Auto-loading engine info into cab2 or cab3 when the engine is run over the sensor track. It sure beats manually loading the engine info.

@Crazy Train posted:

Auto-loading engine info into cab2 or cab3 when the engine is run over the sensor track. It sure beats manually loading the engine info.

Yes, it is a must have to auto-load engine info into the Cab3.

@shorling posted:

What functionally does your sensor track add to your layout ?  The idea of knowing exactly where your trains are located on your layout IMHO is long overdue.  There appears to be endless applications.   I have to confess I'm a DCS person but I also have Cab 2.  I have a few yet to installed Sensor Tracks and am looking for ideas.    I suspect there are others who are wondering ?

The auto loading of engine info is only a side feature of sensor tracks.   They can automatically do commands to the legacy engines when trains run over them.  So, they can blow the whistle, trigger crew talk.   You can set them so when a train runs over it one direction it does one thing but then from the other direction does something else.   You can also do recordings, so that when a train runs over them it then automatically does a series of sequences by itself from the recording.   The recording records any legacy command you do while recording and then automatically triggers those when an engine runs over it.   That includes command switches, or accessories with the ASC2 controllers, etc.   Also, you can set it so only certain engines trigger the playback of the recording.  They are super fun to play with.   I have 10 scattered across my layout.

I have several as well.  When using the LCS App, they will also display the name of the locomotive and it's direction of travel.  I have mine, like Sean, trigger accessories such as the Hobo Water Tower to start playing when a compatible engine crosses over it.  At one time when I had a Legacy Demo setup, using sensor tracks I had a recording that would trigger various switches, block, and accessories (light bulbs) to demonstrate them.

The High Rail App makes it very easy to access the Sensor Track programming as well.  With it you never have to touch your sensor track again to program it.  Now I can out them anywhere without needing to push the program button.

Great info guys.  Please keep it coming, I'm sure there are lots of others who can benefit from this.  Just imagine if real time train position data was available what could be done !!  Seems like a huge untapped resource for command command control.  I'm thinking station stops, point to point, collision avoidance, etc.  Maybe Cab 4  or TIU++.

What year did Lionel begin installing IR Sensors in their engines to be use with the Sensor Track?  Is there a way to retro older Legacy engines so they can be used with the Sensor Tack?

@R Whitley posted:

What year did Lionel begin installing IR Sensors in their engines to be use with the Sensor Track?  Is there a way to retro older Legacy engines so they can be used with the Sensor Tack?

I believe it was around 2012.  Lionel offered a Sensor Boxcar that could be paired with an engine that didn't have a Sensor.  I have 2 of them I use.

Excellent Video Marty! Thank you!

I picked up a few of the sensor boxcars when people were selling them cheap.  I'm planning on swapping the shells so that I have them in roadnames that I run.  I'm transplanting the board and sensor into an MTH car, can't really swap the shell as easily on that one.

has anyone removed the sensor track inards and placed them say under or integrated into other track systems? This idea may be blasphemy, but I have gargraves track. Is there any way I can use this functionality??

Mike

@LT1Poncho posted:

has anyone removed the sensor track inards and placed them say under or integrated into other track systems? This idea may be blasphemy, but I have gargraves track. Is there any way I can use this functionality??

Mike

When they first came out people were modifying them all over the place.  Lionel created the IRV2 module and sensor sleds so you don't have to.

IRV2

I have the IRV2 and 4 sleds plus a sensor boxcar gunrunnerjohn mentioned above.  I don't have any Legacy IR engines but I do have LCS 990 and DCS.   Can the sensor boxcar provide directional control to a conventional engine ?

@shorling posted:

Can the sensor boxcar provide directional control to a conventional engine ?

Interesting question.  The only way I see that happening is controlling a Legacy Powermaster with the Sensor track using the sensor car in the conventional train.

A note on sled placement. I found that they don't fit in the Lionel track without modification. They sit on the flange at the bottom of the rail and this holds them too high and they hit the wheel flanges. I had to cut some of the rail flanges away to get them to fit. It would be nice if Lionel made them narrower to fit the track. They fit in the Ross track fine as well as some others.

If you are using a ZW-L and program the track as an engine ID then conventional control using the sensor to trigger the event should work. I use 4 sensor tracks to program multiple consists on one recording for one direction and a different recording for other direction.

@patternpilot posted:

A note on sled placement. I found that they don't fit in the Lionel track without modification. They sit on the flange at the bottom of the rail and this holds them too high and they hit the wheel flanges. I had to cut some of the rail flanges away to get them to fit. It would be nice if Lionel made them narrower to fit the track. They fit in the Ross track fine as well as some others.

You can always use this...

LCS SENSORTRACK - MULTI SYSTEM COMPATIBLE  6-82869

Thanks gunrunnerjohn and Jeff - here's a little more clarification, what if the conventional engine is post war ?  Suppose the Sensor Track trips, plays a recording via LCS 990 which operates a relay that cycles ZW provided track power.  The IRV-2 and sensor track don't power cycle but the box car does.  Does the recording continue to play and the engine cycles through N-R-N-F ?

@shorling posted:

Thanks gunrunnerjohn and Jeff - here's a little more clarification, what if the conventional engine is post war ?  Suppose the Sensor Track trips, plays a recording via LCS 990 which operates a relay that cycles ZW provided track power.  The IRV-2 and sensor track don't power cycle but the box car does.  Does the recording continue to play and the engine cycles through N-R-N-F ?

The recording is stored in the sensor track so theoretically it should work.  The sensor car is just triggering the event.

Like Marty says, only way to be sure is to try it.  One the sensor car has triggered the event and moved off the sensor track, the fact that it loses power certainly shouldn't do anything to the triggered action.  Note that you have to program the action for only one direction or it'll sit at the sensor track and go back and forth!