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Anyone know what the difference between locomotives with "TMCCII Legacy" (circa 2006) and locomotives with the current Legacy? 

I read about "quilling" whistles and horns, and listened to a few on YouTube.  And what are the improvements in Odyssey II speed control?

 

With command I generally assume newer is better, but I have not heard of this "in-between" TMCCII Legacy version before.  Unless it was just an advertising term to link the old with the new.

 

I'm asking because there is a TMCCII Legacy diesel being offered in For Sale Forum that I could be interested in.

 

I do have a Legacy 990 set and 3 TMCC engines, two diesel and 1 steam, and have been looking for a "real" Legacy engine.

 

Thanks!

Alan

Last edited by Kelunaboy
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In short, it is the features that each system has that sets them apart from one another. I don't have any of the systems, but I am familiar with the 990. Which appears to be the best system to have with Legacy controlled locomotives. I am sure there are many members up in here that have all three or at one time at had all three and can tell you what you want to know about each.

 

Pete

There are only two systems - TMCC and Legacy.  Legacy was referred to as TMCC II when it came out as it is the successor for the original TMCC system.  It someone lists an engine as TMCC II, its a legacy engine.

 

The legacy system will run TMCC engines better because it uses absolute speed steps to control the engines.  The CAB1 used relative speed steps.  TMCC engines support both features but the CAB1 never took advantage of the other speed steps.

 

In regards to quilling whistles and horns, that is an engine dependent feature. Not all early Legacy engines have that feature. Odyssey II is more refined speed control over the original Odyssey system.  You will have finer control over the engine and it will run even smoother.  Some original Odyssey I engines would tend to jerk at very low speeds which forced the user to bump the speed up one or two speed steps to smooth it out.  You won't see any problems like that with Odyssey II.

Last edited by Joe Fermani
Originally Posted by MartyE:

Legacy (TMCCII) has 200 speed steps where as TMCC1 Odyssey has 32.

 

Joe is correct.  Legacy operates TMCC1 locomotives as well as Legacy in absolute speed steps.   As far as I know all Legacy engines have a quilling whistle but may not have the steam effect.

I believe operating oilder TMCC engines under DCS control gets you the same results as legacy control.

Joe

Nope Joe, operating older TMCC engines with the DCS control gets you TMCC performance.  Remember, you're actually just using the DCS as a remote, the commands are being issued by the Lionel command base cabled to the DCS TIU.

 

As far as older Legacy vs. newer Legacy equipment, there have been continual updates in various aspects of the operation.  One thing seems to have remained constant, the Odyssey II speed control and the 200 speed steps is the same from the early Legacy stuff to the latest.  I have some pretty old Legacy locomotives, they have excellent speed control and the quilling whistle.  Many of the newer Legacy models have better lighting controls, sequence control, etc.  The packaging of the electronics has evolved over the years, early Legacy had packaging very similar to TMCC locomotives with the R4LC and the DCDS modules.  The sounds were still the standard RailSounds power supply with an upgraded audio board.  The new Legacy stuff has an all-in-one board that has a piggyback TMCC receiver.  The board controls motors, smoke, lights, etc.  RailSounds is not a single board.

 

Last edited by gunrunnerjohn

To someone who runs conventionally, like me, there is a big difference between three generations of these electronics.  TMCC locos will run in conventional, but many jackrabbit on start and do not respond very linearly to the throttle or run smoothly at really low speeds.  Legacy locos do a lot better.  Then, about three years ago, Lionel made is additions to Legacy boards about three years ago to provide the "Refined Conventional Transformer Control mode with slower starting speeds" as advertised in a bullet in catalogs. Legacy locos since then are the best conventional runners I have seen, period (even better than purely conventional locos) with regard to how smoothly they run at really low speeds, etc.    

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