Lionel Lionchief

[HONDO74]

I bought my first Lionel Lionchief engine last year. It's a Santa Fe FT. Came with a remote. I am really impressed at how well these engines operate. I think Lionel hit a home run with Lionchief. Since it has bluetooth and you can run it with a cell phone I decided to try it out. Apparently the LC app does not exist any longer. It's within the CAB 3 app now.

I downloaded the CAB 3 app and installed it on my cell phone. It identified and communicated with the engine right away. even shows a picture of the engine. It ran great using the cell phone for control.

While this is not TMCC it still has lots of advantages over conventional control. You can walk around to any part of the layout to run the engine. This has the advantage if you have a finicky accessorie like a log loader. You are not tied to the transformer

[G3750]

I bought my first Lionel Lionchief engine last year. It's a Santa Fe FT. Came with a remote. I am really impressed at how well these engines operate. I think Lionel hit a home run with Lionchief. Since it has bluetooth and you can run it with a cell phone I decided to try it out. Apparently the LC app does not exist any longer. It's within the CAB 3 app now.

I downloaded the CAB 3 app and installed it on my cell phone. It identified and communicated with the engine right away. even shows a picture of the engine. It ran great using the cell phone for control.

While this is not TMCC it still has lots of advantages over conventional control. You can walk around to any part of the layout to run the engine. This has the advantage if you have a finicky accessorie like a log loader. You are not tied to the transformer

From what I've seen, LionChief is why Lionel is selling way more starter kits than MTH. In fact, I think MTH stopped making starter sets. LC is dirt simple and reliable - everything you want in a first RTR kit. And adding on is equally simple and effective.

George

[Norton]

I have upgraded about ten engines to Lionchief in the past year. Its by far the most economical upgrade. You can still get the LC app. Might have to search on Lionel Lionchief instead of LC. I prefer it as its simpler than the Cab3 app but thats a personal thing.
Most have been the newer Flyerchief boards that have Bluetooth, LC+. and will power couplers. Some power smoke units as well but not all. It all depends on how Lionel programs a specific board.
I am in process of upgrading a Pullmor Firecar motorized unit. Working on an electronic E unit. I found them most suitable for diesel upgrades. Smoke and chuff requires a tach sensor of the motor and Liinel doesen’t sell them separately which means with swapping gears or the flywheel on the engine you want to upgrade and Lionchief onky gives 2 chuffs. You have to use the $250 LCPs Lionchief LC2+ to get 4 chuffs.

This Williams NW2 has Lionchief. 37 bucks at the half price sale.

https://ogrforum.com/video-embed/t/0/c/ ... 550/a/true

Pete

[HONDO74]

I watched the video. It was kind of short. As I recall the Williams NW2 engines had 2 motors.

I don't think they had ElectroCouplers. Did you put ElectroCouplers on it ? If you did put ElectroCouplers on it do you have a video of it in operation ?

The idea of downloading the app for the cell phone was just to play with to see how it worked. I would like to get some more of these Lionchief engines and I will probably get the universal remote.

[Norton]

I don’t have youtube account or photo hosting site so only make short vids. The board I like to use has outputs for two couplers. It also has outputs for smoke but in this case is not programmed for smoke. One downside of them is you are stuck with the programming Lionel includes, much like Legacy.
The NW2 does have electro couplers and uses a common coupler easily found at Lionel. This Beep has the same board but was a bit harder to find a coupler that would work plus required some surgery to fit.

https://ogrforum.com/video-embed/t/0/c/ ... 435/a/true

I have another video of a Williams Alco FA that I did for a friend that has smoke i can email to you.

Pete

[HONDO74]

I watched the video. That's what I am after. Being able to couple/uncouple anywhere on a layout. But I have limitation with being able to do electrical or elictronic work.

I spent some time awhile back with teledyne uncoupling for early postwar NW-2 engine that have electro couplers ?
I even bought an electronic unit for it instead of using a whistle relay unit to install except I have not done it yet. As I have become interested in the Lionchief engines that have electrol couplers. like the NW-2 and the 0-6-0 dockside engine

teledyne is where you use the whistle button to activate the coupler. Lionel used this in their prewar switch engines.

