My first Lionel LionChief Plus engine #2050

[KRM]

I have been wanting to try the Lionel LionChief Plus since introduction. My main reason is the feature that they will pull a grade and keep a constant speed. Up till today all of my trains are conventional units run from one of two Lionel ZW transformers.

Out of the box it looks very nice and has good weight. Pleased.

 On the track, Sounds work well and were to loud for me so the feature you can adjust the volume with the remote was one of the first things I did. It was an easy process to do and I have them where I like it. I do wish the horn was louder and the engine revving not so loud but it will do.

 Remote operations, lights, horn, bell, crew talk and couplers worked as advertised.

On the track it has a nice easy start up and runs smooth with engine revving following the speed well.

Speed control runs it up well but for me it should have more levels. It seems to be too slow or too fast for my liking but not beyond living with.

Smoke output is great and gives life to the movement.

After three laps around the track on the flat it was time to check the speed up the grade?? Perfect. I am very happy.

 Attached is a short video of the first run.

 

[robmcc]

Nice video and review from Kev's Train Box!

That doesn't have Bluetooth, correct? If it does, I would recommend downloading the Lionchief app. It allows you to adjust the sound volumes independently, so you could have the engine volume lower than the horn. Glad you bit and got one! The LC/LC+ is a nice bridge between conventional and command. What did the Mrs. say?

Rob

[KRM]

Rob, No Bluetooth on this as far as I can tell??? it is already 3 years old. Most Recent Catalog: 2016 Lionel Volume 2.  BTW I have a dumb flip phone so would not do much for me. Guess I need to get with the times? I thought just getting LionChief Plus was a big step.

To to adjust the sound volumes independently would be nice!!!

[Michael6268]

I've been thinking of buying that unit.  Where did you get it? Good deal?

[KRM]

Michael6268,

I think it was more than fair. Most places are sold out of them. I got it from Mario's trains for $274.00 delivered.

[MartyE]

I find the LC+ engines some of the best bargains out there. Lionel is now using some of the PW tooling for these including the Berks.  I wouldn't put it past them to start tapping into the Lionmaster tools and get some bigger engines on the market.  I think they'd sell like hotcakes, whatever that means.

Enjoy your new engine!

[anjdevil2]

Glad you like it, Kev!!

I have 3 and working on 4. 

1) Polar Express set ($279)

2) CNJ CamelBack ($300)

3) CNJ Blue Comet with Bluetooth and Transformer Control ($300)

4) (Pending) NS First Responders unit 5364 set with Bluetooth and Transformer Control. ($300, yes, for the SET.  My LHS is taking care of me).

I REALLY like the LC/LC+ stuff, like Marty said, a GREAT BANG for the BUCK!!

I'm not overly excited about the Bluetooth (It does have sound and pitch control), the sounds and smoke are really superior to what I am used to from Lionel.  AND I can run it with my TMCC/Legacy system and engines.

From the start, I thought these engines were a great value.  Can't wait until my layout is up and running, then I can get my MPC era Blue Comet Coaches on the back of my Blue Comet engine.....

 

[8ntruck]

I've got three of them now - a Piere Marquette Berkshire, a NYC Hudson, and a MKT NW2.  Haven't had a chance to run the MKT yet, but the other two have nice detail, good smoke output, and nice sound package.  Smooth runners too.

[Buckeye Riveter]

I now have four Lionchief Plus locomotives. All of them run good but there have been a few tweaks. The Mikado had a trailing truck that would not move freely. The best part is the grandsons can run them.  

If you have popped off the shell, it is much better layed out inside. Not a bunch of wires as found in TMCC. 

I would like to see Lionel use this system as an intro to more road names. It seems like it would be very simple especially for the diesel units.

[Michael6268]

Ive got all steam   

Hudson

Mikado

And a Pacific.... 

 

All still in their original shipping cartons.  Given the state of Lionel quality, i cringe when the day comes i take them out and try them out! 

Time to add a diesel !!

[KRM]

Michael6268

All still in their original shipping cartons.  Given the state of Lionel quality, i cringe when the day comes i take them out and try them out!

 After two days on the track I keep hearing a high pitched noise coming from the engine and thought maybe it was to be the sound of the turbo, Nope it is the fan motor?? Anyone else notice that? or are your fans quiet?

Tried to get a hold of someone at Lionel for hours!!! I think I would have better luck getting the POTUS and the speaker of the house to get along than get someone at Lionel to answer the phone!

[rtraincollector]

KRM

 

Michael6268

All still in their original shipping cartons.  Given the state of Lionel quality, i cringe when the day comes i take them out and try them out!

 

 

 

 After two days on the track I keep hearing a high pitched noise coming from the engine and thought maybe it was to be the sound of the turbo, Nope it is the fan motor?? Anyone else notice that? or are your fans quiet?

