Can I run conventional train using my Legacy remote??

Hey Jeff,

You will need a Lionel Legacy PowerMaster:

http://www.lionel.com/products...powermaster-6-37146/

This will act as a handle on a conventional PSU. It is controlled by the CAB2 remote.

Hope this helps!

Thank You!

Glad I could help Jeff!

Have a great day my friend!

OK, I'm embarrassed to say how many YT videos I've watched today. Let me see if this make sense to the experts!

Basically I have 2 options:

1) Add the Legacy Powermaster which basically then transfers the power of the ZW handle to the Legacy handset.

2.) Add ERR Cruise to the engines to get effects similar to TMCC/Legacy. 

Jeff T posted:

OK, I'm embarrassed to say how many YT videos I've watched today. Let me see if this make sense to the experts!

Basically I have 2 options:

1) Add the Legacy Powermaster which basically then transfers the power of the ZW handle to the Legacy handset.

2.) Add ERR Cruise to the engines to get effects similar to TMCC/Legacy. 

Let me start by saying, most of my knowledge has come in the form of those very same YT videos so don't be embarrassed, you are that much closer to being an expert.

1) Add the Legacy Powermaster which basically then transfers the power of the ZW handle to the Legacy handset. You have this correct, the ZW will be set to full power and then that power is stopped by the PowerMaster. The voltage is then increased and decreased in the PowerMaster (like a gas petal on a car) depending on values set in the legacy remote. It is like operating the ZW handles but via the Legacy remote. (Again the ZW handle is set to max and the PM does the rest)

2.) Add ERR Cruise to the engines to get effects similar to TMCC/Legacy. Now this is what I would definitely recommend, it saves you having buy the PM and you get the benefits of Cruise Speeds which makes a world of difference in my book. Some guys here swear by Conventional operation under the merits of KISS (Keep it simple S...) but I just like to keep all of my engines command controlled. That is my opinion and others will agree and disagree, that is the beauty of different experiences. 

Let me know if you have any other questions Jeff!

Good Luck!

Just for completeness there is a 3rd much more expensive alternative. Replace the ZW with a new ZW-L. The ZW-L basically has the Powermasters built in so the Legacy Cab 2 can directly control the output voltage of all 4 channels. Speaking from personal experience this can become addictive. For example, it is easy to justify adding a BPC-2 so track blocks holding the conventional engines can be turned on and off with the Cab2 while running the Legacy engines.

There are many possibilities here so enjoy the trains!

I remember that PS-1 engines had problems with the original Powermasters (TMCC).  Has anyone ran PS-1 engines with the new PM?

AmFlyer posted:

Just for completeness there is a 3rd much more expensive alternative. Replace the ZW with a new ZW-L. The ZW-L basically has the Powermasters built in so the Legacy Cab 2 can directly control the output voltage of all 4 channels. Speaking from personal experience this can become addictive. For example, it is easy to justify adding a BPC-2 so track blocks holding the conventional engines can be turned on and off with the Cab2 while running the Legacy engines.

There are many possibilities here so enjoy the trains!

Or get a ZW-C with two 180 watt bricks it has the same thing as stated above.  Here is the manual for the ZW-C read Page 11 it tells you how to do it with the remote.

https://www.lionelsupport.com/...ents/72-2982-250.pdf

John23 posted:

I remember that PS-1 engines had problems with the original Powermasters (TMCC).  Has anyone ran PS-1 engines with the new PM?

I had a similar thought.  The TPC units I believe dealt with the PS1 incompatibility.  I suspect Lionel addressed this at some point when the Legacy PMs were announced(hoping the answer is they used that engineering improvement when they developed the Legacy PM), but I don't recall for sure.  Hopefully someone remembers (or has tested it) to say whether the Legacy PM can successfully deal with controlling PS1 or not.

I had a similar thought on the ZW-L.  I believe I (as well as a few others, IIRC) had experienced different results with different PS1 engines.  I seem to recall using a Shay and an ESE Hudson as my particular test cases, and I think one worked with my ZW-L, but the other I seem to recall did not (sorry, but it's been a while, and I forget which was which).

-Dave

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. The ZW-L is a bit unreachable...

When I came back to the hobby TMCC was in its early years. I was amazed by the ability to split the electronics between track/engine. After years of having to run engines at blistering speeds to get lights and things to function, seeing lights at full power before the engine was moving was truly a game changer for me. 

Unless I'm completely wrong the Powermaster just transfers power to the Legacy handheld. I'll still have to run at mach speed to bet lights bright and such. It appears adding one of the ERR products will be the best solution for me moving forward.

laz1957 posted:

Or get a ZW-C with two 180 watt bricks it has the same thing as stated above.  Here is the manual for the ZW-C read Page 11 it tells you how to do it with the remote.

https://www.lionelsupport.com/...ents/72-2982-250.pdf

Not that all ZW-Cs suffer from this, but there is the issue described in a post (or more, I found one) on the forum where some ZW-Cs would have problems with Legacy.  It involved unintended shut downs and the solution was a chip replacement that is no longer available.

The point is just to be aware of this potential risk if buying a ZW-C that has not been tested with Legacy.

Link1.  Link 2.

-Dave

The new PM and the ZW-Cs and -Ls run MTH PS-1 locomotives just fine.  The old PMs will even run them just fine if you bridge the output with the right capacitor.

But if you want full power for smoke unit and lights on the track without the engine running away, then ERR upgrades are the best option.