Original Powermaster vs Legacy Powermaster

The two versions are night and day from what you need to use it to features.

 

The original Powermaster gets it's signal straight from the Cab1 or from a Powermaster Bridge connected to the Legacy Base.

The Legacy Powermaster gets it's signal from the U post (The same as the track signal) on either the Legacy Base, Legacy Base L or TMCC Base.

 

The original Powermaster, as you said, has 32 speed steps and controls Track voltage, Bell & whistle.

The Legacy Powermaster has all the features of a TPC. The fact that it has up to 200 hundred speed steps means you will get finer control.

 

Both have a Command/Conventional switch.

Another bonus with the Legacy PowerMaster is they added all the MTH ProtoSound 1 and ProtoSound 2 operating features that the Lionel TPU has to the new product.

 

There is no reason that I can imagine for 99.9% of the operating public to consider an old PowerMaster.  The only reason I can think of is if you're getting them dirt cheap and you have CAB1 remotes and don't have a TMCC command base.

 

John, can you give more detail on the first paragraph?
I am not following you


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> On Mar 19, 2014, at 7:26 AM, O Gauge Railroading On Line Forum wrote:
>

Check the Legacy PowerMaster User's Manual, it explains the ProtoSound features.  Basically, it allows access to many of the features of ProtoSound 1/2 locomotives with conventional operation using the Legacy PowerMaster.

Can you simply swap out a powermaster for the Legacy unit on a TMCC-CAB-1 setup?

Provided that you have a TMCC base connected, then yes. The Legacy PowerMaster receives its control signals from its track connection. 

 

Besides the extra features already mentioned above, you will also benefit from the advanced modern circuit protection features that the Legacy PowerMaster provides.

If you have a TMCC Command Base, you can use the Legacy PowerMaster.  However, the CAB1 talks directly to the old TMCC PowerMaster, but the Legacy PowerMaster actually receives the track signal like a locomotive, so you need the command base to use it.  The TMCC PowerMaster actually came out before the TMCC command base.

 

Gunrunner John, if i am understanding this wright,if i have a legacy power master ,then i could not use a cab-1 remote to power up the track,am i right?

You could as long as you have the TMCC/Cab-1 base installed.

You can if you have an old TMCC command base.

I power up my power master without a command
base attached to the track


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> On Mar 19, 2014, at 9:44 AM, O Gauge Railroading On Line Forum wrote:
>

Lima &  Sinclair, Thanks for the info.i do have the tmcc command base, i also have the legacy system,i was just curious to know if the cab -1 would work, with the legacy power master.

 

  OK ,now i am confused Turtlelinez, which one is right?

The original PowerMaster responds directly to the CAB-1 remote. It works from the radio signal from the remote and you don't need a TMCC base to operate it.

 

The new Legacy PowerMaster responds to the track signal from the TMCC or Legacy base unit and not from the CAB-1 remote radio signal. This is why you need a base unit (TMCC or Legacy) in order to operate it.

 

 

Nicole is right Gerald.

 

Thanks GUNRUNNERJOHN & NICOLE, FOR clearing that up for me ,it helps to know these things especially if you are planning to rebuild your layout.

 

 

Now do the old Pull More engines run better with the PM-L?

I've run my 60+ year old Hudson with it, and it seems to run very smoothly.

So if you are rebuilding with Legacy is there any use for the 6 original Powermasters leftover from the previous layout?? Perhaps to power on & off sidings??

If you pick up a Legacy PowerMaster Bridge, you can use the original PowerMasters with the Legacy command base. 

If i do get around to rebuild my layout,i will still use the original power masters that i have [i have 4 of them] they work just fine so there would be no reason for me to change anything,but i still like to know what my options are if i do decide to make any other changes,as a matter of fact, i also have a power master bridge,& a spare brand new cab-1 if i decide to make any changes.

Gerald, the Legacy PowerMaster Bridge and the TMCC Command Base are mutually exclusive, you don't want to try to run with both of them in your configuration.  Both of them will be trying to communicate on the same 27.255mhz frequency and cause issues with command execution.

You are right JOHN,i should have been more clear, i would not use the power master bridge with the tmcc base,if i were to use the power master bridge i would remove the tmcc base first,i only bought the power master bridge & the extra cab-1,because i got them at a good price for them & i would have them for future use.

Just checkin'   FWIW, I have several TMCC bases and CAB1's, I use them on my test bench and for the Christmas layout. 

You're saying if I want to use the powermaster bridge I have to remove the tmcc command base?
This also means I can no longer use cab-1s??

Correct.  The PowerMaster Bridge sends out commands on the same frequency as the CAB1 remote.  While they may appear to work together at times, you'll also experience times where the commands get stepped on when both are transmitting, and you'll also see some real odd behavior at times from the units.  I did some tinkering when I had both components, just to prove to myself that it was indeed an issue, confirmed!

 

Thanks for the info John... Just to make sure I understand I can keep the tmcc command base and use the cab-1 to address powermasters but not the cab-2 ... if I replace the base with the bridge I can now address all functions of my original pm's with my cab-2 but no longer use the cab-1 for anything??

That's pretty much sums it up.

thanks for all the help!!

I'm still a little confused but it's starting to make sense....