s got the motherboard and the ic chips) to a newer RS lite?  I’m assuming it won’t be as simple as plug and play (but a guy can hope). I expect some surgery.  

Tony Sunday

Probably not in the cards.  The new Legacy RS-Lite boards were paired with the RCMC control board.  The serial data protocol between the RCMC and RS-Lite board had changes in the serial data for certain functions.  Given that fact, sticking a RS-Lite board in there will result in the loss of some sound functions.  Also, your tender backup light and coupler are managed by the RS 5.5 board, however the RS-Lite board doesn't have that capability, so the LTC1 board was added to manage the couplers and tender reverse light.

In short, it's not simple or easy.

If you really wanted different sound, you'd likely have to do a full RCMC/RS-Lite/LTC1 swap and rewire everything to get full capability.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Probably not in the cards.  The new Legacy RS-Lite boards were paired with the RCMC control board.  The serial data protocol between the RCMC and RS-Lite board had changes in the serial data for certain functions.  Given that fact, sticking a RS-Lite board in there will result in the loss of some sound functions.  Also, your tender backup light and coupler are managed by the RS 5.5 board, however the RS-Lite board doesn't have that capability, so the LTC1 board was added to manage the couplers and tender reverse light.

In short, it's not simple or easy.

If you really wanted different sound, you'd likely have to do a full RCMC/RS-Lite/LTC1 swap and rewire everything to get full capability.

John,

you have any suggestions for threads or maybe even a little guidance, for planning purposes, how involved/expensive something like that might be.  I’m not afraid of it, just collecting requirements.

-Tony Sunday

@BeefyT posted:

you have any suggestions for threads or maybe even a little guidance, for planning purposes, how involved/expensive something like that might be.  I’m not afraid of it, just collecting requirements.

Start with Bruk's excellent RCMC/RS-Lite document from this thread and work from there.

https://ogrforum.com/topic/156...47#70411412245343347