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Hello everyone,

I recently acquired The Lionel Lionchief Plus 2.0 NKP Fast Freight set with the Berkshire engine.  I have two layouts, one is my larger command control layout with Lionel Legacy and MTH.  I also have a smaller conventional layout (see pic) in which I already have the Super Chief ready to run set and the Santa Fe 44 ton. both are LionChief with their respective remotes.  I power the layout with a postwar ZW transformer and both of the engines run well with the remotes.   When I got the NKP Berkshire I initially programed it with my legacy remote. So the first problem I had, was I could not get the smoke unit to turn on with the legacy remote. I do not know if there is a specific procedure to perform to engage the smoke unit in a engine that runs TMCC. Still using my larger layout, (my large layout has three loops of track each powered by an 180 watt powerhouse) I used the Lionchief app on my phone, it synched right up and I was able to turn on the smoke unit.  That problem was solved. Next  I programed this engine into my universal remote, again no problem it ran fine.  So, because I originally got this engine to run on my smaller layout, I took the engine and placed it on the smaller layout and applied track power with the postwar ZW. Well, the engine started up with the universal remote right away, but after about 30 seconds it would not connect anymore. I tried to use the Lionchief app and I could not get the blue tooth to connect.  Neither the Bluetooth or the universal remote would work thereafter. Now the engine would run under transformer control but not with the remote or the app.  The other two engines would still run with either the remote or app as they have been doing.  I took the Berkshire and placed it back on my larger layout and used the Legacy remote and it ran fine.  But the Lionchief app and the universal remote will no longer work on either layout. It seems like when I placed it on the layout with the postwar transformer that it may have scrambled something with the electronics and Bluetooth?  I do not know.  Please help!

20230531_124700

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@rscott posted:
When I got the NKP Berkshire I initially programed it with my legacy remote. So the first problem I had, was I could not get the smoke unit to turn on with the legacy remote. I do not know if there is a specific procedure to perform to engage the smoke unit in a engine that runs TMCC.

I turn smoke on/off with my Legacy system all the time on a number of LC+ 2.0 locomotives, I've never seen any issues.

@rscott posted:
So, because I originally got this engine to run on my smaller layout, I took the engine and placed it on the smaller layout and applied track power with the postwar ZW. Well, the engine started up with the universal remote right away, but after about 30 seconds it would not connect anymore. I tried to use the Lionchief app and I could not get the blue tooth to connect.  Neither the Bluetooth or the universal remote would work thereafter. Now the engine would run under transformer control but not with the remote or the app.  The other two engines would still run with either the remote or app as they have been doing.  I took the Berkshire and placed it back on my larger layout and used the Legacy remote and it ran fine.  But the Lionchief app and the universal remote will no longer work on either layout. It seems like when I placed it on the layout with the postwar transformer that it may have scrambled something with the electronics and Bluetooth?  I do not know.

It's very difficult for me to believe it "scrambled" something, I've never seen or heard of that happening.  I've run those LC+ 2.0 engines mentioned previously with the phone app, the Universal remote, and as TMCC locomotives, they'll still work with all of those to this day.

Are you sure the BlueTooth switch didn't get knocked off?

Ok,

I have gone through everything I know to try and figure this out. At present, this engine will not connect with the Bluetooth app or with the Universal Remote. I checked the Bluetooth switch to make sure it is in the correct position.  I simply turn on track power whole leaving the Legacy command base off, and nothing.  I read in the operators manuel that sometimes the command base can interfere with the Bluetooth or Universal Remote?  It still is able to run via Legacy/TMCC but i want to run it on a conventional layout.  Is there a way to do a complete factory reset? 

Grasping at straws here, but did you unplug the Legacy base?  I know that Lionel says you're supposed to connect a wire to the ground rail of your layout.  But I've also heard anecdotal tales of folks testing a loco on their workbench, and it picks up the command signal from their unconnected layout in another room!

The only way that I can think of to render the loco "deaf" to the Legacy/TMCC command signal, would be to disconnect the antenna.  And I don't know whether doing this would affect Bluetooth control, or speed control in conventional mode.

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