TMCC F3 ABBA Lash-up Trouble, Needing Help

What you are actually trying to build is a “Multiple Unit Consist” but the ridiculous term “lashup” seems to have permeated the 3-rail crowd.

To build a “lashup” of multiple unit locomotives takes a lot of rope.  

Rich, I'm simply trying to create the thing that Lionel calls it:

Steims, I know what you're trying to do. I'm just having a bit of fun with you.

I have had a long-standing problem with the term "lashup" ever since MTH and Lionel both started using this silly term. In the real world what you are trying to build is called a "Multiple Unit Consist." In this context, the word "consist" has the emphasis on the first syllable - CON-sist.

Among experienced railroaders, the term "lashup" is never used...unless you have a lot of rope you don't know what to do with. 

On the rear engine hit direction before hitting set if the engine front is facing the rear. So for the rear engine it would be TR1 18 R DIR SET. Hope this helps.

Geeedo is correct, you need to change the direction of the trailing rear A unit. This should correct the lighting to. Good luck. It’s going to be a fun multi unit diesel set to run. (Are you using Cab 1 or Cab 2) Happy Railroading 

Steims

Hope you get it working. Lashups are great fun!

Gweedo hit it right on the head.  Clicked the direction and it all works fine now.  I thought the R was making it "reverse" instead of treating the R as rear unit. 

Thanks Gweedo and Larry. 

Larry asked about which Lionel controls I am using.  The answer is that I have both a Cab-1 and Cab-2 on the layout with the y-cable connecting the bases.  I noticed an interesting behavior earlier when programming these locos.  The powered A unit (1516) seemed to operator slow, kind of crawl, using the Cab-2.  It felt like I had a speed limit or something on it.  I then used the Cab-1 and this thing zips right along just like I would expect.  I have the Cab-2 set on TMCC, RS, Diesel.   Is there another setting someplace I missed that makes this loco run sluggish on the Cab-2?

That’s a great question, possibly re-program both powered units and use the Cab 2 remote, go through the labeling sequence and run them in diesel mode, using the M button for operation of the train. That’s just an idea. When I program my Legacy diesels, (assigning ID numbers via the remote do to no more orange modules), going through the program mode, answering the ID questions, on diesels, I use diesel, etc. Also, you might put the Cab 2 in Cab 1 mode???? I hope some of the TMCC experts chime in, You have a good question. 

The Cab-2 uses absolute speed steps. This means that every speed step is exactly the same increment of speed. The Cab-1 uses relative speed steps. This means that each speed step is a bigger jump in speed that the previous step.  The Cab-1 also only has 32 speed steps. With the Cab-2 you can have 100 speed steps. This allows much finer control of the speed without radical jumps in how fast the loc is running. If you configure you engine in the Cab-2 as cab-1 control, you will get 32 speed steps. I dont recall if you also get relative speed steps. When you configure your loc as tmcc control in the Cab-2 you will get absolute speed steps. This simple difference is why people enjoy legacy over the Cab-1. You get finer speed control just by using the remote. Tmcc locs always had this feature built in but the Cab-1 was not equipped to take advantage of it.