Legacy Base to Multiple Track Connection Help

You connect a Legacy Base wire to both loops’ outside rails. It doesn’t matter how you do it. But both loop outside rails need to be connected to the base.

Chuck, Thanks for the quick reply and help!

prh2j posted:

First, let me apologize by saying that I tried searching this forum, Google, and Youtube to no avail, so if the  remedy to my question is readily available somewhere, I couldn't find it.  With that said, I spoke with Lionel's Ryan Kunkle at York and he said that if I am looking to have two completely separate and unconnected track loops, I should only use one Legacy Cab 2 to connect to both loops to avoid interference.  Thus, I assume that I need 2 power bricks (or transformers) and 2 Legacy power masters to power each loop individually (i.e. 1 power brick and 1 power master per loop), but then how do I best connect the Legacy Cab 2 base to the two loops?  I'm using Fastrack, so do I merely connect the Legacy base to each terminal Fastrack section on each loop, or do I somehow connect the base to just one of the terminal sections on one of the loops, and then somehow connect a wire to join the two loops together?  Thanks for the help, and, by all means, if any of my aforementioned assumptions are off base (no pun intended), please feel free to let me know.

Thanks,

Phil

above you state "that I need 2 power bricks (or transformers)" then you state "2 Legacy power masters to power each loop individually"

are you going to be running conventional?

I do not intend to run conventional, so if I have something messed up, please feel free to correct me.

prh2j posted:

I do not intend to run conventional, so if I have something messed up, please feel free to correct me.

Are the locomotives on either loop Conventional locos or do they have TMCC/Legacy control?

The Power Masters are for when you want to use a TMCC/Legacy system to control a conventional locomotive.  If the locomotives have TMCC or Legacy, then you don't need the Power masters.  The Legacy base can communicate directly with the locomotive.

Does that make sense?

Although you do not NEED the two PowerMasters, I would say they are awfully darn nice to have; the Legacy Power Masters have some clever circuitry regarding short circuits. Another nice thing is if you see something you do not like, just press the red triangle to cut power every where then sort out what happened later.

They are also nice if you happen to pick up an MTH engine ; the PS3 engines work really nice with a PowerMaster.

I connect the outer rails up by the PowerMasters. I use ring terminals and a small Belleville washer under the nut to help maintain pressure on the connection.

John D. posted:

prh2j posted:

I do not intend to run conventional, so if I have something messed up, please feel free to correct me.

Are the locomotives on either loop Conventional locos or do they have TMCC/Legacy control?

The Power Masters are for when you want to use a TMCC/Legacy system to control a conventional locomotive.  If the locomotives have TMCC or Legacy, then you don't need the Power masters.  The Legacy base can communicate directly with the locomotive.

Does that make sense?

John... I learned something new from you today about not needing the Legacy powermaster (which I already own anyway) if my engines are TMCC/Legacy, so yes, it makes sense.  Does that still hold true if I am using a 180W Powerhouse supply and not a traditional transformer as my only source of power to the track?  Or, if I am using the 180W Powerhouse supply as my power source, do I have to use the Legacy powermaster (if I am running TMCC/Legacy only engines)?  I bought the powermaster a few years ago thinking I needed it at the time, but maybe I didn't.  I'm not sorry that I have it, but I am more curious now about how it all works since you brought it up.

Thanks for the help!

P.S.  I do own a few conventional engines, so, I guess to be on the safe side, I may connect Legacy Powermasters to each loop in case I ever want to run them.  Also, Michael pointed out in his post that the powermaster can provide some modest additional benefit and can't really hurt.

I don’t have Powermasters but if they respond the same as the ZW-C, then the emergency stop command will work to shut down the track voltage. Without Powermasters, the emergency stop will stop all the engines, but not remove the track voltage.

I've run for years with just the PH180 bricks going directly to the tracks, and sometimes going through the MTH TIU.  No PowerMasters in sight, though I do have one Legacy PowerMaster that I got for a conventional track.  If you run command only, that includes TMCC/Legacy, DCS, or LionChief, no PowerMaster is needed.

If you want the option to run conventional on one loop, you'll need to connect the a Powerhouse to the Powermaster and then to the track,  Use your remote to control the Powermaster's output when you want to run conventional.  Use the remote to set the Powermaster output to max when you are going to run TMCC.  Then you the remote to control your engines.

Jan

illinoiscentral posted:

Although you do not NEED the two PowerMasters, I would say they are awfully darn nice to have; the Legacy Power Masters have some clever circuitry regarding short circuits. Another nice thing is if you see something you do not like, just press the red triangle to cut power every where then sort out what happened later.

They are also nice if you happen to pick up an MTH engine ; the PS3 engines work really nice with a PowerMaster.

I connect the outer rails up by the PowerMasters. I use ring terminals and a small Belleville washer under the nut to help maintain pressure on the connection.

What size and where  do you get the Belleville washer from ?   Would these Belleville washers help stop my binding posts on powermasters and ZW transformers from working loose?

PRH2J,

So, you have at least one PH180, one Legacy Powermaster, and one Legacy base and remote?

Phil,

Although you don't plan to run conventional, the Power Master is nice to have especially if you have youngsters or adults that are speed demons. You can use the PM to control the power going to the track and limit the speed of the trains.

Ray

Moonman posted:

PRH2J,

So, you have at least one PH180, one Legacy Powermaster, and one Legacy base and remote?

Carl... yes, that is correct.