Tried to get a hold of someone at Lionel for hours!!! I think I would have better luck getting the POTUS and the speaker of the house to get along than get someone at Lionel to answer the phone!

There closed due to the govermeent shutdown  

On the serious side thou I feel for them. (That's all the polical I'm getting. ) 

[KRM]

rtraincollector

 

 

KRM

 

Michael6268

All still in their original shipping cartons.  Given the state of Lionel quality, i cringe when the day comes i take them out and try them out!

 

 

 

 After two days on the track I keep hearing a high pitched noise coming from the engine and thought maybe it was to be the sound of the turbo, Nope it is the fan motor?? Anyone else notice that? or are your fans quiet?

Tried to get a hold of someone at Lionel for hours!!! I think I would have better luck getting the POTUS and the speaker of the house to get along than get someone at Lionel to answer the phone!

 

 

 

There closed due to the govermeent shutdown  

On the serious side thou I feel for them. (That's all the polical I'm getting. ) 

 

Is there a point here RT????? Nothing here is political, it was a metaphor about getting Lionel to respond. 

Anyway,,,

 I have decided that buying new trains today is like a Quickie, you get a moment of joy and a lifetime of grief. 

 I had best stick with my old stuff.

[rtraincollector]

The whole goverment shut down is polical it was meant as a joke but as normal it went over your head. 

As for those really not getting paid I feel for them, 

[KRM]

rtraincollector

The whole goverment shut down is polical it was meant as a joke but as normal it went over your head. 

As for those really not getting paid I feel for them, 

 

 I think we are on the same page? If that can be.

"The whole goverment shut down is polical it was meant as a joke"

 There is nothing that is a joke in the goverment shut down. Please,,, Please don't reply to anything I post if there is no reason other than to troll me. Troll someone else.

[sir james I]

There is a thread on OGR about no one answering the phone. Some get no answer some say they just keep calling till someone does. The squeal sounds like the fan motoer needs a drop of oil. 

[8ntruck]

I've got two or three hours of running time on my LionChief+ Hudson.  I've also noticed a rhythmic squeek at low speeds.  Giving the loco a lube job didn't seem to help.  It comes and goes. 

I'm wondering if it is in the sound package?

[rtraincollector]

KRM

It wasn't meant as a troll. Just a little humor but I can see you can not take it as a joke, As if you would of read I immediately replied "on the serious side I really feel for them" To me there being used as pawns. And to me both sides are wrong. The real losers here are the Federal workers. ( by the way I was once ) So I do understand what there going thru. 

 

 

rtraincollector

The whole goverment shut down is polical it was meant as a joke but as normal it went over your head. 

As for those really not getting paid I feel for them, 

 

 

 

 

 I think we are on the same page? If that can be.

"The whole goverment shut down is polical it was meant as a joke"

 There is nothing that is a joke in the goverment shut down. Please,,, Please don't reply to anything I post if there is no reason other than to troll me. Troll someone else.

 

[rlbarnard]

Hi,

I think we have suffered a derailment on the subject (which was LionChief).

Have a good day, everybody,

Dick

[KRM]

8ntruck

I've got two or three hours of running time on my LionChief+ Hudson.  I've also noticed a rhythmic squeek at low speeds.  Giving the loco a lube job didn't seem to help.  It comes and goes. 

I'm wondering if it is in the sound package?

 

 I thought the same thing till I turned off the sound and it did not go away. Give yours a try and ket me know 8N.

Thanks.

 On a good note:

Mario said he would swap out that engine after a few e-mails explaining that Lionel won't warranty their own product because it is 3 years old yet new. So good for him! And lucky he had one left.

SJ, I was thinking the same thing but you can't get a screwdriver on the shell screws on one end without removing the truck and I did not want to open a brand new train and maybe screw up any chance of Warranty if they did change their mind.

It has a high pitch squeal / squeak as you ramp up the engine to speed. That would be with the sound off and the smoke unit on. It is quiet with the smoke unit off and is so loud it overcomes the sound system when it is on.  Sometimes the squeak / squeal will come in and out as if something is loose in the smoke unit or inside it?.

 So I will run it some more and see how it goes. If it does not get better then I will send it back Monday.

[KRM]

I agree RT, there is nothing funny about what is going on with those Gov workers..

Now back to the engine,,,Get this,,, Of all the weird stuff,,,,,,,,, So I put the engine on without the sound with the smoke unit on and the fan sounded normal. Less than one lap and it started that squeal. So I shut it off and got my camera to do a video to show Mario what it was doing. I went back downstairs and started it back up and as with the first time it sounded like a normal fan running but never did the squeal again. Anyway I ran it for an hour straight and it was fine. I will try to reproduce it again tomorrow. Hope it just broke it's self in and will be okay? What do you think I should do?  Sure hate to return it if it is working fine??? Beats me what is going on?? 

