Lionel tmcc burlington gp30

Lionelzwl2012,

 

I just purchased the Lionel Legacy Chessie GP30 made in 2007.  I love this engine.  With Odyssey the speed control is excellent and this is using TMCC only.  I can set the speed to 1 and the thing crawls taking all cars with it.  This is my second TMCC engine and first Legacy.  If they make more GP Chessie Legacy models...they can have my money!

Just found one brand new. Just need to know if the odyssey ( this had the first version not the legacy version) speed control works ok or has issues? I know that this is rs5 and not legacy so just want to be careful. Legacy is great but some of the tmcc with odyssey had issues.

I am working on one right now that has the runaway problem in Odyssey mode. If I were buying one I would factor another 85 bucks or so for an ERR Cruise M board to eliminate this problem. There are less expensive solutions but ERR cruise will always out perform early Odyssey. IMHO

 

Pete

Thanks norton I will take that into account if I decide to get this engine! How well does the err cruise m play with the new cab 2? I only have legacy engines witch have the speed control. All of my tmcc stuff has no speed control. Thats why its on the shelf to either uprade to err or sell on the board. I would rather by this loco with legacy but the burlington model had not been made with it yet. Bummer!

First off, comparing the Legacy Odyssey II to the original Odyssey I is like comparing a Cadillac to a Model-T!  There is no real comparison, many of the original Odyssey locomotives have issues with a jump after power on, or even with a brief track power interruption.  Also, the speed control isn't nearly as consistent as the Legacy Odyssey II.

 

Apples and oranges here.

Sorry, I missed that this had RS5. This would be a later version of Odyssey 1 than the engine I am working on but still not as good as OdysseyII found in Legacy engines. I have had good luck with the middle generation Odyssey though its still not as smooth as either Legacy or ERR cruise. Early Odyssey has a lot of issues with magnets breaking.

 

Pete

I whole heartedly agree john that is why I thought maybe some one who had this engine could tell me its good,fare or to stay away from it! As far as operation of the speed control. As to rs5 I maybe wrong. The engine came out in the 2003 catalog according to the web site. I am not sure when the second gen oddessy one came out. I know they tried to make it better. Buy the legacy trumped it by a mile!

I agree that the later Odyssey I is better, I have a couple of locomotives with RS5 and Odyssey, they are good runners, though not up to Legacy standards.  I also have a couple of early Odyssey locomotives, and I'm trying to decide if I should just unload them or stick an ERR Cruse Commander M into them and lose the Odyssey board.

 

Odyssey II is only available on Legacy locomotives AFAIK, I've never seen a TMCC with Odyssey II.

 

John, are you sure?

Seems I've had a couple of TMCC engines that say "Odyssey 2 with ON/OFF switch".

Isn't the 2nd generation system (well before Legacy) called Odyssey 2?

 

Also, When did Legacy come out?

I just picked up a Santa Fe U28CG from a Freight set that was in the 2006 catalog and it has RS5.0

2003 would make it RS4 and likely the same generation as the engine I am working on. I would discount it for a ERR Cruise M board. RS5 was about 2005-6.

 

Pete

Thanks norton, the hobby shop wants 350.00 so given that I may not be so quick to jump on this engine.still maybe ok deal. Just not sure.

Pete, I've never seen an Odyssey II locomotive that wasn't Legacy, but I haven't seen every one that exists.   I'd be glad to be corrected, can you come up with an actual model number of a TMCC (not Legacy) with Odyssey II?

 

For $350, I'd save a bit more and go for a Legacy model, you'll be happy you did!

John I agree but I want that particular paint scheme and road name. Lionel had yet to paint any legacy models that as of yet go figure!

I have the engine.  It is great.  No oddysey jump like the Burlington U30C.  Really a nice unit.

John, I think it was Sam that thought Odyssey II was also pre Legacy. I refer to Odyssey 1 as early and later. I think Mike R said they changed the algorithm on the later Odyssey 1 to work better on "Lash Ups" so the engines don't fight each other.

 

Pete

It could be Pete, though I've never seen anything called Odyssey II that wasn't on a Legacy locomotive.  I know that there were changes to the Odyssey design in the TMCC days, but AFAIK, it was never called Odyssey II.

 

Again, that's just my observation, the Lionel folks could surely answer for sure.

 

Like I said, I do have some Odyssey locomotives that run well.

 

This is one of those from 2007: Lionel 18373 NYC New York Central S-2 Electric Engine TMCC Odyssey RailSounds with RailSounds 5, but no mention of Odyssey II, just plain Odyssey.  It does run very well, no jumping and good speed control.

 

I also have the Lionel 6-31747 PRR Ballast Train from 2006 with RailSounds 5 and plain Odyssey if the documentation can be believed.

This engine is a beauty.  I van vouch for that.

Odyssey first appeared as an open frame motor that Lione was going to introduce in the Veranda Turbine but cost cut that short and Lionel came out with can motors with a sensor.  The first version had no on/off switch.  The second version(REVISED) units had on/off switches.

 

The lurch was caused by the sensor needing a reading on power up is what I was told but now with the Legacy system and the way it sends different speed steps the lurch is gone.

 

Legacy Odyssyey II is completeley new cruise control system most likely developed by Jon Z.

 

Hope this sheds some light on the subject.

 

Doug

My Burlington GP30 doesn't lurch.  My Burlington U30C does.  Field tested for as many years as they were issued.  The sounds are great too.  It's a sweet, humpbacked, muscled up workhorse.  Very cool engine.  

The two I mentioned in the previous post have no lurch either, but several older ones do, including one that has the Odyssey switch.

William, you say your engine runs fine no lurch. It is the same one as stated in the starting thread I posted if I read your post right? Thanks john on the ebay tips maybe there is a good used one out there. I just assumed there would not be any! So I saw one new from gryboskis (hope I spelled it right) and got to thinking maybe I might try to snag it.

It is the two in the post that says 3 hours ago as far as time.   The ones that have a lurch are older, one with the lurch is a Lionel 6-18598 NYC RS-11 Cab #8010, I just had that one running the other day.

Bad pics, but if it's Burlington #945, it is one badass rig.   

Thanks for the pics!

The pics don't do the engine justice.  I also have the TMCC CB&Q GP9 and the PWC Burlington silver GP7.  3 china red boxcars and the extended vision caboose.   You could do a lot more with this road theme and a couple bucks.  Them boys laid down some tracks back in the day... I admire that 

I've read a number of posts stating the magnetic flywheel ring is prone to split apart.  The one on my B&O TMCC GP30 fragmented, broke through the screen detail, and left a big red welt right above my eye.  My LHS swapped it out for the same engine in the Reading scheme.  I haven't had any problems with the magnet or lurching with that (now 5 year old) engine.  I have Legacy D&H and Chessie GP30's which sound better and run even smoother than the TMCC.  I paid $350 for the Legacy D&H, so $350 for TMCC is a bit pricey (IMHO) however, I know how it is when you are after a specific scheme.

 

Just my two cents!

Stack  

I've had a couple break, and I've been handed several more to fix that had the magnet ring broken.  The ERR Cruise Commander M makes them better than new.