New to hobby

The Lionel engine may not work with the Cab-1 system because it may not be a command locomotive. Does it have any switches on the bottom or underneath a removable hatch ?

Model numbers of the non-functioning engines (both Lionel and MTH) would help to sort things out.

Do any of the non-working engines work conventionally, i.e., just under transformer/throttle control ?

Im at work now.. get pics when i get home

Here are pics of the box ends. Yes they all can run in conventional mode with a thottle. Some have program/run switches. I did try to program some of them but to no avail.

And if I can't use them.. I will sell them but I don't know what they're worth. Where can I find a good source for values?

Welcome to the big and confusing, but ultimately very rewarding hobby!  To simply start on the topic of command control:

In three rail AC O gauge there are three different command systems of which two are very similar.

1. Lionel came out with the TMCC (Train Master Command Control) system in 1996 and it uses the Cab 1 controller.  It has subsequently been replaced by Lionel's Legacy system.  Legacy is backwards compatible with TMCC, but TMCC controllers cannot control Legacy equipped locomotives.  Since you don't have any Legacy equipped Lionel locomotives now, that won't be an issue for you.   
2. MTH developed a competing system to TMCC called DCS (Digital Command System) around 2000 if I recall correctly.  MTH locomotives with either Protosounds 2 or Protosounds 3 have the DCS system installed.  The original Protosounds equipped locomotives do not have DCS.  They can only be run in conventional mode.
3. You can run both command systems at the same time on your layout as they both rely on constant (18v) voltage to the track.
4. Finally - TMCC can be found in 3 rail locomotives offered by Lionel, Atlas, Weaver, and 3rd Rail.  DCS was traditionally only available with MTH locomotives, but Atlas has purchased the right to use DCS in some of their locomotives.  Sorry that this can be a bit confusing!

Looking at your photos you have a combination of Lionel TMCC equipped locomotives, MTH Protosounds equipped locomotives, MTH Protosounds-2 equipped locomotives, and Weaver conventional locomotives.  If you run without the command systems, you can run all of your trains.

Concerning what to purchase or what to sell, I always recommend to simply enjoy the hobby. There is no right or wrong.  We all have our opinions on our favorite brand, but there isn't one that is necessarily better than another if it meets your interests and you enjoy it.  As to values, used trains are sometimes hard to price, but sold listings on eBay can be a starting place.  At least in my 45 continuous years in this hobby (I started at 7 and never stopped) I feel as if this is a buy high / sell low kind of hobby.

You will make lots of mistakes, but in the end you will learn a lot and celebrate your triumphs.  Model railroading and trains has enriched my life greatly in so many ways, I don't know where to start!

"...I really don't know what I am doing." Congratulations, it's a big club you've joined! 😁

Everything Johnathan just said makes sense; the only thing I will add is don't try to pack too much into your available space; you might add up becoming frustrated. Also, a 3 or 5% grade is pretty steep: again, a possible point of frustration. My advice is go slow and enjoy the process. 🙂

Mark in Oregon

PS: would love to see those MEC RS11s... 👍

Hi.. Thanks for the replies. Yeah this new hobby of mine is definitely over the top! And I don't know how to reply to you individually or even if I can send messages on here.?

Strummer.. here is pics of the Weaver

s for you..

Oh my god.. I don't know what happened there with the pics.? Sorry they're crooked. The orange pics are the same loco.

Can someone respond to the track issue please. Let me know if I need to make more sense of what I wanted to achieve.

@D123M posted:

Can someone respond to the track issue please. Let me know if I need to make more sense of what I wanted to achieve.

The layout you have there is a 10'x7' so it will work. And the switch numbers are listed on your schematic.

I figured that I wanted to do a double mainline. The track on bottom will be the second main line added around it. So I'd just need four O-36 switches to make the connections.  Just making sure there will be enough room for the second main line on the 12x8 table? Will the second main loop fit around the schematic on the table?

D123M where are you located in a general sense. There are Forum Members all over the country and almost all of us are willing to assist any one in the hobby when they have questions or problems. A little more information in your profile would help local folks reach out to you.

My only observation is a 5% grade is pretty steep, you may have issues running anything but very short consists on such a grade.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

My only observation is a 5% grade is pretty steep, you may have issues running anything but very short consists on such a grade.

Exactly. 👍

Nice Alcos, BTW... 🙂

Mark in Oregon 🎄

Forget a 5% grade.  It is definitely too steep and will definitely give you problems at present and down the road.  My advice is not to start out your layout by designing a big problem into it.  Even 4% grade can give many smaller engines problems.

Go 3%.

Mannyrock

My maximum grade is 2.5%.  While it doesn't give most of my trains any issues, lower powered and lighter locomotives do struggle if they have a long consist.  Ideally, I would have had a 2% grade, but to rise 7" with the easements at the beginning and the end, that would be over 25 feet, I simply don't have that much real estate.

