Lionel LionChief Plus Mikado - (C&O) - Bluetooth? Item #83609

Grampstrains posted:

6-83609  is listed in the 2016 catalog as Bluetooth.

Thank you very much!

I have the Baltimore & Ohio and it does indeed have Bluetooth. My understanding was that the 83 in the SKU is the designation for inclusion...82 and below do not.

Interesting about the 2016 timeframe. My understanding was that Bluetooth wasn't introduced to any of the Lion Chief Plus locos until 2017 at the earliest (meaning cataloged).

The thing is...those LC+ Mikados have appeared in multiple catalogs for a number of years now so maybe there was some overlap on exactly when BT was introduced (especially when there's a VOL 1 and 2 every year).  

So the catalog listing says this is Scale, but I thought all LionChief+ steam engines were semi-scale.  17 1/2" long seems a little short for scale.  

Mark Boyce posted:

So the catalog listing says this is Scale, but I thought all LionChief+ steam engines were semi-scale.  17 1/2" long seems a little short for scale.  

Hey Mark,

I have a TMCC Mikado (NYC) and I have a feeling the size of these LC+ engines are the same as the old TMCC one.  The TMCC one is a nice size for traditional sized rolling stock, but seems way too small when pulling larger scale stuff.

I'm considering picking this LC+ engine up to run at club "shows" - running on the club modular layout, LC+ is "easy" and I don't have to borrow a MTH handheld, nor worry about adding engines and such.  Plus it might be fun to try the bluetooth, hence why I asked about it to start off.

Best...Rich

Rich, that is what I thought that it would look too small with my scale cars and other scale engines.  Of course, it could certainly do the job, but to my eye spoiled by years in HO where everything was the same scale, it would be bothersome.  However, for the club modular layout, I think it would be great!  I bought a Polar Express Bluetooth last December from Kohl's online at a great price.  The Bluetooth works great.  The app loaded easily on my phone, and I was up and running in no time.  I think it would be a winner for your purpose! 

I would go with the B&O Mike myself havng grown up on the B&O, but having lived in Virginia for 10 years, I know the C&O would be more appealing!    I know, B&O, C&O; same family.  Well, I would have preferred the B&O been controlling interest.  Then we would have had the Balto System, with a dog in the logo instead of a cat!    Sorry, after all these years, I just thought of it and couldn't resist!  

They are mostly based on the postwar 736 size. They are nice but not even close to scale. They are close to most railking steam in size. 

If you used smaller prototype freight cars with the LC+ engines it would look better. 

Dave

So I'm asking on this older post about LC+ engines with some NOT having bluetooth.

After reading this I noticed that LC+ engines from 2016 on Lionels website do not state that they have Bluetooth. I thought all LC+ engines had BT. I thought that was what the PLUS meant.

Are there really LC + engines out there that do not have BT or did Lionel just not put it in the description?

I try to pick one up from time to time because for the value they are great engines and smokers. I guess I've been lucky that mine have arrived with BT because I never checked to see since I thought they all did.

I run MTH DCS WIFI with no Legacy system so I like the Bluetooth in the LC+ engines so I can just use the Lionel app for those.

Thanks

Brad

Brad,

No.  If I'm not mistaken the "Plus" means that the engine can be controlled conventionally, with a transformer, as well as with its dedicated LionChief controller.

Bluetooth is a separate thing, and so might not be on some LC+ engines.

Mike