Upgrading the chuffing on lionchief plus locomotives

Not unless Lionel does it.  The LC+ generates the chuffs electronically using the flywheel sensor for timing, they're not generated with a switch.  The LC (no plus) has an optical chopper generating the chuffs.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Not unless Lionel does it.  The LC+ generates the chuffs electronically using the flywheel sensor for timing, they're not generated with a switch.  The LC (no plus) has an optical chopper generating the chuffs.

That's weird because when I run the locomotive silently I can here the clicks of a cherry switch in the locomotive, unless that's not a cherry switch. This is also with the smoke unit off so it can't be that.

Well, Lionel doesn't think there's a Cherry switch in the 6-82964 Hudson.

Lionchief 6-82964 Hudson Parts List for Locomotive

I know there is not one in any LC+ that I've taken apart, and since this has been discussed before here, I'm pretty sure you won't find one when you take it apart.

TheTrainMain posted:

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Not unless Lionel does it.  The LC+ generates the chuffs electronically using the flywheel sensor for timing, they're not generated with a switch.  The LC (no plus) has an optical chopper generating the chuffs.

That's weird because when I run the locomotive silently I can here the clicks of a cherry switch in the locomotive, unless that's not a cherry switch. This is also with the smoke unit off so it can't be that.

More than likely that is the smoke unit puffer lever clanking around.

The LC+ has fan driven smoke, I suspect it's some noise in the rods.

Oh, so I guess there's no way to do it huh? That's fine, it's just the 2 chuffs per revolution bother me a lot.

I don't know of any way to upgrade the chuff rate on the LC+ steamers as it's generated internally from the flywheel tach reader.  The only people that could do this, and it would be simple for them, is Lionel.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

I don't know of any way to upgrade the chuff rate on the LC+ steamers as it's generated internally from the flywheel tach reader.  The only people that could do this, and it would be simple for them, is Lionel.

Does lionel do that upgrade?

gunrunnerjohn posted:

I don't know of any way to upgrade the chuff rate on the LC+ steamers as it's generated internally from the flywheel tach reader.  The only people that could do this, and it would be simple for them, is Lionel.

And if so how much would it cost and who do I contact?

Typically at this time of year Lionel gets so backlogged with work I don't see them working on it. However, I've been wrong before, just call Customer Service.

I seriously doubt that Lionel would entertain doing this for the LC+, they obviously had their reasons for making it a 2-chuff/rev locomotive.  If they were going to do this, they would have done it originally as it's just a software change to the engine.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

I seriously doubt that Lionel would entertain doing this for the LC+, they obviously had their reasons for making it a 2-chuff/rev locomotive.  If they were going to do this, they would have done it originally as it's just a software change to the engine.

Oh alright in that case I guess I'll just leave it, I mostly run NYC anyway, and the hudson is Milwaukee Road so I guess I may just use it as a display or whenever the kids come around and want to run an engine.

You wont use it much because it has 2 chuffs instead of 4 ??  Imagine all those poor guys who own engines with no chuff.  😂

Train Nut posted:

You wont use it much because it has 2 chuffs instead of 4 ??  Imagine all those poor guys who own engines with no chuff.  😂

It just simply bothers me, also as I said before I mostly run New York Central, and my LC+ Hudson is Milwaukee Road.

It bothers me too, which is why I have exactly one LC+ steamer, the Camelback.   Legacy, MTH, or my TMCC upgrades all are capable of 4-chuffs/rev, no problem.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

It bothers me too, which is why I have exactly one LC+ steamer, the Camelback.   Legacy, MTH, or my TMCC upgrades all are capable of 4-chuffs/rev, no problem.

I had a chance to get a CNJ LC+ camelback and I passed it up because I never liked the camelback, I kind of regrt that decision now 😅 

JohnGaltLine experimented with this idea a few months ago.  He found that the sound system in the Lionchief couldn't keep up, and essentially sounded like a machine gun.  Is a Lionchief+ sound system different than a plain Lionchief?  I don't know, but I suppose 4 chuffs might be possible in a LC+?  He posted his results in a video - link below:

https://ogrforum.com/...per-rev-on-lioncheif

JD

LC and LC+ have totally different triggers for the chuffing.  The LC locomotives have an optical chopper that triggers the chuff, those you can roll your own chuff switch and change it to whatever you like.  The LC+ locomotives drive the chuff by software off the tach sensor count, there is nothing you can tap into to generate a chuff at a different rate.

Its OK, Ill keep it the way it is. The locomotive has its problems besides that, having the speaker blown out and needing a new one, and it has a tough time on my Christmas layout around the tree, stalling with the wheels still turning and all, so maybe its just best that I don't run it this Christmas. I do more scale things anyways, and I'm going to get my hands on a nice K-line hudson. thanks for all your help on this topic