Patriot LionChief Freight Set

[Elsquared67]

Hi all;

I've returned to the hobby after a far-too-long break, and I just bought the Lionel Patriot LionChief Freight Set.  Everything seems to work fine, but I do have two questions.  (1) When I put the locomotive and caboose on the tracks, the interior lights come on.  Are they supposed to do that, or only when the throttle is activated?  (2) I wanted to use the tracks to test other locomotives I've bought.  The first one I tried - a Marx Lehigh Valley #112 switcher - went to full power as soon as it touched the tracks.  Am I correct in assuming that I can't use a LionChief system for this, I would have to use a regular transformer setup?  Thanks very much for the advice.

 

Larry

 

 

 

[Flintlock76]

Right, that Marx engine's not going to work with a "LionChief" set-up.  If I understand it correctly a "LionChief" layout is energized all the time, the engine being controlled by the remote. 

By the same token, you can't run a "LionChief" locomotive on a conventional set-up.  At least I don't think you can.  "LionChief-Plus" engines will run on conventional layouts.

[Billwiz]

With the Lionchief, full power is sent to the tracks at all time so yes the lights will go on.  The hand held controller (or if bluetooth enabled, your phone) acts as throttle and controller of sounds/horns/etc.

You cannot run a conventional train this way. 

But you can use a conventional transformer to operate the Lionchief set.  You turn up the throttle all the way and use the hand held controller, then turn back down for any conventional locos.  I do this when I run my Polar Express on my post war layout.  

You cannot mix both on the same track at the same time.

Hope this helps.

 

[Flintlock76]

I do  have a LionChief-Plus GP20 which I run on my conventional layout, and I found if using the remote feature it's not necessary to power up the track to the max, 3/4s power on the transformer seems to be sufficient, at least in my case.  Most of the time I run it conventionally anyway.

Good runner!  But I wouldn't have bought it if it wasn't "Plus."

[dougdagrump]

At the club layout we have started using the LionChief loco's for the Kid's Club events. As is normal for some youngsters they only now one speed "FULLBORE", with the LionChief you can use the transformer to act as a "governor" for max speed. Set the voltage so that no matter hi high they crank the controller it will only go as fast as the "preset voltage" will allow.