This is the electric unit I bought,
https://www.ebay.com/itm/125241289159?c ... gLUyvD_BwE

Some video of a postwar NW-2 in operation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIVREJZ5Njk

Switching Operation With A Lionel 624 With Teledyne Coupler (Remote Uncoupler)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKY7tB7sIyE

[Norton]

I see thats a circuit that senses the DC offset the whistle button provides. Two downsides is it doesn’t differentiate which coupler opens and also you have to chose between whistle/horn or coupler. The LC+ board used in that Beep and NW2 has a list price of 75 bucks or 37.50 during the half price sale at Lionel and it can be operated with the LC App which is free.
It doesn’t require much knowledge of electronics but only which connector goes where plus a selection of JST connectors most of which can be found at Amazon.
LC boards are best used with DC motors. Using one in a Post War NW2 would require extra circuitry.

Pete

[HONDO74]

I assume the the beep will work with a universal remote. But what does the LC app identify the engine as ?

The LC app identifies my lt engine as such even shows a picture of it.

So if I wanted to do what you have done the Williams engine would be the best way to go for a NW-2 switch engine that would uncouple any where on a layout. What are the electrol couplers you would get for it that would work. I don't use smoke on any of my engines,

I wonder if anyone has put one of these LC boards in a Menard's F7 diesel engine.

[Norton]

The board I am using is for. Flyerchief GP7. Its priced at 75 bucks. I put a similar board in a friends a Williams FA2. Identical board but smoke is enabled. That one is for a Lionchief Great Northern FA and costs $110 now. Was 100 bucks until the tariffs hit.
The Universal Remote works will all Lionchief and also the only way you can double head engines. You have to use identical boards in each engine and the remote powers them both up. The App sees two engines but only powers up one or the other.
I wish I could post photos here directly. I used to use a photo hosting site but that shut down and took my photos with it.
Right not I am using a an early LC non Bluetooth board for a Lionel motorized unit with a Pullmor. I have to use a Universal Remote with that one.

Pete

[HONDO74]

I sent you a PM with my email address You can send the photos to me
Robert HONDO74

[HONDO74]

Thank you I received your email with the picture of the board. Interesting that it was for a American flyer S gauge engine.

Since you put this board in a Williams PA I am guessing it would work also in a Williams F7. I have an extra Williams F7 that came in a 3 unit set.. I put motors in the dummy F7 Now all I would need is some electrol couplers for it. Any suggestion on the couplers.

[Norton]

They used that board in both S scale and O scale. The board thats annotated is for a Lionchief NW2. Same hardware.
Pretty sure most all Williams have the same 2” couplers. i usually replace them with 1 3/4” but my minimum diameter is 042.
Lionel refers the mount as mount C.

2” might have the correct ZH connector.

https://www.lionelsupport.com/COIL-COUP ... ENGTH-2.02

1.85” not sure about the connector.

https://www.lionelsupport.com/COIL-COUP ... ENGTH-1.85

All can be found here.

https://www.lionelsupport.com/search?ke ... %20coupler

[Norton]

These Williams F3s have the GP7 board in both A units. They have to be run with the Universal Remote which makes it hard for slow starts. That pot is pretty crude vs the slider on the App.
The lead unit has a 1 3/4” coupler. The trailing A has a 2”.


https://ogrforum.com/video-embed/t/0/c/ ... 551/a/true

Pete

[HONDO74]

I looked up the part number from the picture you sent me. 691ENGM272. Apparently they are out of stock. Putting these boards in other engines mush be popular. Have you ever done this with one of Williams brass engines. Would the brass affect the RC signal.

This is the link to the website.
https://www.lionelsupport.com/custitem_ ... ooth%20pcb

This is the link to the picture of the board
https://www.lionelsupport.com/Support%2 ... 067-01.jpg

[Norton]

I used that photo because it showed the connectors better. The one I used that had smoke was for a Great Northern FA.
I think most all the steam boards support smoke though I know the early one for the Docksider does not. Thats the one I am using in my Firecar. If one that is in stock catches your eye, see if someone posted a video of it to get an idea of the horn sound.

Pete