Legacy Locomotives and Conventional Power

The MTH Z-4000 has a walk-around remote that can be separately purchased.  Any "walk-around" remote for the ZW-L will be a TMCC/Legacy controller.  If you're not comfortable with the Legacy CAB1, consider the Legacy Lite, the BASE1L/CAB1L unit.

But the Cab-1L will give you the same issues as a DCC remote.  My honest recommendation is to set up a loop of track on the floor, like FasTrack, and run one locomotive via Legacy on it.  I'd seen command before, and looked into DCC back in my N gauge days, but felt it too complicated like you.  But once I set up a loop on the floor and ran my 1st Legacy locomotive in Legacy I was sold 100%.  I found it simple to use and the locomotive ran so much better than in conventional.  The great thing is all TMCC/Legacy remotes have that red triangle Halt button.  If you fear of a crash or think you are losing control of the layout, just hit that button and everything will stop immediately.  I have little boys and let them run my trains at times.  I always keep a remote in my hand ready to hit that button (And have pushed it.) ready in case they set themselves up for a wreck.  With one locomotive on the track on the floor and the remote in your hand, you can go ahead and push buttons on the remote without fear of messing something up in order to get used to and see how it all works.  And the display on the Cab-2 is good for visual feedback on what you are doing.

I hope you do not mind an S gauger chiming in. I have an S gauge layout 16'x21' around the walls with a center peninsula. In the design of the layout I faced the same questions you have. All of my Christmas layouts are operated with a walkaround plug in hand held. There are 4 jacks around the edge of the layout to plug in the remotes. I use the MRC AH101 transformers. But these layouts are at the most 6'x12' and are "blocked" to allow independent control of whatever engine is in each block. This is not as simple or practical on a large layout, the block controls become more complicated that just using the Legacy system.

My permanent layout uses 2 ZW-L transformers to supply 8 power districts. Once an engine is selected on the Cab 2 (or iCab on the iPhone) it can be operated anywhere on the layout. I can also operate conventional postwar engines using the ZW-L handles or by selecting the handle on the Cab 2. On a large layout this is a much simpler approach.

I went further and installed the Lionel Layout Control System (LCS) to operate all the devices, such as turnouts, uncouplers, operating tracks, lights etc, on the layout. With the LCS on an iPad the entire layout is operated by just touching the item on the screen. The LCS even allows basic operation of engines if desired. First time visitors can operate my layout within minutes by just looking at the mimic on the iPad and touching the screen.

I must confess I engaged professional help to set this all up correctly and build the mimic displays on the iPad. Once completed this is the best operating and easiest to operate layout I have ever had even though it is the largest of my layouts and with the most complex track plan.