Other Than The Much Larger Legacy Remote, Has Lionel Replaced The CAB1-L Remote?

The best answer I can give as for what Lionel will do will have to wait until we get all the details from the Friday catalog release.

for the current line up I truly love the Cab-2. It does look very big/bulky and complicated. I wouldn’t mind if it was able to be made a little thinner but it’s not too bad. It does take some time and use to get use to it and how it feels but once your there I can use it one handed for most operations without even looking at it. We have Neil Young to thanks for the very interesting and thought out design.

As for the Cab-1L I never used one until recently and I think your right it’s a great remote. Everything is in the same spot from the old Cab-1 a lot of people have and don’t want to let go of. It’s cheeper and a little easier on little fingers. Honestly I can’t see it going anywhere any time soon, Lionel developed it after the backlash from customers after fully discontinuing the original Cab-1.

that’s my thoughts

FWIW, I love the Cab1L and will never trade up to the Cab2. As a small 2-train operator, the Cab 1L (s) are perfect for my operation, light weight, and easy to use around the layout. My visitors like watching the trains more than trying to figure out a complex remote. They're also easy to store and have never failed me.

Cab 1 is very nice and easy to learn. Once I got a Cab 2, it took some time to get used to its operations.

Well the Cab1L came after Legacy to satisfy those who thought the Cab2 was too complicated.  It  is more of a replacement for the Cab1.  So it's actually newer than the Cab2s. 

Thanks to each of you!  

I don't mind the complexity of the Cab-2 Legacy controller.  It's the size that's the problem.  Additionally, I haven't had a lot of success for the past few days finding a Cab-1L for sale.  

My now grown, "train buddy" son, was over with his boys on Sunday, and wanted to operate two trains with separate controllers for each train.  He inquired if I had another Cab- 1L, which, I didn't.  In this regard, I  could have switched to two Lion Chief+  locomotives, which would have used two, separate controllers for the two separate operators.  However,  we were operating some of the earlier TMCC locos from his childhood, including the Daylight GS-4, and the N & W streamlined loco.

As to Cab-1L availability,  the Lionel site appears to show a "Pre-Order" status.  Perhaps there is a new Cab 1-L on the way.

I haven't had much luck locating a dealer with a Cab-1L.  

I've been told the CAb1L is staying, but we'll know for sure Friday.

Unfortunately, if the big L does away with the CAB1L I will have to go back to conventional or only run Lionchief. The CAB1L is the only way for someone who is visually impaired to run Legacy/TMCC. Sadly, the iPhone app is also inaccessible.

I doubt Cab1L is going anywhere for the foreseeable future.  Its at least 7 years younger than the 16 year old Legacy controller.  The Legacy controller in my opinion has probably hit a brick wall on components and tech.  I think the Cab1L will be available for sometime to come.  The production runs on these items go in cycles.  The next cycle will probably be coming up soon.

If Cab2 is done, I suspect the pandemic probably accelerated its demise due to component shortages.  Whether you like it or not, if Lionel goes to an App based control, they are no longer limited by the controller as to what they can do.  We'll all know more in a day or so.

@MartyE posted:

I doubt Cab1L is going anywhere for the foreseeable future.  Its at least 7 years younger than the 16 year old Legacy controller.  The Legacy controller in my opinion has probably hit a brick wall on components and tech.  I think the Cab1L will be available for sometime to come.  The production runs on these items go in cycles.  The next cycle will probably be coming up soon.

If Cab2 is done, I suspect the pandemic probably accelerated its demise due to component shortages.  Whether you like it or not, if Lionel goes to an App based control, they are no longer limited by the controller as to what they can do.  We'll all know more in a day or so.

Thanks Marty!  Good information, as with the other thoughtful comments in this thread. I hope there is a new announcement about the Cab 1-L or its progeny.

@ChooChoo1972 posted:

Unfortunately, if the big L does away with the CAB1L I will have to go back to conventional or only run Lionchief. The CAB1L is the only way for someone who is visually impaired to run Legacy/TMCC. Sadly, the iPhone app is also inaccessible.

I think the CAB -1L remote will remain in production. Lionel will still have a hand held remote.

@MartyE posted:

If Cab2 is done, I suspect the pandemic probably accelerated its demise due to component shortages.  Whether you like it or not, if Lionel goes to an App based control, they are no longer limited by the controller as to what they can do.  We'll all know more in a day or so.

