Legacy and a TMCC Caboose

MartyE posted:

Does anyone have any experience using a TMCC caboose in a TR (Train) setup? 

 

I just got this yesterday and was playing with it.  When assigned the same ID as the engine all works as expected.

 

When assigned a unique ID and added into a train, because it's not the lead engine I cannot get the sounds to trigger with the engine.  I am running in TMCC mode and was wondering if I need to be in CAB1 mode.  According to the ancient manual for TMCC operation the idea is to assign it as a "front" engine.  Not sure what they mean but regardless when assigning it as a forward facing engine it doesn't do a think unless it's the lead engine.  Then of course the loco doesn't sound the horn and such.

 

Just curious if those who have one, how is it entered into the TR (Train) using Legacy?

Marty,

I purchased a CrewTalk caboose from a fellow Forum member yesterday, and, after fiddling for a while, I was able to lash it up with a TMCC engine in a train that I can access from my CAB-2. Both the engine and the caboose perform together in response to commands to the train via the CAB-2. Cool!

BUT: today, I want to put the caboose in a train with a different TMCC engine--and I cannot remember what I finally did yesterday that worked, and I have been unable to recreate it.

Did you ever figure this out?

Cheers!

Keith

OK, I recreated how to do it:

First, use the CAB-2 to set up the train (lash-up) with a train link. At this point, you can toggle between the train and the train-linked caboose to trigger the TowerCom and the CrewTalk of the engine and the caboose.

Second, use a CAB-1 to set up the train following the directions on pp. 12-13 of the caboose's owner's manual (https://www.lionelsupport.com/...ents/71-9889-250.pdf). Now--with either the CAB-1 or the CAB-2--when you address the train and initiate TowerCom or CrewTalk, the engine and the caboose will talk to each other.

Cheers!

Keith

Keith, does that work with just setting up the caboose with the CAB-1, or does the engine need to be set up with the CAB-1 as well?

I am confused, Which "TMCC caboose" are we talking about? There are two versions:

1. Lionel 6-19889 (et all) Crewtalk cabooses.

2. Lionel 6-29834 and 35 Trainsounds cabooses. (If you don't believe me, look up the #.)

I personally own the crewtalk caboose. When I first got it, I attempted to "MU" it with a TMCC engine. It did not work. I left frustrated. I came back 5 minutes later and redid the "train" and it functioned properly. Just keep trying.

Sidenote 1. The crewtalk caboose works surprisingly well with RS5 engines. I thought they would be talking over each other, but they do not.

Sidenote 2. Anyone have a video of a trainsounds caboose they would be willing to share here or to me privately via email? I have been wanting one, but since I already have the crewtalk one, I am hesitant.

Sidenote 3. Yes! A legacy caboose would be a great idea.

Recent Legacy updates have had fixes for Train-Link operation, so that would be a first step if you're having issues.

In response to the questions/comments after my last post...

Professor, I'm not sure what you're asking, but if you only want to trigger the interactive dialogue with a CAB-1, then, of course, you only need to create the train with a CAB-1 in accordance with the instructions in the caboose's owner's manual. That's straightforward. However, if you want to trigger the automatic interactive dialogue with a CAB-2, simply creating the train with the CAB-1 will do nothing to the CAB-2. If you want to be able to trigger the automatic dialogue with the CAB-2, you first need to set up the train with the CAB-2 in the normal way. This will take you halfway there. You'll be able to use TrainLink to toggle between the train and the caboose and create the dialogue manually. To accomplish the necessary "tweak" that allows the engine and caboose to communicate with each other automatically by simply pressing TowerCom or CrewTalk when addressing the train, you need to create the train with a CAB-1--in accordance with the special instructions in the caboose's owner's manual--after having created the train with the CAB-2.

Nick, we're only talking about the four CrewTalk cabooses that Lionel produced:

6-19742 Erie - 1998
6-19749 Southern Pacific (part of a set) - 1998
6-19889 Pennsylvania - 2001
6-19890 Santa Fe - 2001

I have no experience with the TrainSounds cabooses.

It is indeed simple to MU the CrewTalk cabooses with a TMCC engine--as long as you follow the special directions in the owner's manual. It's trickier if you want the automatic interactive dialogue to function when addressing a train from a CAB-2.

John, the issue is not with TrainLink. My base is running 1.60, and my CAB-2 is running 1.61. I confess to being OCD about keeping up with the latest versions. As I mentioned above, TrainLink works fine in allowing you to toggle back and forth between the train and the caboose and trigger the interactive dialogue manually. But, to me, the really cool thing about the CrewTalk cabooses is how they automatically produce a dialogue between the engine and the caboose by simply pressing TowerCom or CrewTalk when addressing the train.

I think the issue may be that this special functionally was developed when Legacy was just a melody beginning to form in Neil Young's head. There was no thought to how it would work with a CAB-2. And when Legacy and the CAB-2 were being developed, it's quite possible that with all the many things they were trying to make the new system do--and that it does--no thought was given to accommodating the special functionality incorporated into the CrewTalk cabooses.

Cheers!

Keith

I'm going to call on Rudy again.  See if he can comment based on your procedure.  How about it @Railsounds ?