Re: Lionel 2006 V2 Catalog!

[ed.weltens@sbcglobal.net]

MTH has patents on most of those features. Compatibility with DCS would require reverse engineering since it is a proprietary system. 

Like DCS, there is no cvompelling reason to get TMCC 2 yet until you have the technology in the engines.  There is significant new functionality especially in speed control and the dynamic context sensitive backlit keypad.  When you select a route of turnouts there is supposed to be a graphical display of that too.  

I am disappointed in the rechargeable base too for the same reasons but it would be nice for a home layout. 

The catalog states you only have to load the engine once and that you can create aliases for TMCC 1 engines. 

I am interested in how the layout control module will work in the future. 

I wanted to see super streets too. There were only 2 months between the licensing of K-Line and this catalog so I am optimistic more will come. 

Ed
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld  

-----Original Message-----
From: "Ira Schneider" <ira_schneider@Iname.com>
Date: Sat, 29 Jul 2006 08:09:01 
To:"ttat-members@aoot.com" <ttat-members@aoot.com>
Subject: Re: Lionel 2006 V2 Catalog!

I am rather disappointed in Lionel's new offerings.

TMCC-2 looks like Lionel is playing catch-up with MTH.  They haven't really added any new features
over DCS, are not compatible with DCS (no surprise there!), and doubled the price of the
CAB-2 and charger.  They also made the new CAB-2 rechargeable, which means we would
have to charge the remote control before we used it.  We would also have to provide power for
the charging bases.

It also appears that the TMCC-2 system doesn't read information from the engines.  It sounds
like you have to take the identification chip which comes with the new TMCC-2 engines and
download the information into the TMCC-2 system.  It isn't clear whether the CAB-2 retains
the information (which means you would have to load the info into EVERY CAB-2) or if the
command base retains the information.  It also doesn't say what happens if the command base
is powered off for a long time (like ours would be).

At first glance, it doesn't look like TMCC-2 would be much use to the club.

I am also disappointed (but again, not surprised) at the K-Line products Lionel included in their
product line.  The initial offering only includes a couple of engines and some rolling stock.  They
didn't include either the shadow-rail track system (which we could certainly use) or the road system
(which might have been an interesting product).  They also didn't include any of the licensed
rolling stock which K-Line announced just before Lionel acquired them.

I guess this is just business as usual.


Ira




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TTAT members reflector.