Legacy Cab2 - Is there a recovery for Engines that disappear from Cab2 Screen

If you backed up the database using the Legacy Utility Software but otherwise no.  There is a database clear, did you by chance accidentally push it?

Marty,

   I accidentally dropped the Cab2, maybe it hit the Clear data Base key.  I really do not know.  You mean I am going to have to re-enter my Legacy and TMCC Engines?  

Please advise me about the Legacy Utility Software?

Looks like this is going to be a real pain.

PCRR/Dave

The Legacy Utility Software allows you to back up your database.  Interesting thing is all the information is in the base so unless you did manage to hit the clear data base, all the information should still be in the base because it's not stored in the Cab2.

If you have access to another Cab 2, I would connect to the base and see if the issue maybe a damaged Cab 2 after dropping it.  Does the Cab2 connect to the base?

Here is a link to the LSU Manual.

I’ve seen where the cab2 is very low on power but still lights up behave like that. Try another cab2.

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

Gentlemen,

   Had another strong thing happen this afternoon.  Had all my entered engines on my Cab2 just plain disappear from the Cab2, is her any way to recover them short of having to re-enter every one of them.  

Never had this happen before.

PCRR/Dave

your engines are not stored in the cab2 handheld.

We covered that earlier. I suspect when the Cab 2 got dropped it was damaged. Another Cab 2 should verify the database is in tact unless somehow the database got cleared when it got damaged. 

If Dave can get LSU to connect to the base he can also verify the integrity of the database.

Eric does a good job showing LSU a bit in this video. About 6 minutes in.

 https://youtu.be/a5L4xRpTTpQ

MartyE,

   1st I do not own another Cab2, and it looks like I should now invest in the LSC WiFi.  Eric does a great job on the video you provided for up grading the Cab2.  The engine information is actually stored in the Base unit, the way I understand this Lionel Engineering, is that correct?  If that is the case I need another Cab2 and I also need my current Cab2 Repaired.  

This is definitely a bummer.

Who does the upgrades and just who does the repairs work on the Legacy Cab2?  Do I send this back to the Lionel Repair shop, or can you Marty repair the Cab2 for me.

CJack,

   Thanks for the advise, the batteries are fully charged however.

Can the Cab2 be on the wrong channel because of the dropping of the Cab2, should I be looking at that 1st.

PCRR/Dave

as of now the legacy system is being repaired free of charge at Lionel you just pay to ship it to them.

just send an email or call for a return number

Lionel should do the repair under warranty. They know the hardware  I would also check for free shipping both ways since I know you are a veteran.  Thank you for your service and beyond!

I do upgrades at York or anywhere else you may run into me for a smile and a handshake.  Many shops should be able to do them as well in less than 2 minutes if that  

If it changed channel the Cab2 should ask you to scan for the base when turned on. Are you seeing anything on the Cab 2 screen when powered?

BDT,

   Ok thanks I will contact Lionel again I think I still have the contact info from the prior fix.

Do you have the Lionel Customer Service Dept telephone number?   I do not have it any more.

PCRR/Dave

You can just get a SER2 and power supply to connect a PC to the Legacy system. $70 if that.  No need to buy all that stuff if you are just looking to be able to connect to the base and no jump into App control. 

Small investment to easily backup and upgrade Legacy. 

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

BDT,

   Ok thanks I will contact Lionel again I think I still have the contact info from the prior fix.

Do you have the Lionel Customer Service Dept telephone number?   I do not have it any more.

PCRR/Dave

https://www.lionelsupport.com/ContactUs/

MartyE,

   Sir I do not even know what an SER2 is and what power supply are you talking about to connect my Mac PC to the Legacy system.  Please explain.

Looks like dropping the Cab2 is definitely a serious problem.

PCRR/Dave

SER2 is a module to let you connect the Legacy base to a pc. Since you have a MAC from the sounds of it, it's probably irrelevant. The LSU is a Windows PC based program.  It won’t do you any good. Lionel’s new catalog has information on all the LCS modules and what they do. 

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

MartyE,

   Sir I do not even know what an SER2 is and what power supply are you talking about to connect my Mac PC to the Legacy system.  Please explain.

Looks like dropping the Cab2 is definitely a serious problem.

PCRR/Dave

http://www.lionel.com/lcs/index.html

PCs are cheap. Get one for your train layout...look at the NUC.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/HP-...R0AxMud9Duaz4keARmGQ

Gentlemen,

   Good news, after shutting my Legacy Base unit off for a short time, when it came back on it re-established the link to the Cab2, everything is now running perfect once again.

I appreciate all the help, looks like I will not need any repair work done.

