Dumb Question of the Day: How do you turn a CAB2 remote on?

Normally just press and release the little red button that says CTC and the unit powers up. At least that is the way mine operates. I'll let someone with more experience on T/S this chime in.

@mrkerr35803 posted:

So...since I have just gotten started in the hobby and wanted to get going with Legacy control of my engine and accessories instead of settling for the Bluetooth app,  I decided not to wait for the BASE3 and look for a CAB 2 system used.  Yes, I know the prices are artificially high but I really wanted the CAB 2 remote and this was my only option.   I "won" a setup on Ebay that is "fully operational" (per the listing) and also came with a CAB 1 remote as a bonus.   I am trying to get setup and am having my usual luck (bad) with things.  I plugged the charging station/base unit into the wall outlet and put in the batteries and placed the remote in the cradle.  I took it out of the cradle about a half hour later to try and power it up but it did not turn on, so I returned it to the cradle for another half hour, still wouldn't turn on.  OK, I've read where the batteries are known to go bad, so I had bought the replacement batteries recommended on this forum and swapped them out with the supplied batteries and let it charge an hour-- still wouldn't turn on.  I then tried alkaline batteries in case it was the charging function that is bad; same result.  I checked the rechargeables with a battery tester and they were at full charge.

So before i go into bugging the eBay seller i wanted to make sure i was doing the right thing to turn this thing on.  The manual shows where the power button is but doesn't tell you actually how to turn it on.  So what is the sequence?  A press and release?  A hold it until it boots up?   Something else I've missed entirely?   I've tried both a quick press and a press and hold...I've tried soft taps and hard presses...I've tried pushing it slightly in and up and in and down.  It is the red CTC button correct?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Michael

This might help :https://youtu.be/OqkVUcQq51I

also there are no stupid questions, the link should give you a nice start.

I'm guessing it's got some problem, you're turning it on the correct way.

@mrkerr35803 posted:

So...since I have just gotten started in the hobby and wanted to get going with Legacy control of my engine and accessories instead of settling for the Bluetooth app,  I decided not to wait for the BASE3 and look for a CAB 2 system used.  Yes, I know the prices are artificially high but I really wanted the CAB 2 remote and this was my only option.   I "won" a setup on Ebay that is "fully operational" (per the listing) and also came with a CAB 1 remote as a bonus.   I am trying to get setup and am having my usual luck (bad) with things.  I plugged the charging station/base unit into the wall outlet and put in the batteries and placed the remote in the cradle.  I took it out of the cradle about a half hour later to try and power it up but it did not turn on, so I returned it to the cradle for another half hour, still wouldn't turn on.  OK, I've read where the batteries are known to go bad, so I had bought the replacement batteries recommended on this forum and swapped them out with the supplied batteries and let it charge an hour-- still wouldn't turn on.  I then tried alkaline batteries in case it was the charging function that is bad; same result.  I checked the rechargeables with a battery tester and they were at full charge.

So before i go into bugging the eBay seller i wanted to make sure i was doing the right thing to turn this thing on.  The manual shows where the power button is but doesn't tell you actually how to turn it on.  So what is the sequence?  A press and release?  A hold it until it boots up?   Something else I've missed entirely?   I've tried both a quick press and a press and hold...I've tried soft taps and hard presses...I've tried pushing it slightly in and up and in and down.  It is the red CTC button correct?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Michael

Sorry my last reply was off the mark. I missed the fact that you know how to turn it on and it was not working. I’m sure you paid a lot of money for this thing on eBay if you put the batteries in and the batteries are fine and they are incorrectly, the unit has an issue. Send it back.

I decided to do a sanity check and take the batteries out, make sure i had them inserted correctly, etc and try another charge.  This time when I put it in the cradle, it would alternate the two flashing red lights and then go almost immediately to both red lights flashing which according to the manual is a charging error -- possibly the wrong type of battery.  I tried the batteries it came with, same thing.  Then i tried three sets of new rechargables and i get the alternating to then flashing red charger lights.  The charging switch on the bottom is "on"....so it sounds like I have a bad unit.  If it is bad, will Lionel repair it or are these things orphaned now?

Last time I checked, Lionel was still fixing the CAB2, but not the command base.  You can test the command base using the CAB1L you have.

