Lionel LCS

The app crashes when I try to take a picture for my roster. Would be nice to have a better library of locomotives and accessories. The track selection is horrendous. Trying to get wandering double track mainline to line up is impossible.

Good: 1) Great editing of legacy base roster. You may take and add pictures of your locos to create a beautiful roster (I love this!). Better interface to edit Legacy Base loco control parameters. There should be a little more help info one these topics, perhaps a "loco lookup" function to lookup an official picture, and set all these settings appropriately, given road number. 2) Amazing interface with legacy locos and LCS SensorTrack. Can detect loco direction and when loco passes will auto update roster with new (compatible legacy) locos. This detect can trigger one-of-10 per designed routines (basic) or a custom recorded sequence, throw switches, etc. 3) Good speed response to commands. 4) Halt button works properly with LONG PRESS. 5) Can create a custom digital version of your layout to control switches, accessories. Control very intuitive, (touch switch to throw) can control/fire routes (though not build, see below). Bad: 1) LCS Wifi Module reception is spotty, connecting and disconnecting erratically. This makes some commands not go through (imagine "fail to halt" scenario). This needs to have a 2-way communication system, such that commands are confirmed, and sent UNTIL confirmed, needs to be more bullet proof in this regard. App should send commands again when connection is re-established. There should be options for "send each command 2 times, etc." or "confirm commands". Until this is fixed, you must have Cab2 handy AT ALL TIMES!! Switches sometimes become un synchronized with app, creating confusion. This would be solved by 2-directional interface between app and LCS Wifi. App should be sent status of switches to prevent getting out of sync. 2) Functionality very basic, (loco: start,power down, direction (toggle, not absolute), couplers, speed, horn (basic, no legacy quilling), bell). No TPC control, no conventional loco control. More fun functionality is missing (tower comm, crew talk, smoke control, volume adjust, etc.) 3) Interface should imitate wonderful Cab2, using drag finger gestures, etc. 4) Would be wonderful interface to program functions (creating routes, lash ups, TPC mode: conventional <--> TMCC, power up track (through TPC, perhaps with warning "make sure no conventional locos on track"), set loco stall speed, set loco speed limit, set loco momentum, etc.) instead of obscure Cab2 button sequences. 5) When addressing locos at first, this app uses obscure 2-digit number flip interface, would be better to have option to select from photo roster. When controlling 2 or more locos, a bit awkward to toggle amongst recently used (long press brings up list, pick other by name, no pic). Would be better to have multiple speed graphs on screen at once, perhaps even a "quick lash up" function where speeds could be matched. This would allow multiple locos to not collide while running on same track. Perhaps a (gentle) "Stop All [locos]" button (which would still obey / reduce momentum settings, preventing derailing of rolling stock.) 6) Speed graph inconsistent among TMCC/legacy locos. TMCC 20 = Legacy 100 (approx) -- there should be a way to synchronize these speeds / have app convert to make consistent. 7) Erratic behavior with at least 1 loco: (vision line legacy genset switcher Norfolk Southern, when power down control pressed, u get an emergency stop dialogue, but loco goes rogue, accelerating in reverse.) 8) Speed graph often fails to update properly when toggling among 2 or more locomotives, this creates erratic behavior (ie true speed 100, graph shows 0, when I adjust speed back to 100, loco slows before I can get back to 100). 9) There should be interface to program LCS sensor track sequence, there should be quick access to program these sequences manually, with some basic sequences, "stop loco", "slow to crossing speed". Need rolling stock accessory to detect "end of train". I think this works on infrared technology, too bad not simple barcode, would be easier to add to existing locos / rolling stock. There must be a way to upgrade older locos to be detected by SensorTrack. 10) LCS wifi module interface requires Legacy version 1.52 of Legacy Base and Cab2 software. Getting this version requires ONLY Windows PC with serial (OLD) interface. This took me 2 weeks to get figured out, along with pulling many favors. 11) This app should be able to backup your Legacy roster to email (to myself?) / backup to iPad. 12) This app should be able to do firmware updates to Legacy Base / Cab2. 13) When locos are detected by LCS SensorTrack, a pop up is shown, interface greys out, temporarily locking out control. 14) LCS Wifi can go through router but only if it has "Wifi protected setup" which I don't think Apple Wifi (time capsule) has. I have to go directly, meaning that I have to go to settings|wifi on iPad and select LCS wifi, no security possible. Since my layout is totally wired to a power switch, I must do this to begin each session. 15) App fails to communicated properly with legacy base (update roster) approx 50% of the time. This is sometimes a pop up which you must cancel as it will go on indefinitely. 16) App could be smarter about locomotive location using LCS SensorTrack info with odyssey (speed control) locomotives, it should be able to continue to show loco location on on screen track. This would require putting more exact track pieces (radius, length) into the digital layout. 17) Should have more user settings: - yard mode - reduce momentum by XX% - startup sequence - Stop All Locos - reduce momentum by XX% - calculate consistent speed (TMCC vs. Legacy) 18) Does not obey momentum settings on some TMCC locos.

This app is a great addition to the LCS lineup from Lionel. I would rate it higher, but the emergency shut off button does not work.