Will think about the WiFi for doing the upgrades however, looks like a cool idea.

MartyE,

   Can I impose on you to upgrade my Legacy some time, will certainly pay you for doing it.

PCRR/Dave

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

 

MartyE,

   Can I impose on you to upgrade my Legacy some time, will certainly pay you for doing it.

PCRR/Dave

Dacve

We can do that.  As always there is no charge other than listed above.  Handshake and smile!

MartyE,

   Thank you very much sir some time I will send the Legacy Unit to you for upgrading. I really appreciate it!

PCRR/Dave

MartyE posted:

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

 

MartyE,

   Can I impose on you to upgrade my Legacy some time, will certainly pay you for doing it.

PCRR/Dave

Dacve

We can do that.  As always there is no charge other than listed above.  Handshake and smile!

Seems like some enterprising dealer like some of these forum dealers could create an exchange of programmed black modules for a reasonable fee and postal fees to and from.

I think Ro will sell the latest version on black modules...maybe that’s at the minimum cost already. But what good are they when the next version comes out...returning them makes the most sense.

If you want to verify that the engine database is still present in the Command Base without a spare CAB2, download the Legacy System Utility and connect your PC to your base via the Y serial cable.  The LSU will read engine data from the base.  Cost = $0.00.

I feel Barry's suggestion on using the MTH WiFi to control Legacy engines and devices will ultimately cost you more when you have to buy the Lionel LCS WiFi to access full LCS capabilities.  The reason is the serial connection used between MTH and Lionel transmits only the 24-bit TMCC and TMCC2 commands.  That is only a subset of the traffic being passed between the Command Base, LCS modules, and various apps.  A connection to the LCS WiFi module allows apps to communicate with the base and individual LCS modules.  For example, eTrain (the app I use) loads/saves the engine, train, accessories, and switch data via WiFi, but not over a serial connection.  In addition, eTrain communicates with sensor tracks to display engine and sensor car data as read by the track, and can program the sensor track.

So, if you intend to connect to Lionel's system for all of the control and automation features it offers, you need Lionel's LCS WiFi. 

TrackerJohn

Duh me! I forgot he doesn’t need the SER2. You are correct. He can direct connect for $0. So used to using the SER2s and Wi-Fi sometimes the basics slip my mind.

Thanks for the reminder. Good catch.

Gentlemen,

   Well bad new this morning, the Legacy main control Screen on my Cab2 HHRC is completely blanked, I can not get it to come back up, no matter what I do.  Looks like I need to contact Lionel again and send it back for repair.  

I do thank all you gentlemen for the advise and help, I think I am also going to purchase a 993 unit to add on to the original Legacy.  I do need some advise on this however, would it be better to purchase another complete  990 Legacy unit or the 993.  There is a difference in money.  Advise on which way to go is definitely needed, and what is the real difference in the units, this also would be a big help in the decision.  There is a money difference in these 2 units from what I can see, so there must be an engineering difference also.

PCRR/Dave

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

I do thank all you gentlemen for the advise and help, I think I am also going to purchase a 993 unit to add on to the original Legacy.  I do need some advise on this however, would it be better to purchase another complete  990 Legacy unit or the 993.  There is a difference in money.  Advise on which way to go is definitely needed, and what is the real difference in the units, this also would be a big help in the decision.  There is a money difference in these 2 units from what I can see, so there must be an engineering difference also.

PCRR/Dave

 

The major difference is, the 993 is a Cab2 and charger only.  There are no Legacy components in the "base" and just made to hold a Cab2 and charge the batteries.

The 990 is the Cab2 and a fully functional Legacy base with charger.

For the $50 MSRP difference, I'd buy a 990 so you have a spare base as well in case of a failure.  That's just me.  I already have a spare I use for demos and as a backup.

Dave,  It may be worth sending in the Legacy Base as well to get it checked out.

I had a issue with mine that caused the engine data to disappear. If I remember correctly it was the NVRAM in the base.

It was a intermittent fault that got worse.

Nick

You could also go with  the seperate sale Cab 1L remote as well. You will sacrifice a number of the legacy features that the cab 2 can access,( you'll still have access to the quilling whistle) but its even less expensive, "simpler" backup remote.

The Cab 1L remote will talk to your 990 base.

I've been meaning to grab a Cab1L as a backup myself....... I spend all  of my money on trains

RickO,

   Thanks much for the advise, never owned a Cab1, what all would I need to add the Cab1L for backup Rick, sense it will talk to my Legacy Base.  I do know it will run my FTCC Switches also.

Much of my money is spent on our hobby, however I also spend a bit on my Double Guns, and Bird Dogs and Fly Fishing Equipment.