If they invest in a good app developer.  Seems MTH created the DCS APP and then never improved it. Certainly didn't fix all the flaws.  Now we are all stuck with what it is.  Lionel seems to do things on the cheap these days, whether it's QC issues, couplers/trucks, or what have you.  I can see the complaints in my head when this gets released, and bugs galore pop up.

Is Lionel going to use beta testers for this???  Lets hope so.

@Dennis GS-4 N & W No. 611 posted:

Thanks to each of you!  

I don't mind the complexity of the Cab-2 Legacy controller.  It's the size that's the problem.  Additionally, I haven't had a lot of success for the past few days finding a Cab-1L for sale.  

My now grown, "train buddy" son, was over with his boys on Sunday, and wanted to operate two trains with separate controllers for each train.  He inquired if I had another Cab- 1L, which, I didn't.  In this regard, I  could have switched to two Lion Chief+  locomotives, which would have used two, separate controllers for the two separate operators.  However,  we were operating some of the earlier TMCC locos from his childhood, including the Daylight GS-4, and the N & W streamlined loco.

As to Cab-1L availability,  the Lionel site appears to show a "Pre-Order" status.  Perhaps there is a new Cab 1-L on the way.

I haven't had much luck locating a dealer with a Cab-1L.  

I have my CAB-1L on order direct from the Lionel Store. It still shows as a valid order.

I bought mine from Mario.  It was cheaper and faster!

Jon

@MartyE posted:

I doubt Cab1L is going anywhere for the foreseeable future.  Its at least 7 years younger than the 16 year old Legacy controller.  The Legacy controller in my opinion has probably hit a brick wall on components and tech.  I think the Cab1L will be available for sometime to come.  The production runs on these items go in cycles.  The next cycle will probably be coming up soon.

If Cab2 is done, I suspect the pandemic probably accelerated its demise due to component shortages.  Whether you like it or not, if Lionel goes to an App based control, they are no longer limited by the controller as to what they can do.  We'll all know more in a day or so.

I concur 1000%. I figured covid shortages accelerated the demise of CAB2. But I think the CAB1L is a worthy stand in. It's simple and effective in my opinion.

I didn't realize how old the Legacy system was. I was out of model railroading from 2000 to 2017 and I never had a TMCC locomotive as a kid. So when I saw Legacy in 2017, I thought it was new and super advanced

@superwarp1 posted:

If they invest in a good app developer.  Seems MTH created the DCS APP and then never improved it. Certainly didn't fix all the flaws.  Now we are all stuck with what it is.  Lionel seems to do things on the cheap these days, whether it's QC issues, couplers/trucks, or what have you.  I can see the complaints in my head when this gets released, and bugs galore pop up.

Is Lionel going to use beta testers for this???  Lets hope so.

Gary

I agree.  The App development has to be in the fore front and continuous if this is the route taken.  You can bring out a new base but if the App doesn't perform you'll be getting nothing but grief.  I'm confident that the Lionel team knows this.  I'll reserve judgement until we hear more.  I'm 100% sure there will be some "bugs" to work out.  How they get addressed will be important.  If the hardware remote, specifically Cab2 is endangered then, I really don't think they had a choice other than to steer towards an App base control with how fast tech changes.  By the time they are done designing and producing a new hardware remote, it could be obsolete.

Tomorrow will answer a lot of questions.

@BillYo414 posted:

I concur 1000%. I figured covid shortages accelerated the demise of CAB2. But I think the CAB1L is a worthy stand in. It's simple and effective in my opinion.

I didn't realize how old the Legacy system was. I was out of model railroading from 2000 to 2017 and I never had a TMCC locomotive as a kid. So when I saw Legacy in 2017, I thought it was new and super advanced

I think we started the Legacy Users Group in the fall of 2008 or Spring of 2009 about a year after Legacy actually hit the shelves.

Incidentally credit for the origin of the group belongs to Elliot Scher.  He first suggested it and then I believe Will Allen took the next step in arranging a meeting.  He asked if I would help.  Chris Bojanower then joined in.  The rest is history.  So if we go by that timing Legacy is easily 16 years old, maybe even 17 in development.

@MartyE posted:

So if we go by that timing Legacy is easily 16 years old, maybe even 17 in development.

I'm not often behind the times, but when I am, I make sure it's by a decade or more haha

The Cab-1L is in production. By time it gets on the boat and gets over here, it'll likely be April.

@Dave Olson posted:

The Cab-1L is in production. By time it gets on the boat and gets over here, it'll likely be April.

I'm fine with that. At least I know I will get one with the latest features and software. I also like ordering directly from Lionel. That way I get it fast.