[rtraincollector]

unless it keeps doing it, ie returns, I would just keep it and hope it needed break it self in. I sure hope that is all.

Does look like a nice engine. I'm just not completely sold on the Lionchief/Lionchief+ system as I like the TMCC & Legacy systems But I do see there use thou. I have about 10+ tmcc/Legacy engines and I think what it would take to run them, if they where lionchief/+ yes they make a controller that can operate up to 3 engines I believe but to switch engines out I would have to have 4 controllers or 10 individual controllers if I used the ones that came with it. But then each there own, I stick to mine where I just need one controller.

Either way enjoy it, I'm sure it will be great with the grandkids.

 

 

[Michael6268]

Get used to lionchief / lionchief plus. It's here to stay. and judging from the 2019 catalog that just came out, it looks like Legacy is going to be a thing of the past in the near future.  Moving towards lionchief plus 2.0.

[rtraincollector]

I already figured that out. Thats why I have a large collection of pre-war and post war. I haveny bought amything new since about 2010 and don't have any plans to. and when and if my command items have a problem, thats why ERR is around. 

Like I said thou Enjoy what you have. If you like it, that's all that is important. 

[KRM]

Michael6268

Get used to lionchief / lionchief plus. It's here to stay. and judging from the 2019 catalog that just came out, it looks like Legacy is going to be a thing of the past in the near future.  Moving towards lionchief plus 2.0.

 

 

At Caterpillar we called that,,

Planned obsolescence, or built-in obsolescence.

Drives new sales of new products. The customers are the losers.

Everything new has to become old!

Why nothing should last a day past Warranty. Planned!

 

 From Wikipedia,

 

Planned obsolescence, or built-in obsolescence, in industrial design and economics is a policy of planning or designing a product with an artificially limited useful life, so it will become obsolete (that is, unfashionable or no longer functional) after a certain period of time.^[1] The rationale behind the strategy is to generate long-term sales volume by reducing the time between repeat purchases (referred to as "shortening the replacement cycle").

[rtraincollector]

Michael6268

 

Get used to lionchief / lionchief plus. It's here to stay. and judging from the 2019 catalog that just came out, it looks like Legacy is going to be a thing of the past in the near future.  Moving towards lionchief plus 2.0.

 

When they finally figure out how to run more than 3 trains with one controller ( which I'm sure they have but are not putting it out) then you may get folks like me interested. With my remote I can have up to 98 engines set to it under the engine command and I think another 9 under track (TR ) command. I would not like to try and keep up with that many but I can and have had 10 + commands set for different engines and different set ups, ( MU ). Right now I have to mark 3 engines that are the same, so I know which one is which lol. But that's easy. The only other fault I see with Lionchief/+ is that you can have a B&O GP-9 and a PRR GP-9 and they have the same signal to be run. so you can't really run them at the same time, as what your trying to tell one your actually telling both. I guess in a MU situation it would be okay. 

 

Don't get me wrong TMCC has it faults but to me they went technology backwards with Lionchief/+ 

But again enjoy what you have, as each has there own way to run there trains, and what works for them. To me thou lionchief/+ is great for kids to learn with or for someone that wants a train for around the tree, or even say someone with confind space. 

[KRM]

Back to the GP 20 issue, I will try to post two videos of the problem. It came right back tonight when I started it up. Please Note also that when it has this nasty sound it does not seem to produce smoke even thoug I know there is plenty of fluid in the system.

 In the second video I only added a drop or two of fluid but have found that it does not matter sometimes it starts up fine and other times it does not????

 I am stumped??

Going to just run the heck out of it the next two days and see where we end up before I send it back to Mario's trains. I hate to put it on him, but your only as good as your worst supplier. JMHO and he is not alone. At least he is trying to work with me on this, makes me wonder about what others would do???

Video # 1

 

Video # 2

[bobhwalker]

For the record, The LionChief RF signal delivery arrangement is technically superior to that of TMCC. LionChief can eventually contain all of the functionality of TMCC/Legacy without the coverage issues and that appears to be Lionel's long term plan.

[rtraincollector]

that's unreal Kevin. Looks like your going to have to send it back to Mario's. Hate to see you have to do that. Maybe try once more on calling Lionel, I don't believe they will be taking Monday off like all the banks and the post office and other goverment offices. 

[KRM]

bobhwalker

For the record, The LionChief RF signal delivery arrangement is technically superior to that of TMCC. LionChief can eventually contain all of the functionality of TMCC/Legacy without the coverage issues and that appears to be Lionel's long term plan.

 

 Best I can tell is the only long term plan Lionel has is,,Planned obsolescence!

 I think there is a hint of where they are going in the 2017 Signature Catalog. If you look on page 18 they have the full scale SD60M Legacy, then flip to page 20 and they have the same SD60M full scale with LionChief Plus. I think that was a test to see how many were ordered. Time will tell.