New Lionel J3A qestion?

I would think it would work. I would be surprised if the engine with the standard tender was programmed differently than the one with the PT tender and the water scoop effect should have the same code in the Niagara as the Hudson.

Pete

I kind of wish Lionel would offer the PT tender as a separate sale item again like they did back in 2006  For the century club.  For my Legacy Empire State Express Hudson,  I wouldn't mind having the streamlined tender and a PT tender to swap out when I want.  Wouldn't care if it came with the water scoop smoke feature.

In addition, it would've been a better idea in my opinion to make the drive wheels removable via screws like the past scale Hudsons, so you could swap out boxpok to Scullin disk, or vice versa, if you wanted.

Great question Laz... while I like the look of the PT tender, I don’t use smoke (except for the occasional steam whistle), so the water scoop feature is useless to me. My one concern would be that, if I remember correctly, the Niagara had speakers in the tender as well as the engine - not sure if that would cause a problem.

And if I can expand on Gary’s comment, I would also wonder if the TMCC PT tender from the CC II would work with the Legacy engine???

Apples55 posted:

And if I can expand on Gary’s comment, I would also wonder if the TMCC PT tender from the CC II would work with the Legacy engine???

Aside from having to change out the drawbar coupler completely (since it used the earlier larger one prior to 2009), it may work, but I'm not too positive about it.

The J3a w/ the PT Tender is getting the VL Niagara tender, so it has the water scoop smoke effect. So yes, it will work w/ the VL Niagara tender.

Apples55 posted:

And if I can expand on Gary’s comment, I would also wonder if the TMCC PT tender from the CC II would work with the Legacy engine???

No, the electronics are completely different.

Dave Olson posted:

The J3a w/ the PT Tender is getting the VL Niagara tender, so it has the water scoop smoke effect. So yes, it will work w/ the VL Niagara tender.

Apples55 posted:

And if I can expand on Gary’s comment, I would also wonder if the TMCC PT tender from the CC II would work with the Legacy engine???

No, the electronics are completely different.

Thanks Dave... looks like I will be ordering a J3A with the standard tender!!!

So I'm trying to decide which J3a to order. Very cool news the Niagara P2 tender will interchange! I have the #6005 Niagara (white walls) so this makes me lean towards the #5405 J3a. My question is...the VL Niagara #6005 has a road number specific sound set. Is the sound chip in the loco or the tender.  If I run the #5405 J3a with the Niagara #6005 PT tender will the sound set be for #6005?

Thank you!

I think only someone from Lionel could say for sure but lately only Vision engines like the Niagara have engine specific sounds while Legacy are now generic, no reference to road or cab number.

Pete

Bulldog_65 posted:

So I'm trying to decide which J3a to order. Very cool news the Niagara P2 tender will interchange! I have the #6005 Niagara (white walls) so this makes me lean towards the #5405 J3a. My question is...the VL Niagara #6005 has a road number specific sound set. Is the sound chip in the loco or the tender.  If I run the #5405 J3a with the Niagara #6005 PT tender will the sound set be for #6005?

Thank you!

Not that it really matters, but you do know there’s a 6005 cab number on the back of your tender...it won’t matter to most folk, but others....maybe.....Pat

harmonyards posted:

Bulldog_65 posted:

So I'm trying to decide which J3a to order. Very cool news the Niagara P2 tender will interchange! I have the #6005 Niagara (white walls) so this makes me lean towards the #5405 J3a. My question is...the VL Niagara #6005 has a road number specific sound set. Is the sound chip in the loco or the tender.  If I run the #5405 J3a with the Niagara #6005 PT tender will the sound set be for #6005?

Thank you!

Not that it really matters, but you do know there’s a 6005 cab number on the back of your tender...it won’t matter to most folk, but others....maybe.....Pat

Good Point!

I'm leaving my Niagara PT tender with my Niagara and my J3 will just have to settle with the generic chatter which I don't use much anyway. I've got plenty of TMCC and Legacy locomotives with road specific chatter and most of them have different voices as well. I also have a diesel with Rich Melvin doing the chatter and he lets me know he's "going to empty the ash pan" when I shut it down!!! Maybe it's a collectors item!

Dave Olson posted:

The J3a w/ the PT Tender is getting the VL Niagara tender, so it has the water scoop smoke effect. So yes, it will work w/ the VL Niagara tender.

Apples55 posted:

And if I can expand on Gary’s comment, I would also wonder if the TMCC PT tender from the CC II would work with the Legacy engine???

No, the electronics are completely different.

Dave,

I hope you increase the spacing between the rollers for the J3 PT tenders and maintain a good margin on the other tenders as well. I had to run a tether from my Vision tender to maintain continuity of power to the tender while it went over my #5 Atlas switches. I figured it was better to not cycle tender power three times every lap around my layout. The battery solution only maintains the sounds. I found the tender smoke to be intermittent at best until I installed the tether. 100% now!

Thanks DAVE.  Now something to ponder.