Hi why don't you just put standard set of batteries and try turning the remote on but not have it on the base, if the remote works and the screen lights up you can try to connect to the base!

Alan

i tried with some "amazon basic" batteries i had loose in a drawer but that didn't power up the remote either.  Does the remote require "hi performance" type batteries or would any work?

I have to hold the button down for 2 seconds or so on my remote. Same goes for shutting it off.

If it works. The charging feature has been the weak spot on these. I shut off the charging feature on the base, covered the contacts with electrical tape, and use rechargeable batteries and an external charger.

Imo, it's not a good idea leaving these bases on all the time, especially since these remotes are discontinued and support has pretty much ended.

I unplug mine when I'm not running trains.

@mrkerr35803 posted:

i tried with some "amazon basic" batteries i had loose in a drawer but that didn't power up the remote either.  Does the remote require "hi performance" type batteries or would any work?

First off, the Amazon batteries are junk, buy brand name batteries!  Try with some new alkaline batteries, it most certainly should work with those.  I've been using the Tenergy NiMh AA Centura low self-discharge batteries in mine for years.  I charge the CAB2 remotes on my #993 charging base, not the #990.

Hahha...actually I do have those rechargable batteries you cited which i bought based on your recomendation from an old post.  They were the ones i tried to get to charge when the included batteries did not but they didn't work either.  I was just looking for some standard non-rechargable batteries to try and see if it was a) the base charger not working or b) the remote itself not turning on even with good batteries (or a+b for that matter) and the amazon basic ones were all I had on hand.  I'll pick up some standard name-brand batteries tomorrow and try them.  If the charger doesn't work and everything else is ok, i can live with that.  But if the remote still won't turn on, then I'll send it back.

I did talk briefly with the seller and he is apologetic; he said that everything worked 6 months ago when he boxed it up.  You never know with this stuff.

thanks for all the replies!  Hopefully I'll get to  the point in the next few weeks where I can start scenery and have some photos worth sharing.

m

@mrkerr35803 posted:

If the charger doesn't work and everything else is ok, i can live with that.  But if the remote still won't turn on, then I'll send it back.

Call Lionel first.  If they're still fixing CAB2 remotes, the job is free, and then you'll have a working remote.  I'd also test the other stuff anyway to make sure it's OK.

Call Lionel and send the remote and base to them. They not only will fix it but they will update the software. I sent one of my Cab 2 base and remote to Lionel about a year ago. NO CHRAGE and was happy that they updated the software.

RAY

wait there's a chance they'll fix a remote that's second hand and who knows how old???

thanks guys, i'll call them tomorrow and let you know what they say

@mrkerr35803 posted:

wait there's a chance they'll fix a remote that's second hand and who knows how old???

thanks guys, i'll call them tomorrow and let you know what they say

Several years ago I sent them an original from 2007 I believe, they fixed it without any questions and returned it 100%.

So couple of updates; I tried new NAME BRAND alkalines in the CAB2 and it still would not turn on.   Phoned Lionel and they got me set up for a repair; I'll take the remote to fed ex today.   Confirmed, as has been posted here, that they do not still service the BASE2.   Then I tested the BASE2 with my CAB1L to verify everything was working and so it looks like i have Legacy control now (whole setup only took like 10 minutes.  It would have been five but I didn't realize you had to turn the Bluetooth off on the loco to make Legacy work and I had to change the radio channel on the remote to match the base).

Thanks for everyone taking the time to chime in and help out; I would never have guessed that sending an item this old (that i bought second hand) back to Lionel for a free repair was an option.   Is this a unique policy of theirs or do they do the same thing for other major items they sell (like engines?).   Anyway, this forum is the single most invaluable resource I have found thus far in this hobby.  I haven't seen a forum this active since my old Commodore 64 days....

@mrkerr35803 posted:

I would never have guessed that sending an item this old (that i bought second hand) back to Lionel for a free repair was an option.   Is this a unique policy of theirs or do they do the same thing for other major items they sell (like engines?).   Anyway, this forum is the single most invaluable resource I have found thus far in this hobby.  I haven't seen a forum this active since my old Commodore 64 days....

It's a unique policy for the command systems, at least the Legacy #990 remote and previously the base.  I suspect the reasoning is if your command systems isn't working, you're a lot less likely to buy $2,000 locomotives.