I am considring running my TMCC from my inside layout through an outdoor loop, then back inside the layout room.
Do you think I will have problems with TMCC reception with the controls inside and the new loop being outside?
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You will have to have a source of earth ground outside near, and preferably above, the tracks. This is what has been mistakenly called a ground plane by many folks.
The TMCC signal comes from the third/ground wire in the house wiring, goes through the locomotive, and returns on the outside rail of the track to the command base or Legacy base.
Outdoors, the outside rail has the return for the signal, but you will need the source of the signal, which is the ground wire. Since the ground wire has no 110V power on it, it does not need to be insulated, nor does it need to be heavy wire. It just needs to be strong enough physically to resist being broken.
It should be close to the track and preferably above it.
I run trains on my deck all the time with no issues.
I also run outside with no issues, no ground wire. set this loop, up in 20 minutes, about 70 feet of track
No problem outside....pics from 3 years ago...
Peter
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It works because the signal is not going out on the rails, it is grounded thru them.
The signal is RADIO from the CAB-1 to the engines antenna (often a handrail on Steamers).
The problems are from too much interfering metal around layouts.
Outdoors will not have such problems.
