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I'm new to Lionel sensor track use.  I understand how to hook 'em up, set recording options, etc.  But the following feature described in the LCS Sensor Track user manual puzzles me ... "Locomotive information and ID automatically load into all Legacy CAB-2 remotes as the loco pass over the LCS sensor track"  

Here are my questions:

1)  For existing engines that I've already assigned a unique engine ID and entered loco type, name, etc, via CAB-2, does passing over sensor track automatically overwrite data I previously entered manually in my CAB-2?  Maybe I entered engine type incorrectly originally or maybe I purposely manually entered a characteristic different from what Lionel says it is.  Does running my existing engine over sensor track cause automatic overwrite of my manually entered CAB-2 engine characteristics?

2) For new engines just taken out of Lionel shipping box and not yet assigned a loco ID, do I still manually set engine run/program switch to program and use my CAB-2 first to manually enter a unique engine ID of my choosing then slide engine program switch back to run?  Then run the engine in "Run" mode with its new unique engine ID over the sensor track to upload the engine information automatically? 

Tom

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I'm not sure about the answers to your questions. However, I know a couple of related things that may be helpful:

1) Updates of engine info via the IRV2 can easily be disabled or re-enabled, so you only have to have the update function activated when to want to update the info for a specific engine. To disable: Press ACC, 99, AUX1, 3. To enable: Press ACC, 99, AUX, 4.

2) I have an early Legacy engine (SP GS-4) that has an air horn in addition to the whistle. The air horn is triggered by a soft key. I found that when the engine crossed an IRV2 that was enabled for engine updates, the update removed the soft key for the air horn. Fortunately, I have the orange module for the engine, so I was able to restore the key for the horn. If I didn't have the orange module, I don't know how I could have restored that function. I should add that this engine doesn't have an IR transmitter, so the update occurred via a SensorCar.

The sensor track will always update the CAB-2/Base if enabled. So yes if something is entered incorrectly or just differently it will be adjusted. Like mentioned above it can still be disabled. This only tells the base the information of the locomotive, it will NOT set the TMCC ID number you still need to do that first with the run/prg switch before running across the sensor. 

Try editing the engine description in the base with the Legacy System Utility, you have access to all the fields that define the engine.

Interesting thought. I looked at the data for this engine in the LSU, but didn't see a field and/or a drop-down for an air horn--only lighting options.

Fortunately, I have the orange module. I'll hold on to it carefully in case of a problem in the future.

Lionel has said multiple times that anything the orange module can do you can do from the CAB2, so maybe an email to Dave Olson might answer the question.

I did ask about this...it turns out that the CAB-2—and the LSU—cannot do quite everything the orange module can. However, if you need the orange module but don’t have it, Lionel has blank orange modules and can make a replacement.

That's interesting Keith, obviously it would be pretty easy to remedy that, at least using the LSU.  The LSU can obviously be modified to set whatever bits needed to set those options.

@Keith L posted:

If I didn't have the orange module, I don't know how I could have restored that function. I should add that this engine doesn't have an IR transmitter, so the update occurred via a SensorCar.

 I don't quite understand how the sensor car triggered something that screwed up your locomotive, that's certainly a feature I am not impressed with!

Last edited by gunrunnerjohn

I don't quite understand how the sensor car triggered something that screwed up your locomotive, that's certainly a feature I am not impressed with!

I'm not either, and it can't be fixed.

On the other hand, it's an anomaly that probably affects only a small number of engines. I wouldn't think that many early Legacy engines had a soft key for a secondary air horn or whistle. And I don't really think it would be reasonable to expect Lionel to ensure that every new product is perfectly compatible with every earlier product.

So, like you, I'm "not impressed" by this anomaly, but I understand that such a quirk might happen.

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