I have the ZW-C controller and I've watched the Lionel video at least 3 times and got up to speed on the 180 W bricks and programming the controller while the Cab 1 base is on, in order to enable the ZW Controller to switch to command and establish TR 1 thru 4 tracks by default.
My question is after enabling ZW controller to act as a supplemental command device with the Cab 1 command base on too, I know that I can vary the voltage of each TR within the ZW controller, with the Cab 1 hand held controller, which varies the track voltage. Can I run Lionel TMCC engines in PRG, locked in forward, using the ZW controller set in the TMCC mode.
Currently, I can use a TMCC hand held and cab 1 base and run Lionel in PRG, if I use the TPC 400's using a cab 1 controller and cab 1 command base I've removed the TPC's and now am running Lionel TMCC engines locked in PRG and forward, using the ZW controller throttles, as I've not switched the ZW contoller to TMCC yet. The Lionel engines have no problem running in PRG, as long as a cab 1 base is not turned on. If I turn one on, the engines fail to move as the command base is sending out a signal that prevents their operation. That's normal.
If I try and run the Lionel engine, the engine clicks once and then the only way I can get the engine to run again is to take it off the track, turn off the command base, use a test track and move the PRG to RUN, increase voltage to the track and after getting the engine to run forward, turn off the track power, reset the engine to PRG and now it will again run locked in forward with the ZW controller by one of the throttle controllers as long as the command base is left off.
The whole scenario is based upon not having a command base on while just using the ZW controller throttle handles, while still in "conventional" on the ZW controller.
Programming the ZW to TMCC, with a command base on and pushing the reset button so that the ZW becomes responsive to the command base and cab 1 commands and using TR 1 thru 4 works great. However, will the Lionel TMCC engines, locked in PRG now operate, now that the ZW controller has been reprogrammed to TMCC signals and is set to operate TR 1 thru 4 with the cab 1 and cab 1 command base? There's only one command base on, however; the TPC's are gone. I know I can still manually move the ZW controller throttles after it has been programmed to TMCC operations.
I searched the data base before submitting this question and couldn't find a question/answer
that gave me an answer. Why don't I just convert the track to TMCC? The tracks were the first section I wired over 7 years ago and there's over 400 feet of track and it would involve a complete rewiring. I did another loop, that was set up at the same time and tackled the rewiring to support both DCS and TMCC this summer. Everything runs great now on the rewired section, however; it took over one month to complete. I have several Weaver, Williams engines that will never be TMCC. I also have some K-Line and Lionel TMCC engines that won't run TMCC due to command board or signal reception problems. So, I save one loop to operate all of the non TMCC engines and TMCC engines in PRG that I was using the TPC's to do the job. However, during operating sessions, I couldn't use the TPC's as I had second command base on to run all the operational TMCC engines, by Lionel, Atlas, Weaver, etc,. So that loop was essentially dead for any remote operations. The loop is over 280' long with 3 sidings of over 50'. I hate to have that much potential operational track out of service during an operating session.
Thanks for taking time to read my question.
Moke Mike
lineswest@hotmail.com