Sense I now have my new Train Room I want to have a real nice Legacy control set up, if the 993 is the better set up, I should invest in it and the Cab1 as another back up.

PCRR/Dave

Just the Cab1L handheld remote Dave (without the base) These go for $129.99 at dealers.

( Don't get spooked by the "992 base" in the description, its a typo. They mean 990.)

Cab1L Remote

RickO,

  Thanks buddy I really appreciate the advise, it definitely saves me some money.  Will I not need the base, to run my trains,  if I send the Legacy Unit into Lionel for repair?  I guess I could just use my DCS until the Legacy unit is repaired.  Hate to give up running my Legacy Engines for a long time however.

PCRR/Dave

Yep if you send the whole 990 Cab2 and Base to Lionel (which they'll recommend) a CAB1L alone will not help you.  You will need at minimal Base 1L also.  These can be had as a package as well.  They work very much like the old TMCC Cab1s.  Your switches should work fine.

If you are ok with using a Cab1L without the display and expanded Legacy features then it's probably the best way to go to save a few bucks.

I would (did) get a spare 990 set. I have sent these back to Lionel more than once and like having a spare.

MartyE,

   What then are we talking about for money, to keep my Legacy type trains running and still send the full Legacy in for repairs?

CJack,

    Having 2 full Legacy units looks to be a little on the expensive side, I could live with the Cab1L as my Legacy is repaired, however you have a point, this will be the 2nd time in the repair shop for my full Legacy, and come to think of it my DCS units have never once had to be repaired.

PCRR/Dave

All the current pricing is available in the new Lionel catalog.  The Lionel Legacy and 1L equipment is on page 193.  The Forum Sponsors and dealer will have discounted prices as these are all MSRP.

Here is a link to the catalog.

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

Gentlemen,

   Well bad new this morning, the Legacy main control Screen on my Cab2 HHRC is completely blanked, I can not get it to come back up, no matter what I do.  Looks like I need to contact Lionel again and send it back for repair.  

I do thank all you gentlemen for the advise and help, I think I am also going to purchase a 993 unit to add on to the original Legacy.  I do need some advise on this however, would it be better to purchase another complete  990 Legacy unit or the 993.

PCRR/Dave

 

Dave,

If you can afford it, go with another 990. (and maybe a few Cab1L's for guests?) Skimp on something and have two working units. Hopefully you'll have at least one working base at all times in the event one fails again then. Been to layouts where it failed and that was all she wrote as they had gotten a 993 for a second remote.  Now they have 2 990's and 2 Cab1L's. They stopped going to Starbucks and paid for it in two months

RickO, Marty & CJack,

  What do you think of purchasing Cab1L used off of the Net, is there a lot that could be wrong with the Cab1L units?

BobbyD,

    This was my other thought, however I would be giving up another good L.C. Smith double gun for while.  I might just bite the bullet and spring for another full 990 Legacy unit while this one is repaired, now that I have a Train Room and permanent layouts.  I was nice a while back and passed up a unit right here on the OGR when another young man wanted one.  Maybe another one will surface.

PCRR/Dave

The Cab1L and base combo can be had for $215, thats over $100 cheaper than another 990 set.

I've seen prices from  two "well known dealers" on the 990 for $339- $349.

And so we're clear on this. Once your 990 comes back from Lionel you can disconnect the 1L base and store it away.

The Cab1 L handheld will communicate through the 990 base as well.

Maybe its me, it seems like Lionel still hasn't gotten the "bugs" out of the 990 system, we still see posts where this or that failed.

I've been using my old 1.4 base from years ago, turned off the charger when I took it out of the box and use energizer rechargables on a seperate charger and have had no issues. ( knock on wood) Even dropped the handheld on the concrete floor.

I have yet to even update the software. It ain't broke so I'm not fixing it.

The cab1L is a simpler system, no touchscreen, no backlight, multi-function switches etc. less features...but....less to go wrong.

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

RickO, Marty & CJack,

  What do you think of purchasing Cab1L used off of the Net, is there a lot that could be wrong with the Cab1L units?

PCRR/Dave

I'M not sure where your looking but, there certainly are no prices on "Da Bay"  on the Cab1L handheld or handheld/base combo that are any cheaper than those I mentioned above from Charles Ro and Trainworld 

When my Legacy went back for repair.  I used my old TMCC base and the DCS link cable. Then I used the DCS remote to control the layout.

Nick

Nick,

   That is also a good option for running both DCS & Legacy Engines thru the TMCC/DCS set up.

RickO,

I definitley see what you are talking about, actually the better prices I see are at CR for the Cab1L.

PCRR/Dave