I just spoke to Sean at JusTrains of Delaware and asked him about their new sales flyer that says 3rd Rail with TMCC or PS2. He said that PS2 is going to be available for future releases of 3rd Rail engines. You'll order them from JusTrains and they'll get them without electronics and Sean will install the PS2 components. He also said that they'll cost the same as the TMCC versions. Not available for 3rd Rail engines already in stock though.

Just thought that some here would like to know.



John.

Wow!

Nice! That's gonna be excellent.

I will have to make Justrains of Delaware my new 3rd Rail dealer! Too bad about my current orders, I am not stiffing my dealers.

Good news. Even better if they make the same deal with Weaver - 3rd Rail has never made a Milwaukee Road engine so I don't buy a lot of 3rd Rail. It would be nice to have an N-class or a USRA heavy Mike with DCS.

This is great news for 3rd Rail/PS2 fans, right Trevize?

It is also a wake up call for Lionel to make TMCC/Legacy conversion available with smoke units. The availability of a good smoke unit for steam conversions and 4 chuffs per rev is necessary. Lionel should also consider making RS5 available with more than just a few generic sounds. Lionel is running the risk of loosing more ground to the 3RS crowd.

Once one goes to he effort of building a PS2 compatible layout, the Lionel advantage is dubious. I have some older steam engines I am going to convert to command control. If there aren't smoke units available for the TMCC conversion, I will install PS2. After that, I won't care if it is Legacy or PS2.

Justrains will get all future orders from me for 3rd Rail engines. Nice move -D

And... that will be.

ATSF 2900 all versions that they decide to make.
ATSF 3700 all versions again

And any other ATSF Steam they make -D

Excuse the newbie question, what's the big deal? Doesn't TMCC do pretty much everything that PS2 does? That's what I've been told, on this site no less. I don't know because I only own PS2 engines but only have run them in conventional mode. I've shied away from Lionel TMCC engines because I plan on using DCS on my future layout.


John.

quote:

Originally posted by John Clifford:
Excuse the newbie question, what's the big deal? Doesn't TMCC do pretty much everything that PS2 does?
John.

The big deal is more sound options. The licensed TMCC/EOB systems are limited to three or four sound sets only. With PS2, there is a better chance of getting engine specific whistles and bells.

Great News; wonder if that will include a firebox glow missing from 3rd rail engines with TMCC?

Guess Scott/3rd Rail will have to make a provision for that; would you like to see that on your 3rd Rail engines?


Carpe Diem!

Firebox glow isn't hard to add to current 3rd Rail engines.


Without going nuts... I'm #1 thrilled to tears Justrains is doing this!

That said... added bonus and I do mean added bonus cause they don't have to do any of the following. I'm already thrilled!

#1 - standardize the tach tape/reader so any 3rd rail engine done by Justrains will work in a lashup with other MTH engines and other 3rd Rail engines done by Justrains.
#2 - ability to turn off/on the marker lights with the DCS remote. Presently I do this with an on/off switch on the loco....
#3 - is Justrains including the smoke unit as well? I've converted some of the Puff-n-chuff units to work with PS/2 by replacing the resisters in the smoke unit. Cost of pennies.. So, my assumption is Justrains is including smoke with their PS/2 install.
#4 - straight tether!!!!!!!!!!!! So to keep the deck plates. Actually, this would be a requirement in my book. No anaconda tethers allowed on my brass locos!


Man I'm happy about this. I posted a couple years ago how so very bad I wanted to be able to order 3rd Rail engines with PS/2 or at least order them with nothing at all. This is purely fantastic!

Looks like I need to fire off an E-mail to JusTrains regarding the CNW H1 Northern (whenever they produce it.)

Just put my orders in with Justrains -D

Asked the above questions too:

#1 - Standardize tach tape. Prolly not.
#2 - Doh! forgot to ask this one
#3 - yes, they'll use the puff-n-chuff with swapped resisters
#4 - yep. straight tether, keeping the deck plates.

Great new service. Another example of why I'm not worried about the future repair of my engines. If there is a need the little guy will always step up and do it.

