TMCC and TMCC w/Odyssey

Your better off buying a dummy unit as different models of TMCC locomotives had different speed steps and did not run good together doubleheaded.

Now two different legacy locos run great together.  

Would adding the odyssey speed sensor and module to the C-420 make them compatible?

Has anyone tried this?

Adding Lionel Odyssey would be fairly complex, as you have to add the tach ring to the motor flywheel, etc.  A much easier method would be to use the ERR Cruise Commander M.  Of course, any speed control only works on DC can motored locomotives, not the old Pulmore motors.

Another option is to turn off the Odyssey if the locomotive you're considering is new enough to have the cruise switch.

A consideration for running locomotives in an MU configuration is they should have similar speeds running at the same throttle settings.  If they vary significantly, you'll most likely have problems.

Henry,

We have had very poor results mixing any Lionel locos because they were not designed with compatible speed steps, while there may be a small sweet spot that the curves cross it is really hit or miss. Odyssey may be the main culprit, too bad all the locos don't have an "OFF" switch. This is even to the point where A-B-B-A sets with the powered B unit had issues and would surge while running.

We then ran them as A-B's with a poweredA/dummyB & dummyA/poweredB. That brought up the point of no sound in the powered B unit so we ended up selling the powered B's.

The only engines I have MU'd are some F units with three powered units A-B-B powered. They run closed enough with Odyssey turned on to work. Turning Odyssey off doesn't work nearly as well as they all start up at different steps, watching the blinks on the Command base.

As said above to have any chance of success, wheel diameters and gear ratios have to be the same. 

Pete

I will add this information if it helps:

1) My C-420 is from 2000. D&H 6-18588.

2) The RS-11 I am considering is also from 2000. D&H 6-18596.

3) From what I have researched so far in the parts breakdown, the can motor with the speed sensor is labelled as for a C-420 (or am I misunderstanding this?). Then the sensor module.

I realize there is more to this. And that is why I came to forum seeking knowledge.

If both motors have the same part number then the gears would be the same. If wheel diameters are also the same then you have chance it will work.

The motors and sensors will be the same for most diesels of that era but if the gears were different they would have different part numbers.

Pete

The motors are the same for the non-odyssey motors, so that's probably a good thing.

What I'd probably do with these is ditch the Odyssey and install the ERR Cruise Commander M in both of them.  That way you'd have cruise and with the nudge feature, you could equalize the speeds and have smooth running with the MU configuration.

The other thing you could do is buy the loco and try to MU it with the one you already have.

Keeping in mind that you may have to do some mods to one or both, but try it before going overboard with modifications.