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5 replies

Need Legacy advice please

jd-trainjd-trainOGR Forum Member

I have always operated my trains conventionally.  My current layout is 11’x17’ with Gargraves track and Ross turnouts.  It has a double main (O-54 and O-63) with 11 side tracks (all but one also has an uncoupler section).  Tracks are powered with a MRC Dual (270 watts) and all tracks are set up with blocks so power can be toggled on/off.  I also have a scratchbuilt turntable and use an old MTH M-750 to power the track bridge on the turntable and the turntable storage tracks.

 

Below is my plan for a layout rebuild, with grey track for the double main, blue track for the side tracks and the turnouts are in red.

 

 

The new layout will be similar to the current layout, but a bit bigger, and my double main will have O-72 and O-80 curves.  My new layout will be powered by my MRC Dual.  As I have a spare MRC Dual, I’m thinking about using this to power my turntable area and the DZ-1000’s motors on my Ross switches.

 

Seven of my 12 engines (3 - 3rd Rail, 3 - Atlas, 1 - Weaver) have TMCC, so I’m thinking about adding Legacy to my layout.  I would continue to use one or both of my MRC Duals for power and would conventionally control the DZ-1000s for the Ross Turnouts.

 

I figure that if I ordered the Lionel 990 set, this would be good to power the double main, but what the heck would I do with the side tracks and the turntable area?

 

Thanks for any help,

 

Jim

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M MoonmanOGR Forum Member

I am not sure what your question is asking about.

 

The Legacy 990 set provides remote control capabilities. Power would still be provided as you have planned.

 

The 990 and some controls for the legacy system would provide total remote operation of the layout.

That can be accomplished with a few configurations. Using the LCS system is one way. The switches only a need a DZ-2008 Data wire driver and a DZ-2000. 

 

The sidings would have power from one of the MRC transformers. Plenty of power to share the yard with one of the mains. Track power toggled remotely as well as uncoupler tracks by a TMCC or LCS device. The turntable could also be controlled remotely by the 990.

 

Are you asking about power allocation or remote layout control? 

Last edited by Moonman
D DtrainmasterOGR Forum Member

Jim,

Aren't all of your outer rails on the layout tied together?

Very simply: one base, one wire from that base to an outer rail, and the signal will be everywhere on the layout. And be sure to plug the bases power supply directly into a known grounded outlet, that's the other half of the signal.

The one problem you may see, because of all of those parallel tracks, is too much of the track-half of the signal in certain areas. But don't worry about that unless a problem arises, there's an easy fix.

 

Dave

 

 

 

 

 

Last edited by Dtrainmaster
jd-trainjd-trainOGR Forum Member

Gentlemen,

 

Thanks for the replies.

 

What wasn't clicking for me was that the Legacy signal goes through the outside rail, while the power would continue to be fed through the middle rail. 

 

This, of course would still allow the use of blocks that could be controlled with toggle switches.  (I would, of course, have to remember not to start my conventional engines at 18 volts as they would rocket across the layout!   I also understand the importance of a quick circuit breaker as well.

 

So, I guess the only question I still have is how to get the Legacy signal to my turntable bridge and the associated tracks?

 

Jim

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