# Lionel Legacy LionMaster SD-80 Dummy 6-28295



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I just got this non-powered unit to go with the pair of powered Conrail SD-80 units I have. Naturally, me being the used car king, it was used. I have one question.

I see the Ditch lights are wired, but I couldn't get them to light. I was just testing it by itself, and when I push it along the track, the motion sensor correctly turns out the cab lights, so I know the electronics senses it. All the other directional lights, smoke, couplers, etc.

I'd like someone that has this model to tell me if the ditch lights will work if it's just running alone, or does it have to be in an MU configuration?


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## santafe158 (Jul 14, 2010)

I replied to your PM. Hopefully that'll help you get them working.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I think that's probably it, never thought of using the throttle for a dummy unit!

Believe it or not, this is only the second or third dummy unit I've ever had. The others are MTH, so they're different anyway.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

The throttle does the trick!  I guess they figure it'll never be on it's own, since it has no motors.  Since they had a motion sensor on the truck for the cab lights, who the hell decided to do the ditch lights a different way???

In any case, it's all up and running.


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## santafe158 (Jul 14, 2010)

Glad to hear it worked. It is a weird setup in the electronics, but I've gotten used to it.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Well, it makes sense now that I'm done testing, I just didn't think of the throttle since the cab lights worked off motion.

Since I bought it used, I had to do a little work on it, but now everything's shipshape. Packed the smoke unit, fixed a couple of broken mounting posts, and glued in a window that had fallen out. Looks like new and everything works.


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## santafe158 (Jul 14, 2010)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> Well, it makes sense now that I'm done testing, I just didn't think of the throttle since the cab lights worked off motion.
> 
> Since I bought it used, I had to do a little work on it, but now everything's shipshape. Packed the smoke unit, fixed a couple of broken mounting posts, and glued in a window that had fallen out. Looks like new and everything works.


My dad bought me mine brand new for Christmas this past year (bought the powered unit used). When I got it, the headlight worked intermittently. I opened it up and found that someone in the factory, put a piece of foil tape across the solder points on the circuit board for the headlight LED's. Peeled that back and all was well. While I was in there I tweaked the smoke unit a bit and got it smoking nicely. Having both units really looks cool. A fellow club member and myself put my two units and his two units on a train. Now that was cool.

Powered, dummy, powered, dummy. The second two are mine in the photo.


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## Big Mike (Dec 2, 2011)

santafe158 said:


> My dad bought me mine brand new for Christmas this past year (bought the powered unit used). When I got it, the headlight worked intermittently. I opened it up and found that someone in the factory, put a piece of foil tape across the solder points on the circuit board for the headlight LED's. Peeled that back and all was well. While I was in there I tweaked the smoke unit a bit and got it smoking nicely. Having both units really looks cool. A fellow club member and myself put my two units and his two units on a train. Now that was cool.
> 
> Powered, dummy, powered, dummy. The second two are mine in the photo.


that does look very good, the only thing is...[and not a big deal] the number two engine is facing the wrong way .JMO.........Mike :thumbsup:


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I now have three of them, this dummy and two of the 4120 powered units. That'll make a pretty decent looking head end for my freight trains.


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## coopertroopa (Sep 22, 2012)

Hey guys.. I have a couple questions about this dummy. (Please keep in mind this is my first Legacy dummy and I bought it used with very little run time on it.)

Anyway, how are you guys linking the engine with 4120? Normal build a train and link them or are you making them the same engine number on the Legacy remote?

Either way I'm kind of having weird lighting issues. Does this dummy only have green marker lights on the front and red on the back or is it like the powered unit where it has both? 

I also can't seem to get the cab light to shut off. Any suggestions?


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

First off, I've contact Lionel and the lights don't work properly in an MU configuration, so that's the issue there. You assign each locomotive a separate number. You could try assigning them the same number and operating them without creating an MU configuration, then all the lights will be functional.

The dummy has the same lighting as the powered unit, and if you sit it on the track by itself and address it, they'll change when you change directions on the remote. As I found out in this thread, the ditch lights will also work when you advance the throttle above 0. My ditch lights do NOT work in an MU configuration, I'm guessing that's the same kind of issue since they work stand-alone.

I operated it by building a train with the Legacy remote, but I plan on trying to address them with the same engine number to see what kind of operation I get.


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## coopertroopa (Sep 22, 2012)

Is Lionel going to do anything to correct the problem or are they just kind of blowing it off?

Part of the problem I was having was the marker lights were not changing colors on the dummy at all. The front markers would be green or off and the back would be red or off. Even when I had it by itself it wouldn't change. So what I just did was delete it out of the Legacy remote and then added it under another engine number and it corrected itself, but yeah, in MU they still act funky.

My cab light still comes on though while in motion. Kind of flickers like it wants to go off but it doesn't. I tried using the remote to shut it off, but it really didn't help.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

No, the problem is there to stay, there is no update available or planned.

If the markers are not working independently, try a reset using the code in the manual. One of my powered units had that issue, and that fixed it.


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## coopertroopa (Sep 22, 2012)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> No, the problem is there to stay, there is no update available or planned.
> 
> If the markers are not working independently, try a reset using the code in the manual. One of my powered units had that issue, and that fixed it.


That stinks that it's here to stay.

Oh btw, the reset worked. Thanks!


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Glad the reset worked, I remembered that for this model because the same thing happened to me.  In my case, they only worked in one direction, I never got any red, just green. After a reset, all was well.

I've yet to try the set with the same unit number and without doing a lash-up, have you tried that? You should get lights, but couplers will be problematic as they'll uncouple the engines when you fire them.


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## coopertroopa (Sep 22, 2012)

I haven't yet tried making it one unit number either. I know with the dummies on the new RF-16's they suggest doing that, but after the reset of the engine I just kind of went with the flow.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I'm thinking of rewiring the lights in my units so they work properly.


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## coopertroopa (Sep 22, 2012)

Let me know if it works. I'm not tech savvy like that and would probably end up burning down my house. lol


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Well, it's well down the queue, I have several command updates to do, not to mention some holiday train shows to get ready at our modular club. However, one of these days...

It should be pretty easy, but it may require a little bit of custom circuitry to accomplish it.


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