new to O gauge

There a lot of videos on You Tube about TMCC both from Lionel as well as from individuals. Use the Google search to look up TMCC.

Below is an example video made by Lionel.

RAY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...channel=LIONELCS2011

Original TMCC is very easy to add to a conventional layout. It's older technology so your biggest challenge will be finding the two main components, a command base and a Cab-1 remote control.  Your best bet is on the used market.  The command base simply gets connected to the outer rail of your conventional layout and, presto, you can begin communicating with TMCC locomotives with the Cab-1. It doesn't connect to the power source or anything like that with the MTH DCS command system.

You can find 10-20 year-old TMCC equipped locomotives on the used market for about 1/2 of their original MSRP. Another option is to upgrade conventional engines with TMCC components from ERR but that's about $300 these days give or take.  To run newer engines with TMCC, you'll need to buy ones with the newer Lionchief Plus 2.0.  The same can NOT be said about plain ol' Lionchief or Lionchief Plus (gotta be LC 2.0).

I believe your CW80 transformer has a fast-acting circuit breaker but hopefully others here will confirm. If not, once you start putting pricier locomotives with electronics on the layout, you'll want fast acting circuit breakers or fast-blow fuses.

Others here state emphatically that you should put Transient Voltage Suppression (TVS) diodes on the layout. I don't know exactly why, but they're smarter than me, so I've listened and done this.

If you have a Legacy locomotive, either get the old Legacy system (outrageously expensive on eBay) or wait for the Lionel Base 3, which is supposedly arriving this Fall.  TMCC is Lionel's first command control system and Legacy is their second, much improved, iteration.  The old Legacy system attaches to the track with a single wire.  Your transformer will also be hooked up to the track but set to around 18 volts when using a command control system.

If I understand you like the KISS way . Before you jump I would look into deadrail/Battery power. There are other options on what and how. I was at one time cab2 legacy 22 ' x 8 ' layout. I never fully enjoyed running trains . There always seemed to be problems with cab2 . Had to send it in to lionel for fixes which ment long down time on running trains. I saw on this forum radio Battery control using battery power. I looked into it asked guestions and decided too convert one engine . Started with my lionchief NW2 . Since it was already RC I just added Battery. That got my juice flowing and I decided to convert one legacy NW2 engine to a system called railpro with battery power. I have a mentor here on the forum walk me through the process because I need it simple. I have made the total commitment to deadrail/Battery powered.  If you wish to look at your options search the fourm . The main thing is K.I.S.S.

The Lionel control systems subforum (where this topic was moved to) has lots of information, maybe too much when just getting started.

You may want to consider looking for the Kalmbach book "Command Control for Toy Trains" - although it's somewhat dated, it offers a high-level but practical overview of hooking up and running TMCC (and DCS).  Since it's an older book, you might be able to find it for a bargain price.

@raising4daughters posted:

Original TMCC is very easy to add to a conventional layout. It's older technology so your biggest challenge will be finding the two main components, a command base and a Cab-1 remote control.  Your best bet is on the used market.  The command base simply gets connected to the outer rail of your conventional layout and, presto, you can begin communicating with TMCC locomotives with the Cab-1. It doesn't connect to the power source or anything like that with the MTH DCS command system.

You can find 10-20 year-old TMCC equipped locomotives on the used market for about 1/2 of their original MSRP. Another option is to upgrade conventional engines with TMCC components from ERR but that's about $300 these days give or take.  To run newer engines with TMCC, you'll need to buy ones with the newer Lionchief Plus 2.0.  The same can NOT be said about plain ol' Lionchief or Lionchief Plus (gotta be LC 2.0).

I believe your CW80 transformer has a fast-acting circuit breaker but hopefully others here will confirm. If not, once you start putting pricier locomotives with electronics on the layout, you'll want fast acting circuit breakers or fast-blow fuses.

Others here state emphatically that you should put Transient Voltage Suppression (TVS) diodes on the layout. I don't know exactly why, but they're smarter than me, so I've listened and done this.

Good advice in the above post.  A couple of additional bits of info...  1) if you buy a used TMCC system, be sure that it includes the original power supply - although it looks like a common wall wart, it isn't, and 2) never use an older / postwar transformer with modern locomotives, and heed the advice above regarding circuit breakers and TVS diodes - both are inexpensive, easy to install, and offer cheap insurance.

I watched the video from Lionel on you tube, I'm still not sure on what to do, he covered all of the boxes but, here is what I think. I have a cw 80 for power, will I need the following parts to run my layout,  a cab-1L remote ( i have the uni remote and the chief remotes) a Lionel  direct lock on, and a Legacy power master. My layout is the one I made from OGR  the Mapleton, from Oct/Nov 2022 I have expanded it from a 8 x 4 to a 11x 4  I plan to run 2 trains on this for now.  ( will be adding a switching yard later) I will only run lionel chief Plus and up from here on out. I have the Lionel Sw  series Diesel switcher now and a lionel a lionel trackmobile. I am on the waiting list to get a base 3 when it comes out, will the above parts run with this? please advise also which of the powermasters  to get? the Lionel guy did not make it clear to me which part goes with what item he was covering them all.

thanks for you help

Spacely71

The Base 3 is designed to respond to the Lionel app, cab-1L, cab-2, the Universal Remote, and LionChief remotes, so you should be fine whatever your choices amongst newer Lionel locos.  The Legacy Powermaster will only respond to the cab-2 and cab-1L if I'm not mistaken, and you don't need it unless you plan to operate locomotives in conventional mode.  I don't think you will need it otherwise.   The Legacy Powermaster, for example,  won't work for LionChief locos as these can only be controlled by the dedicated remote that came with the loco, the Universal Remote, and the Lionel app.    They should be controllable in command mode with the Base 3 responding to any of the controllers that it recognizes (the Lionel app, the cab-2, the cab-1L, the Universal Remote and the LionChief locomotive-specific remotes).