Gene Anstine

quote:

what's the big deal? Doesn't TMCC do pretty much everything that PS2 does?

That is right, it does when purchasing a new TMCC/Legacy engine.

I was referring to the converting previously manufactured engines (engines that will probably not be re-issued) to TMCC. 3rd Rail had a few pre-TMCC engines that are intrest to me and I have also converted pre PS2 MTH engines to TMCC.

Since Train America Studios is no-longer, there are no electronics and smoke unit for TMCC steam engine conversions.

The TMCC smoke issue and lack of sound set variety for TMCC with Railsounds 4.0 engines is about to push me into doing PS2 for conversions. At that point, Lionel looses my preference for TMCC/Legacy locos.

quote:

Originally posted by Trevize:
Just put my orders in with Justrains -D

Asked the above questions too:

#1 - Standardize tach tape. Prolly not.
#2 - Doh! forgot to ask this one
#3 - yes, they'll use the puff-n-chuff with swapped resisters
#4 - yep. straight tether, keeping the deck plates.

Trevize, was there a reason for them not doing #1,

Did you ask about the Firebox also? ..... ............

What does "Standardize tach tape" mean?



John.

quote:

Originally posted by marker:

quote:

what's the big deal? Doesn't TMCC do pretty much everything that PS2 does?

That is right, it does when purchasing a new TMCC/Legacy engine.

I was referring to the converting previously manufactured engines (engines that will probably not be re-issued) to TMCC. 3rd Rail had a few pre-TMCC engines that are intrest to me and I have also converted pre PS2 MTH engines to TMCC.

Since Train America Studios is no-longer, there are no electronics and smoke unit for TMCC steam engine conversions.

The TMCC smoke issue and lack of sound set variety for TMCC with Railsounds 4.0 engines is about to push me into doing PS2 for conversions. At that point, Lionel looses my preference for TMCC/Legacy locos.

What is the "The TMCC smoke issue" all about? Please explain. Need to know for my own knowledge and understanding. I have one TMCC engine and have not run the smoke unit yet.

#1 Standardizing / syncing with other MTH loco's is a royal pain in the .... bottom.

If some one wants to figure out the ratios for each 3rd rail loco and create a tach tape for each and publish that info then..... perhaps.

Sorry, forgot to ask about firebox glow. That one is pretty easy to do tho.

TMCC smoke unit issue.... as I understand it is. Who are you going to buy it from now that TAS is no longer selling to end users?

PS/2 kits and PS/2 smoke units are readily available from MTH. It would seem MTH may be gaining good ground on the TMCC/Legacy vs DCS market. It was said above and I've said it MANY times. What good is Legacy if I cannot buy Legacy kits to install in my current engines? What good is Legacy if Legacy only comes in a handful of non-ATSF engines? What good is Legacy until Lionel makes that 1 engine I want? Then what? I have 1 engine with Legacy? That's not a command control system for my layout, it's a one off with nice features. DCS is a command control system for ALL my engines and can control my entire layout. Sure I have and do use both Legacy and DCS. But when it's Legacy for 1 engine and DCS for 100+ when I can continue to put PS/2 kits in ANYBODY'S engine. I don't see Lionel having the winning marketing strategy. They seem to have created a fantastic command control system, I'll give you that. It truly is very nice and does some things better then DCS. BUT, unless I have an upgrade path for my current engines Legacy will remain rarely used and not my command system of choice. And what about TMCC? that's no upgrade, as it's a big step backwards from DCS.

Simple truth is... if Legacy were making kits I could install into 3rd Rail engines at about the same price PS/2 kits are, then I'd be seriously considering more commitment to Legacy.

quote:

What is the "The TMCC smoke issue" all about?

Hmmm. I am guessing what they are talking about is that, generally, the TMCC supplied smoke units are pretty aenemic compared to MTH's proto smoke units. TAS had "turbo smoke" units you could install that were pretty good, though not as prolific as MTH's. But as TAS is no longer around for self-install, that option is removed and if you care about voluminous smoke you are left only with the MTH upgrade route.

Good news indeed. Wish I could take a few mulligans.

