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Hi Folks,

Bought the set from Richard at Discount Train in Fort Lauderdale (excellent to work with); he just let me know he got yet another set from the distributor and it is on his website.

I ordered the set on Saturday and it showed up on Tuesday in pristine condition.  I haven't run it till today waiting on smoke fluid from MegaSteam - JT at MegaSteam expedited the shipment for me - very considerate - and the smoke showed up today.

For Christmas and the winter, I am in a rental in Florida - didn't bring any train stuff with me BUT wound up with a Christmas tree.............and no train to put around it.

I have had my eye on the Pocahontas since the spring; the rest you can guess.

I am running it with a CW80 transformer on a temporary 6 foot oval O72 floor track till I go back North.

It is quite different running a Legacy without the 990 Legacy Command remote.

First, no issues.

Next, performance.

Smoke works great, cab lights work great (definite indicator when you have reached neutral) and whistle and bell work great using the buttons on the CW80.

Have learned the following:

Smoke production is definitely tied to voltage on the track; when you regulate speed using the orange throttle on the transformer, smoke production is definitely affected - slower speed and less voltage = less smoke; no biggie, less smoke fluid consumption.  However, smoke production in neutral is voluminous.

Direction changes are a little finicky using the direction button on the transformer and it is an art; if you press too long on the button, you don't get the result you want; however, a really quick press works good and am getting the hang of it.

There is a way to get tower dialog going using the buttons on the transformer but I have to re-read the owners manual.

Yes, the stripe on the locomotive is lower than the one on the tender - you only notice it if you look for it.

The drive wheels do have spokes.

The whistle and road sounds are great.

I am liking it,

RickM46

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Well, so much for Lionel smoke units.

Per the owners manual, I added 20 drops of MegaSteam to begin with.

This one failed after only about a dozen trips around the oval.

The cab light started blinking in 3 blink increments; had to reset it using the direction button; tried that 3 times and after the 3rd, the unit permanently shut down.  3 blinks means a fan problem.

Worked great to start then slowly smoke began to wane.

ARRRRRRGH.

Had the same thing happen to a Lionchief+ B&O and Pere Marquette Berkshire.

Will send it back to Lionel on Monday as I did with the other 2.

 

Last edited by RickM46

Hi Rick,

 

Before you send it back to Lionel, if you have a compressor blow air down the stack

with 20 PSI pressure, after that take the engine off the track and (yes) shake it like you would shake a rattle spray paint can. The fan motor might have landed on a dead spot.

 

If you don't have a compressor just blow down the hole as hard as you can, try this before sending it in for repair. Since you did a reset three times you will have to reprogram the engine again.

 

Hope this helps,

Alex

Hey fellas, thanks for the info and sentiments.

Tried the resets and upsidedown shaking and blowing into the stack to no avail.

As I mentioned above, this is not my first rodeo with smoke units.  This will make #3 going back to Lionel.  I have two other locos that have been champs - Big Boy and PE junior Berskhire.  The BB will eat as much as you give it.

BUT, this gets me into the ****ed if you do and ****ed if you don't dept.  I put 20 drops into the Pocahontas as a start per the book.  So, too much or too little - who knows. 

Anyway, this is Lionel; still hope their service center is alive in North Carolina.

I am still glad I got the set - just amazing.

 

Are there any do's and don'ts while running it with my CW80 in conventional mode??

 

Thanks,

RickM46

Last edited by RickM46
J Daddy posted:

Ok, and now its for sale?

Don't feel bad... Had the same issue, kind of takes the glow out of the experience doesn't it?

Hi J Daddy!

Have a look at my updated post at https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/t...23#54223249921200423.

As it turned out, I had a very positive experience with a phone call from a Lionel tech after it arrived there.  Nope, I wouldn't sell it; it will be on the road of my layout permanently.  Also, saw a video on YouTube showing  the result of a restoration of one of the 14 Pocahontas real ones that wasn't scrapped - very impressive!

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