Is Lionel's 'Legacy' system, the word being used to describe the first control system they developed that was the next step above rheostat controlled AC voltage on the center rail? Is there a simple hierarchy to their terminology that does not require a full page of explanation?
Legacy is NOT the first of Lionel's electronic control systems.
Lionel introduced their "Lionel Electronic Set" in 1946. A finicky product for remote control of operating cars with each car using a designating frequency.
In 1996, Lionel introduced Trainmaster Command Control using addressable 24-bit commands that are received and decoded by receivers in the locomotives/operating cars, accessories, and switches. TMCC uses an address range of 1 to 98. Lionel published the TMCC protocol so 3rd parties could develop products that use that protocol. TMCC, or TMCC1, is still used by Lionel in their LionChief 2.0+ products. Electric RR products, now sold by 3rd Rail, use the TMCC1 protocol.
In 2006, Lionel introduced Legacy Command Control. This new system is backwards compatible with TMCC1 locomotives. The newer Legacy products (locomotives and operating cars) use the TMCC2 protocol which includes all the commands used in TMCC1 along with extended command sets that allow control of new product features as they are introduced by Lionel. The most significant features of the TMCC2 (Legacy) protocol compared to TMCC1 are 200 speed steps vs. the 32 speed step limit of TMCC1 and extended sound commands such as quilling whistle. Legacy locomotive addresses remain a 0-98. Note that Legacy locomotives also recognize the TMCC1 protocol so they can be operated by the older CAB1 controller.
The basic TMCC2 protocol still uses 24-bit commands. The bits within the command are re-organized to provide 9 bits of speed settings for the 200 speed steps. (TMCC2 is sometimes mis-labeled as a 9-bit protocol because of 9-bit speed data). The TMCC2 extended commands enable new sound and effects teatures and use a sequence of three 24-bit packets to forward the command. Lionel has published the details of the TMCC2 protocol although the specification does not include extended commands that are implemented after the date the specification was published (I hope Lionel updates the specification).
Accessories and switches are controlled using the TMCC1 protocol.
Summary:
TMCC (1996) control locomotives, accessories, and switches using the TMCC1 protocol. The controller is the CAB1 handheld and Command Base.
Legacy (2006) extends locomotive contol with 200 speed steps and adds new sound and effect controls (ex: quilling whistle). The Legacy Base and CAB2 handheld are the control devices.
The Base3 controller, introduced in 2024, replaces the Legacy Base and continues to support TMCC and Legacy. The Base3 intoduced 4-number addresses along with Bluetooth and LionChief controls. The Base3 includes WiFi and supports the Base3 Apps on both Apple and Android. The Base3 supports the Lionel Control System (LCS) without requiring additional power inputs and WiFi modules.
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