Question on Legacy and Power Masters

Powermasters require a Bridge for Legacy control. TPCs don't require a Bridge.

Interesting. Since legacy can talk to TMCC engines I assumed the full system would talk to PM or ZW, but the CAB-2 could not go direct to PM without the bridge. Bummer. G

Legacy CAB2 transmits on 2.4ghz, the PowerMasters are listening on 27mhz, which is what the CAB1 also transmits on. The PowerMaster Bridge just converts the conversation at 2.4ghz to 27mhz and retransmits it.

The difference is the frequency as others have said but another reason is the Track Power Controllers receive there commands from the Legacy or Trainmaster base in serial data form by wire. The Powermaster receives its commands directly from the Cab1 by radio frequency so basically it would be like trying to tune in a radio station on your landline phone. You can run a conventional locomotive with the cab1 in conventional mode with a Powermaster only. A Trainmaster base is not needed. They are good for Christmas layouts that only run conventional.
Ron

Thanks guys, I understood the basics of it and know of the freq difference.

I just didn't realize the PM "Only" receives commands from the CAB-1. I was thinking in the Command enviroment the PM would receive TMCC signals like the ZW does.

That led me to think the Bridge was only needed if trying to control a PM with a CAB-2 "Only".

Ron, Wire to TPC also fills in a blank for me. Thanks again, G

The Powermaster Bridge is just a cab1 without the buttons and with a serial input. It is attached to the serial data stream from the legacy base. It then takes the commands from the legacy base that would control a TPC for conventional control (speed, direction, whistle, bell) and sends them out on the same radio frequency that the cab1 uses (27mhz). The powermaster thinks it is getting it's instructions from a cab1.
Ron

Very interesting, so if Lionel can make the Bridge which replicate the CAB-1 for $59, I wonder why Lionel can't make the CAB-1 still.......... G

quote:

Originally posted by GGG:
Very interesting, so if Lionel can make the Bridge which replicate the CAB-1 for $59, I wonder why Lionel can't make the CAB-1 still.......... G

I don't think it's a question of ability, rather of corporate desire.

GGG that's a very good question that I had never thought of.
Ron

quote:

Originally posted by GGG:
Very interesting, so if Lionel can make the Bridge which replicate the CAB-1 for $59, I wonder why Lionel can't make the CAB-1 still.......... G

It's not replicating a Cab 1. It is a frequency converter. Basically re-modulating the commands onto the frequency of the powermaster.

quote:

Originally posted by MartyE:

quote:

Originally posted by GGG:
Very interesting, so if Lionel can make the Bridge which replicate the CAB-1 for $59, I wonder why Lionel can't make the CAB-1 still.......... G

It's not replicating a Cab 1. It is a frequency converter. Basically re-modulating the commands onto the frequency of the powermaster.

Marty, let's get real here. Surely, it's not a technical challenge to create the circuitry to do this! This isn't a technical issue, it's a corporate decision.

Lionel is moving on. Electronic devices become obsolete, and the parts become obsolete. In fact its amazing when one can still buy some ICs that are over 30 years old. I applaud Lionel for the degree of backward compatibility Lionel does support.

I have no problem with Legacy's backwards compatibility, it works fine. Of course, since Lionel continues to sell many TMCC locomotives and other devices, that would seem to be mandatory from a business viewpoint.

Marty I don't have a powermaster bridge so I'm not exactly sure how it works so let me ask a question. Doesn't it take the commands off the cable which is basically a serial data stream and then add them to the proper modulation frequency and send it out rf? If so what else is missing to make a cab1, a keyboard tied to a rom chip with the commands in it and the serial data generator? I know this is simplistic and there is a lot more to it but it seems to me that the bridge is a very close cousin to the cab1.
Ron

Ron, you also need the red wheel with the optosensors, encoder disk and mask. Nothing in itself is expensive (except for the tooling), but when you add up a few circuit boards, wiring, components, battery holder, etc. and multiply by at least 4 to get a selling price, there isn't much incentive to make the product.

I agree Dale but the comment I made was that I am agreeing with GGG and Gunrunnerjohn that the decision to drop the cab1 from production was a corporate one and not a parts availability one. For someone to create a new cab1 from scratch would be cost prohibitive and possibly not profitable BUT on the other hand Lionel has everything needed in there war chest. I agree that some parts aren't available anymore but the keyboard isn't a problem, the radio circuitry isn't a problem (take it out of the bridge) and the legacy throttle is no problem to move over to the cab1. Don't get me wrong I like Legacy very much but I also still use my cab1.
Ron