SO... THE "RIVETS" 4800 GG1 AND PRR 4666 Doodlebug I have on order can be PS-2 equipped? Hmmmmm... The sounds would be much better along with other features!! I'm calling tomorrow.

SAM

quote:

Originally posted by Trevize:
...I don't see Lionel having the winning marketing strategy...

I've always thought that MTH's strategy of putting PS2 in just about everything they sell...from RTR sets to low- and mid-range locos to Premier behemoths...was a really, really, really, really smart move. You buy an engine, it's full-featured with no upgrades needed (or even available as they're already all there).

So, I agree.....I think Lionel may not have the primo strategy. I think this announcement re: 3rd Rail is potentially interesting on a lot of fronts.......i.e., a control system that is full-featured available on a 3rd party loco without any compromised features to speak of.

Rod

quote:

Originally posted by Trevize:
Just put my orders in with Justrains -D

Asked the above questions too:

#1 - Standardize tach tape. Prolly not.
#2 - Doh! forgot to ask this one
#3 - yes, they'll use the puff-n-chuff with swapped resisters
#4 - yep. straight tether, keeping the deck plates.

#1 - Just to time consuming if 3rd rail IE Scott wants to supply them which I am sure MTH would help, I will use them I am way to busy to figure this one out.

#2 I can do this at an extra cost and little extra intall time have to do a lot of rewiring it not a standard easy thing. Yes I hane done many time and it does not get any easier.

#3 yep easy and #4 a straight tether is a must cannot screw up a beautiful loco.

Shawn, Which GGD engines are you starting to offer this PS2 feature? Will you be offering it on the CN Northern U2g that Scott is running off the line in China here the last of August?

Shawn how are you planning to work the PS2 program? If Scott requires a minumum of say 20 engines with the no electronics are you going to place adds or how are you going to get the word out on what products you are needing buyers for with the PS2. Thanks

Hey, How come no one told me anything about this?

I guess I better call Shawn when I get back. We have some catching up to do.

Sounds like a great idea. Anything to sell more engines and make more customers happy, I am all for.

Scott

I think I would prefer DCS installed, instead of whatever version of Railsounds Lionel decides to release. At least you download the MTH files you want, instead of generic sounds.
The CNR 6200 would be great with DCS, as the sound file already exists from the U1-f 6060. Al

quote:

Originally posted by sdmann:
Hey, How come no one told me anything about this?

I guess I better call Shawn when I get back. We have some catching up to do.

Sounds like a great idea. Anything to sell more engines and make more customers happy, I am all for.

Scott

quote:

Hey, How come no one told me anything about this?

Now that is funny

SAM

Looking at the price of TMCC board,EOB kit for a Steam loco is about $300.
The DCS upgrade kit is $150, I would rather have DCS in my Engines to start of with, as Weaver will not sell these parts anyways. Al

quote:

If some one wants to figure out the ratios for each 3rd rail loco and create a tach tape for each and publish that info then..... perhaps.

Dave Hikel posts regularly to the DCS forum here. Although he did not list each model of 3rd rail he did post a neat chart for calculating the needed spacings of the tach tape. The PS2 tape that came with my last upgrade kit has a small ruler like tapes (metric lengths) that you can match to the flywheel diameter also.
I don't know how the third rails gearing would effect these. Most of you guys probably already know this stuff, I'm posting for anyone who does not. Joe

quote:

Originally posted by sdmann:
Hey, How come no one told me anything about this?

I guess I better call Shawn when I get back. We have some catching up to do.

Sounds like a great idea. Anything to sell more engines and make more customers happy, I am all for.

Scott

Sounds like a LONG LEG PULL.....LIKE 10,000 Mile Pull

While you are out of the country we're making decisions for you that benefit your company and your costumers!

Just where does one find this 3rd Rail UP engine on the Just Trains website? Trying to find price for PS2 version?

quote:

Originally posted by TAG18:
Just where does one find this 3rd Rail UP engine on the Just Trains website? Trying to find price for PS2 version?

The PS/2 offer is only for future pre-orders. Not current offerings. Current offerings have already been produced with TMCC. In any case you have to call Justrains. If you want the UP engine with PS/2 they likely can convert one for you.