Are these Powermasters able to run Command Control trains. Everyone I look at lately seem to say that they are for conventional locomotives. Do they produce Powermasters anymore for Command Control ?
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The purpose of Powermasters is to run conventional engines in a command control environment. They are able to run both command and conventional engines.
The PowerMaster purpose in life it to allow you to control the track voltage from the remote. That being the case, it's primarily for conventional locomotives that you'd like to run with your TMCC or Legacy remote. It has a pass-thru mode that just passes full voltage, on to the track for command operation. That primary purpose of that is that the red Emergency Stop button on the remote will actually kill track power if it's connected through the PowerMaster.
It will also operate Mth locomotives conventionally from the Legacy handheld. This includes operating the bell, electrocouplers, and allowing access to some of passenger /freight announcements.
Secarider - In simplest terms, the 6-37146 unit has a 'Command/Conventional' switch on the side of it (as well as a Run/Program one) and you just switch it to the mode you want to run in. I have one of these units and have a mix of Legacy, TMCC and Conventional engines and it enables me to run any of them, at any time. You just have to remember to put the switch in the correct mode BEFORE you turn on the power; otherwise your conventional engine will get 18 volts, fly off your layout, and it will be all over but the crying! Take it from someone who had this happen - but ONLY ONCE. (lol)
I don't have a Legacy Power master, but I do have a TPC 400. I have heard that they operate the same way.
On my layout, I just hit AUX 1, 9 and get full power to run command trains. No need to fiddle with any switches on the TPC units. If the Legacy Power master is programmed the same way, that's all you have to do.
@RoyBoy We have 4 new Legacy PowerMasters at the club and that's exactly what we do. Set the CMD/CVD switch to CVD and simply dial up for conventional operation or hit AUX 1 9 for full command power
Legacy powermasters do the same function as the TPC.
Thank you everyone very much for your input. It just looked like the new Powermasters stated only running conventional locomotives in the description. And I asked one seller on eBay, and he told me that the Legacy 6-37146 Powermaster was for conventional locomotives only. So I got a little confused.
Legacy blue PowerMasters
- allow control of conventional locomotives, or MTH PS1 locos, PS2 or PS3 in conventional mode
- a remote control switch or block power controller for Lionel TMCC or Legacy locos
- an elegant circuit breaker that you can reset from the CAB-1 or CAB-1L and I assume the Legacy remote.
- listens to the 455 kHz TMCC signal on the track, unlike the original gray/black PowerMasters that listened for the 26MHz from the original gray CAB-1.
- Can work with the original grey/black Command Base, the blue Legacy(?) Command Base (-1L?), and the Legacy Command Base with its neato remote (I assume, don't own that one).
- Mine Bitcoins, I have been told by someone at the hobby shop just the other day.
Might have some details not quite right here. (Some edits too).
