How does the signal reach the modern ZW Transformer?

Is your second ZW  (tracks 5-8) powering up those tracks thru Bricks?

If so, there's your connection

AFAIK, the wire that connects to the common rail is what turns the track into an antenna.  Once you have the antenna, anything with a receiver can be controlled by it wirelessly over the air.

I think the ZW-L can be thought of as an engine. It should need common connected just like the outside rails to the Base as your first ZW-L was. And it has an antenna inside the top that receives the air "half" of the signal from the ground wiring in your house to which the Base power supply connects. However I, and many, have found that just having the engine or in this case the ZW-L in the room with the Legacy signal turned on, the signal will be received even without the specified physical connections.

Thank You. Mine is not technically a ZW-L, it is a modern ZW with 4 Power bricks. Nonetheless, I appreciate your comments and I believe they are applicable to my transformer.

Oh yes. That's a ZW-C. That's what I use too.

Here's what I've observed on my layout. I have the same set up as you. I have two ZW C's and if they are both plugged into the same wall outlet or the same power strip, the second unit will receive the TMCC signal, even though they are not connected in any way.

The fix for this is plug the second unit into a separate wall plug that is not on the same wire run or circuit ( I had to use an extention cord and a separate power strip to accomplish this).

Also, there is a reset/program procedure that will place the second unit into a "conventional" mode and thus not mimic the TMCC commands that you are sending to your first unit. The reset is covered in the transformer instruction booklet which I can't find right now. Perhaps someone will chime in.

John

Thanks for all the replies. You've answered my questions.