@Mallard4468 posted:

1) if you buy a used TMCC system, be sure that it includes the original power supply - although it looks like a common wall wart, it isn't

YES! I'm embarrassed for missing this point. I bought a back-up command base without the power supply which was fine as a back-up since the power supply is unlikely to fail.  Definitely want this along with the command base and Cab-1 remote control. Good catch.

@Mallard4468 posted:

2) never use an older / postwar transformer with modern locomotives, and heed the advice above regarding circuit breakers and TVS diodes - both are inexpensive, easy to install, and offer cheap insurance.

Meh, I think a postwar transformer with a fast-blow fuse inserted between the hot from the transformer and the track is good enough. That said, since the OP has a CW-80, no reason to add old postwar transformers.

@Spacely71 posted:

I watched the video from Lionel on you tube, I'm still not sure on what to do, he covered all of the boxes but, here is what I think. I have a cw 80 for power, will I need the following parts to run my layout,  a cab-1L remote ( i have the uni remote and the chief remotes) a Lionel  direct lock on, and a Legacy power master.

Unless you have conventional locomotives that you want to control via TMCC, you don't necessarily need a Powermaster.

From your first post, it sounds like you have a LionChief locomotive and a Legacy locomotive.  Until the Base3 arrives, you'll have to keep using the LionChief remote for that locomotive.  For the Legacy locomotive (and any future TMCC or Legacy locomotive purchases), you need a power source that can provide 18V (such as the CW80), and a matching command base and remote (Cab1 and Base1 or Cab2 and Base2 or Cab1L and Base1L).

The power source connects to the track, and the Base connects to the outside rail.  That's all you need to start running a Legacy/TMCC locomotive with command control.

There are lots of other cool things you can do with TMCC/Legacy using other components such as:

• A Powermaster can be used to vary track voltage so that you can control a conventional locomotive
• various other boxes can be added to control switches, accessories, and more
• other TMCC/Legacy equipped cars can be added for fun interactions

But none of that is required to get started.

Because there are a lot of names and command systems out there, even from just Lionel, here's a basic rundown of Lionel's offerings.

• TMCC, Legacy, and LionChief all use a fixed track voltage (typically 18V).
• Conventional control varies the track voltage to vary locomotive speed, and uses a power interruption to change direction.
• TMCC and Legacy are essentially Gen1 and Gen2 of Lionel's command control system (hence Cab/Base1 and Cab/Base2).  They are cross compatible. (TMCC can control Legacy, Legacy can control TMCC)
• LionChief started out as radio control of one remote to one locomotive only.  Essentially, it moved starter sets out of the conventional world and towards command control by moving them to a fixed track voltage.
• LionChief+ I believe added Bluetooth control, enabling more options for controlling basic locomotives, such as the app and universal Lionchief remote.
• LionChief + 2.0 is essentially a locomotive with both TMCC and LionChief+.
• The Base3 is an attempt to finally bring universal control to Lionel's trains.  It will enable any fixed voltage locomotive (TMCC, Legacy, LionChief (all varieties)) to be controlled with the same device (either a phone app or a Cab2).  Conventional locomotives will still require a Powermaster.

Attached is a reference chart which shows which current Lionel locomotives work with which control systems, as well as other pertinent feature information.

Additionally, depending on the year of manufacture (give us the model #) of your Legacy switcher, you may be able to operate it right now in command control mode using the universal remote you have and/or Bluetooth with the Lionel app, which you can download to your phone/device, while waiting for your Base 3 to arrive.

Thanks for all the info, I how have a good Idea as to how to set this up. This is A work in progress, I will post pictures as so as I have the trains running. again Thanks for the help.

Spacely71

I'll join in since this relates to some questions I had, and avoid starting another post. Presently I have only TMCC locomotives and what I believe to be a PowerStation controller with the PowerHouse (135w). I'm mostly just interested in the original cab1/base1Trainmaster Command Control Set as this is for a very simple setup, no need for the newer more expensive options.

According to the manual, the PowerStation is equipped with an electronic current-sensing circuit breaker. With that, it would eliminate the need for something like the PowerHouse Direct Lockon accessory which would otherwise provide this protection, correct?

Would I want TVS for a basic oval loop? If so, I saw one like this recommended https://www.digikey.com/en/pro...gGI4AqAtAHIAiIAugL5A would that be what I want for my use case?

For a simple loop layout, would It work to have just one and screw the two ends to the A & U track outputs on the controller? I don’t have a soldering iron for what might be a normal way to install it. (see attached photo)