TMCCII Legacy and Odyssey II

In short, it is the features that each system has that sets them apart from one another. I don't have any of the systems, but I am familiar with the 990. Which appears to be the best system to have with Legacy controlled locomotives. I am sure there are many members up in here that have all three or at one time at had all three and can tell you what you want to know about each.

Pete

There are only two systems - TMCC and Legacy.  Legacy was referred to as TMCC II when it came out as it is the successor for the original TMCC system.  It someone lists an engine as TMCC II, its a legacy engine.

The legacy system will run TMCC engines better because it uses absolute speed steps to control the engines.  The CAB1 used relative speed steps.  TMCC engines support both features but the CAB1 never took advantage of the other speed steps.

In regards to quilling whistles and horns, that is an engine dependent feature. Not all early Legacy engines have that feature. Odyssey II is more refined speed control over the original Odyssey system.  You will have finer control over the engine and it will run even smoother.  Some original Odyssey I engines would tend to jerk at very low speeds which forced the user to bump the speed up one or two speed steps to smooth it out.  You won't see any problems like that with Odyssey II.

Legacy (TMCCII) has 200 speed steps where as TMCC1 Odyssey has 32.

Joe is correct.  Legacy operates TMCC1 locomotives as well as Legacy in absolute speed steps.   As far as I know all Legacy engines have a quilling whistle but may not have the steam effect.

How many speed steps are there in TMCC with Odyssey turned off?

32

I believe operating oilder TMCC engines under DCS control gets you the same results as legacy control.

Joe

Nope Joe, operating older TMCC engines with the DCS control gets you TMCC performance.  Remember, you're actually just using the DCS as a remote, the commands are being issued by the Lionel command base cabled to the DCS TIU.

As far as older Legacy vs. newer Legacy equipment, there have been continual updates in various aspects of the operation.  One thing seems to have remained constant, the Odyssey II speed control and the 200 speed steps is the same from the early Legacy stuff to the latest.  I have some pretty old Legacy locomotives, they have excellent speed control and the quilling whistle.  Many of the newer Legacy models have better lighting controls, sequence control, etc.  The packaging of the electronics has evolved over the years, early Legacy had packaging very similar to TMCC locomotives with the R4LC and the DCDS modules.  The sounds were still the standard RailSounds power supply with an upgraded audio board.  The new Legacy stuff has an all-in-one board that has a piggyback TMCC receiver.  The board controls motors, smoke, lights, etc.  RailSounds is not a single board.

Isn't there a 100 speed step mode or something with DCS running TMCC stuff? Or something running TMCC stuff anyway? I may be dreaming, but I think I remember reading that somewhere here on the forum. I don't have any TMCC and the old memory does play tricks on me every now and then though.

The 100 speed step mode only works for TMCC stuff that supports 100 steps, standard TMCC or Odyssey I is 32 speed steps.  If you have an ERR upgrade or the TAS EOB, you can use them through the DCS remote, the same as if you used them through a Lionel remote.

To someone who runs conventionally, like me, there is a big difference between three generations of these electronics.  TMCC locos will run in conventional, but many jackrabbit on start and do not respond very linearly to the throttle or run smoothly at really low speeds.  Legacy locos do a lot better.  Then, about three years ago, Lionel made is additions to Legacy boards about three years ago to provide the "Refined Conventional Transformer Control mode with slower starting speeds" as advertised in a bullet in catalogs. Legacy locos since then are the best conventional runners I have seen, period (even better than purely conventional locos) with regard to how smoothly they run at really low speeds, etc.    

Good point Lee.  I don't run them conventional, and I see no significant difference between the older and newer Legacy locomotives.  I suspect that change came along with the integrated electronic package, it's a totally different design from the look of it.

Thanks, good to know. I didn't know there were different versions of TMCC. I will probably have only Legacy and MTH stuff (mostly PS3), but you never know? I haven't even bothered connecting my DCS to my Legacy base. May be the odd man out here, but I still like having two different systems and two different remotes.