What is "Legacy Compatible"

base11,

   I do believe the quilling whistle and the blinking lights, and other running options, like remote couplers, also come with the Atlas Compatible engines, it's not just the speed control from what I understand.

PCRR/Dave 

I suspect that all it means is it will operate via the Legacy system in what ever speed step curve they have.

 

As far as I know, no other companies engines that are directly TMCC/Legacy compatible have the quilling whistle feature.

MartyE,

   Thank you sir I was told that new Atlas engines would have all the Legacy options, you are probably right however, sales people seldom know what they are really talking about.  Your knowledge is usually far superior to the sales people's when it comes to actuality.

PCRR/Dave

 

Well Dave you noticed I said "as far as I know."  Maybe something has changed but I think the last sound package shared by Lionel is RS5.  But a "like" from Rudy pretty much confirms my suspicions.

Interesting marketing, every engine that is TMCC equipped would be  "Legacy Compatible", even my old K-Line stuff.  Doesn't mean it recognizes the Legacy command set.

I haven't a clue how they are truly equipped, but my intuition leads me to believe they are advertising as Legacy compatible to mean the engines will work with Legacy as the control system.  Still being TMCC engines, not Legacy equipped, but compatible with Legacy control.  That said, aren't all engines made Legacy compatible?   It is just telling those customers with a Legacy controlled layout that the engines will run on it with the features as equipped.

I take "Legacy Compatible" to mean that the locomotive can be MU'ed with a LEGACY engine, i.e., "compatible."

 

Atlas engines employ the ERR which operates in 100 speed steps. I would assume, then, that the locomotive would be operated in R100 mode on the CAB-2. Although I've never done it, I think a LEGACY engine can be operated in R100 mode, therefore making the 2 engines compatible to double head.

The only way to MU the ERR board and a Legacy locomotive is to run the ERR equipped one as the lead in TMCC mode.  Since R100 mode is really just relative speed steps with some CAB2 display enhancements, the Legacy can run in that mode, but I don't know that it has 100 speed steps, it would revert to TMCC 32 step mode, you'd have to run the ERR in a like mode.

 

I just tested a Legacy in R100, by speed step 25, it was going as fast as I wanted it to go, briefly cracking it to 31 on a straightaway, it was flying!