@D123M posted:

I figured that I wanted to do a double mainline. The track on bottom will be the second main line added around it. So I'd just need four O-36 switches to make the connections.  Just making sure there will be enough room for the second main line on the 12x8 table? Will the second main loop fit around the schematic on the table?

The distance (gap) between the two straights will increase the sharper the curve (such as an O-36 switch) and, conversely, the gap will decrease the broader the curve (such as an O-72 switch). If you want to maintain the shortest distance between the straights in order to fit the outer loop within a certain table dimension, you're better off using four O-72 switches. In addition, using the O-72 switches will make the transition from one loop to the other much smoother.

Let me offer another few key points.  GunrunnerJohn has already mentioned easements at the top and bottom of grades, and it's good to know what those are.  Essentially, and particularly with FasTrack, your first one or two pieces of track can not rise (or drop) at your maximum grade (let's say 3%) if for no other reason than said track just isn't that flexible.  Even if the first few pieces could rise at 3%, you might not want to do that because of possible short circuits (engine front touching rails) or possible coupler disconnects.  So, if you plan a 3% rise in 20 feet, with the vertical easements at each end, you may need an extra 2 or 3 feet to keep your maximum (called ruling) grade at 3%.  However, if 20 feet is your maximum space, then the use of easements within that 20 feet will increase your maximum (ruling) grade well over your 3% limit.

Second, when planning concentric ovals, remember to consider equipment overhang.  The longer your equipment is, when going around sharp curves, some edges will overhang the track.  Thus, if two trains pass on a curve, the inner train is quite likely to either scrape the paint off the outer train or to actually push the outer train off the track.  The thing to remember, generically, is that the longer your equipment is, 1 of 2 choices must be made: 1. use wider curves, or 2. leave more space between the tracks on curves.  With the size of table you're discussing, both are possibilities.

Chuck

His grade will be 4.5% which won't present a problem with his traction tire equip;ed locomotives.  He'll not be running 50-car trains up that grade or around those O36 curves.

As for power you might consider a Lionel Powermaster so you can control the non-TMCC locomotives. with a CAB-1 controller.  The one MTH Protosound 2 loca will run in conventional mode.

Jan

@Jan posted:

His grade will be 4.5% which won't present a problem with his traction tire equip;ed locomotives.  He'll not be running 50-car trains up that grade or around those O36 curves.

Well, I'm not talking about 50 car trains, though I do run those up my grade.  However, at 4.5%, even a handful of cars with the typical set locomotive may have issues.  There's more than traction tires necessary to make the grade.

John, he doesn't have a choice.  His layout isn't as big as yours or mine.

My 1956? Lionel GP7 could pull 7-8 car trains up the old Lionel graduated trestles without a problem.

Jan

Wow.. this is a lot to take in. I guess the 3 percent grade would have to start a bit further back then where the "decline" states in 1st schematic way up top there. But no, I wont be running too many cars with my set up since the layout is not huge. I like the idea of using the 0-72 switches what Richie said. I don't mind spending a bit of money for a trial and error type thing. So far I really haven't spent any money on it anyway except for the wood. Oh and don't tell my wife, I did order a new MTH Maine Central F3 diesel to match many of the cars (Maine Central) theme which will work with the MTH DCS. Going to sell those others above soon as I can. I love the realism of the "newer" rather then transformer/conventional stuff. Quick shout out to my Dad (RIP) here, I'm sure he'd be glad most of the trains are being used ! I am in the Hudson Valley area of NY State. Yeah I could use a little help in figuring out some more things. PM me here if there is such a thing on this Forum.?  Or maybe email me, whatever works

@D123M posted:

...Oh and don't tell my wife, I did order a new MTH Maine Central F3 diesel to match many of the cars (Maine Central) theme which will work with the MTH DCS.

...😁 😁 😁

Mark in Oregon 🎄

Again, if you would like folks to communicate with you outside of the "post to forum" method, you have to provide some way to do that with more info in your personal profile.

Chuck

Updated my email in profile. It would be nice if the forum created a "send message" to other users on here, I mean we are in the new digital tech age. lol

@D123M posted:

Updated my email in profile. It would be nice if the forum created a "send message" to other users on here, I mean we are in the new digital tech age. lol

They do, but you have to be a Premium Member.

@D123M posted:

Updated my email in profile. It would be nice if the forum created a "send message" to other users on here, I mean we are in the new digital tech age. lol

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

They do, but you have to be a Premium Member.

...and by that John is referring to a Digital Subscription which allows one to send Private Messages selectively to other Digital Subscribers.  A Digital Subscription also gives you access to all OGR online magazines past and present plus selected OGR videos as well.

I think it's advisable to post any future questions and/or issues that you might have with setting up your layout to the general Forum rather than "PM"-ing for a couple of reasons.

One, you're liable to get a few varied responses which may let you choose from alternative methods of solving your issue and, more importantly, it allows other hobbyists who may have similar problems to yours, to either chime in or to see how the issue was solved.