What do you think Legacy Control System the Next Step In Control Systems

Well, the original design of a collision avoidance system that was proposed by Lou Kovatch used the 153 infrared detectors to locate the trains on the layout. It along with the other devices that he designed, TPC's, ASC's ect. would communicate via the +/- terminals on those devices and be able to slow down an engine, make switch changes and other operations automatically.

 

His design would have fit in better because it would use the Legacy Remote and Base to control the layout and the proposed but never produced LED display originally cataloged by Lionel.

 

With Lou's departure and Jon Z's entry I think the whole idea was scrapped.

 

Had Lionel gone ahead with what Lou intended it might have been more backwardly compatible. Then again they would not have been able to sell new engines with sensors so new sales and profits triumphs over innovation.

And how would it identify what locomotive was going past the IR sensor?

 

Had Lionel gone ahead with what Lou intended it might have been more backwardly compatible. Then again they would not have been able to sell new engines with sensors so new sales and profits triumphs over innovation.

So the posts complaining about your warranty and opening the locomotive were for what?

just busting

I don't know since we only got a thumbnail sketch of the potential. System was never made as far as I know.

 

All I do know was that we asked Lou what the +/- terminals were when he made the prototype TPC 400's for the TMCC Demo Group, when Dick Maddox's was President, during a meeting about the Legacy system at York. It was during that meeting in the grandstands that we got our first introduction to the features of the system.

 

Lou spent some time describing some of the future plans and the capabilities of the Legacy system during that meeting.

Just looked up some information on the Z-Stuff site. I remembered that they used a sensor and some bar codes to activate a couple of their accessories. My guess is that this method could be expanded to include collision avoidance.

 

While the Z-Stuff products cannot tell which specific engine it is detecting it still might work in some way to stop an engine, activate a switch machine via one of their relays, and direct the engine and cars into a passing siding to allow another engine to pass through on the main line ect.

 

Actually, the IR transmission by the locomotive is an exact implementation of the ICC controls (Lou's) system; an IR transmitter was designed for mounting on the loco for collision avoidance!!!  The iPad Layout Control is my creation.  A melding of 2 ideas, so to speak...

 

There is a lot of speculation and I just ask folks to be patient.  The system is very modular, and you don't need the sensor track, or the iPad to leverage the products we are going to roll out.  Our system will allow the iPad to run a non-Legacy setup as well, for example a DCC layout (not locos, layouts!)

 

We will be producing videos and articles for folks to get a better handle on where the LCS (Layout control System) is heading..  We are very excited because we had great interest in the LCS system at York.  Great time to be in the hobby!

Jon, you know this crowd, we love to speculate, and rarely do facts impede the conversation.

 

Looking forward to seeing what this system really offers.

Thanks Jon!  And thanks for all the input to the LUG meeting.

With you in charge jon it can only be good stuff. You now how to make the complex so simple and fun to use. I personally can't wait to see it all. Thanks for all your hard work out there in cali.

Lionel had 3 devices that operated with the LCS. From memory so the details maybe a little off...

 

The first was a WiFi to serial adapter that allows the iPad to "talk" to the Legacy base.

 

The second was a serial adapter that first and foremost increased the drive for the serial data stream and second provide additional ports to feed the 3rd device as well as a 9 pin connector for older TPCs, and ICC devices.

 

The 3rd was a 8 port relay type device that could be used a Block Power Controller, an accessory activator, and a switch activator. 

 

All 3 of the new devices were plug and play with a provided cable.

 

I would hope that the 8 port relay device might come in a "wireless" model much like the SC2.