I got a cab1L just to have as a guest remote and just because I wanted to try one.
my question is when controlling legacy engines is the cab1L able to access all 200 speed steps or just 100 of them?
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Interesting question, I'm pretty sure it doesn't access anything close to 200 speed steps. It's outputting TMCC relative speed steps, so my guess is probably only 32 speed steps.
I just stuck a Legacy GP7 on the tracks and first ran it around with the CAB2 in Legacy mode, it wasn't moving all that fast at speed step 32. Then I reset it and tried it with the CAB1L. It's hard to know when you advance a speed step as there are no detents, but I watched the command base and carefully tried to only get one speed step at a time. By the time I got to speed step 16 on the CAB1L, the engine was probably at at least 45-50 scale MPH.
I stick with my guess of 32 speed steps.
Just 100 speed steps for Legacy/TMCC2 engines.
From the CAB-1L instructions:
L=32 speed steps M=100 speed steps H=100 speed steps with added momentum.
Info below in taken from the CAB-1L manual.
Tuning your locomotive's performance
SETTING MOMENTUM
The LEGACY system's momentum feature simulates the
labored performance of a real life locomotive pulling a heavy
load. Press L, M, or H (located under CAB-lL's removable
panel) for light, medium, or heavy momentum. The locomotive
remembers this setting until you change it. For normal (quick) locomotive response, press L.
Get a feel for the difference in momentum settings. Select L, M, or H. Turn your throttle slightly
and wait a few seconds for the locomotive to respond.
Note that on LEGACY/TMCC2 locomotives, L, M and H settings change the number of individual
speed steps your locomotive supports. A setting of L gives 32 speed steps, M yields100 speed steps and
H provides 100 speed steps with added momentum.
thanks guys thats what I gathered mike from reading the manual but wanted to be sure.
this remote is nice and less complex than the cab2. it is a nice change to use once in a while.
the only two things I miss when using this for my legacy locos is the detentions in the red knob and the smoke low med and high settinngs.
why could these features have not been added? then I might use it more. seems new people who want a remote and dont have a cab2 or the bucks they command on ebay would have wanted these two features since this is the only physical remote option going forward says lionel.
Well, you can change the smoke level, but it's not nearly as simple with the CAB1L.
AUX1, AUX2, 9, H, then AUX2 again to save the setting. This sets the smoke volume to high.
The L,M,H, buttons are the momentum buttons at the bottom of the remote, they also select smoke volume.
You can adjust the smoke with the cab1L. On newer legacy engines, hit 9 once and it’s low smoke, hit 9 twice and it’s medium smoke, three times and it’s high smoke. Hit eight to go back step by step till smoke turns off .Read that In manual on newer legacy engines, don’t remember if it’s in cab1L manual.
About my above previous post on smoke steps for cab 1L. I found this out on my Lionel 2233151 DD 35 Diesel and my 2133502 UP Veranda. In engine manual it explain cab1L smoke level steps using 9 to increase and eight to decrease as I explained in my previous post.
This is from my Legacy GP7 instructions.
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Learned somthing new today. Thanks guys. The cab1l instructions did not specify this. Thanks again.
Welcome Roger!
I believe the simple smoke volume instructions CAB1/CAB1L instructions only apply to newer Legacy models, the older ones still used the rain-dance I posted.
Yes John, read my previous two posts, I named two newer Legacy engines that I have that have instructions in engine manual that explain those smoke instructions. Ron
@Ron Casamento posted:Yes John, read my previous two posts, I named two newer Legacy engines that I have that have instructions in engine manual that explain those smoke instructions. Ron
Exactly, I was just pointing out that it's not universal with all Legacy locomotives, just new ones. 
Up until the new LCP2/LCP3 boards, those instructions didn't apply. A vast majority of the existing Legacy locomotives won't respond that way. This is what appears in multiple Legacy manuals prior to 2020.
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This snip it from the CAB-1/1L manual shows the sequence John referenced. I actually prefer this over the multiple AUX1 #9 toggle presses to cycle L,M,H. Even though this method is more button presses, my OCD is kept in check. Since if I want Medium output, Pressing M gets me there. Versus counting Aux 1,9 presses and monitoring the output. And repeating it and still not 100% sure I got medium output. (probably just a me issue!)
How does the CAB2 know which macro to send, if a Legacy engine is new or old? Or just it communicate in a different way? (9bit)
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Gotcha, thx John
@Mike McCutcheon posted:
This snip it from the CAB-1/1L manual shows the sequence John referenced. I actually prefer this over the multiple AUX1 #9 toggle presses to cycle L,M,H. Even though this method is more button presses, my OCD is kept in check. Since if I want Medium output, Pressing M gets me there. Versus counting Aux 1,9 presses and monitoring the output. And repeating it and still not 100% sure I got medium output. (probably just a me issue!)
How does the CAB2 know which macro to send, if a Legacy engine is new or old? Or just it communicate in a different way? (9bit)
I think you’re hunch is right. The CAB-2 sends 9-bit commands. Then, different boards also have an 8-bit command sequence mapped that they respond to as well.
Think of it like knowing both English and French. Whether someone says “Yes” or “Oui”, you still understand.
@Mike McCutcheon posted:How does the CAB2 know which macro to send, if a Legacy engine is new or old? Or just it communicate in a different way? (9bit)
The CAB1/CAB1L commands are 8-bit commands, the Legacy commands in Legacy mode would be a different 9-bit command, so the engine wouldn't get confused. It recognizes either command.
Fun fact, the Lionchief Plus 2.0 engines have the same command structure, even though they don't have variable intensity smoke. If you press AUX1/9 three times, you have to press AUX1/8 three times to turn the smoke back off.
