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Lionel Aux Tender (Chessie Steam Special, Southern Pacific Daylight, etc.) opportunity for improvement

I picked up the Aux Tender for both the CSS (L2031650) and SPD (L2031680) passenger trains that I also purchased and, in general, its a nice addition.  The paint scheme on the SP Daylight is great match but the Yellow on the CSS aux tender is brighter that the rest of the cars and locomotive.  However I do see some deficiencies that quite possibly require a change to Lionel Legacy Software.

Background:  The Aux Tender in the Legacy environment is assigned its own ENG ID.  It has a backup light and an electrocoupler on the rear.  There are Legacy Railsounds included that are also enjoyable for those that like it.  The Aux Tender is added to a TRN and accessed directly via Trainlink, all things that you would expect.

Deficiency:  When controlling the TRN (Train Mode with the Aux Tender positioned behind the Locomotive's primary tender), when you fire the Rear Coupler, the primary tender coupler is opened which leaves the whole train (aux tender included) behind.  Also, when backing the train, only the primary tender backup light comes on.  If you want to fire the Aux Tender coupler, you must access it via trainlink (not the worst thing in the world but an extra step).  Finally, the only way to light the Aux Tender backup light is to access the Aux Tender via trainlink and change the direction.  Then you have to go back to the locomotive via trainlink and the Aux Tender backup light goes out, before the train is actually backing up.  Both of my Aux Tenders function like this so its not a problem with just one unit.

Improvement suggestion:  The Aux Tender needs to be have its own "TYPE" for programming in the Legacy Remote (something like ATN; currently its set up as FRT).  The function would change when addressing a TRN as follows.  When controlling the Locomotive as a TRN, the backup light and electrocoupler on the primary Tender would not respond to Direction Change OR Rear Coupler Firing.  Instead, the function would transfer to the Aux Tender allowing the Backup light to come on when the locomotive is reversed and the rear coupler firing would only activate the Aux Tender electrocoupler.  Obviously, there may be some programming options when building a TRN that would enable/disable this transfer of functionality to the Aux Tender.  I would think this would be a simple upgrade to the Legacy software.

Anyone else like this enhancement?

Last edited by LionelAG
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