While I have read: https://ogrforum.com/...multiple-powermastes I have a similar question for all you experienced TMCC guys.
Being new to TMCC I have some questions. (TMCC Only - No Legacy …… well not yet anyway. Maybe a “bridge” will come later if I decide to move beyond TMCC, but quite honestly right now it doesn’t seem necessary to me.) I have a PM1 6-12867 that I just got as a Christmas present. I already had a TMCC 6-12969 Cab-1 / Command Base set that I bought years ago but never used. I never even took it out of the box! (it’s a long story).
This year was the first time in many years that I was able to set up a small track around the Christmas tree, so using my ZW as a power source I ran it to the Power Master and was able to successfully run my train in “Conventional Mode”, raising and lowering track voltage with the Cab-1, and successfully using the other buttons like whistle, bell and direction controls. At first, the PM did not seem to respond to the Cab-1, but I figured out that it was programmed as track number 3, so once I reprogrammed it to track 1, everything worked fine (the big clue was a large white vinyl number 3 that the previous owner of the PM had placed on the connection end of the unit). My current hookup is like this:
So, now that I was able to realize the beauty of Digital Train Control, even though for the time being I have no TMCC equipped locomotives and can only run in “Conventional” mode, I started looking deeper into TMCC and all its capabilities. I found the 6-14181 ARC (Action Recorder Controller) and it piqued my interest. The thought of running two trains on my planned elevated layout with TMCC and the ARC is very enticing and interesting. (In the near future, I may take a shot at using JMRI and some Arduinos to run my trains, thereby helping to greatly defray the costs upgrading my locos to TMCC, but I want to fully understand what I’m doing, before moving forward in that direction.)
First, here’s my track plan, and then my questions will follow:
Now that I’m in my new “Forever” home in sunny Florida, my plan is to build an elevated dual loop track that runs the length of the far outside wall of my enclosed Lanai (a 27’ run), and then take an 11.5’ run along the side walls over to the inside wall, then up and down helixes at each end (about a 2’ rise/fall in elevation), to allow raising the length of track that will go through and along the inside wall. This will allow the beauty of running model trains to be enjoyed by all, even those in the “Great Room” of the house. Running two trains in this manner should be plenty interesting, and I’m even planning on adding a Lionel Crane to drop small treats from a Candy factory, to the future Grand kids!
Questions:
- My understanding is that the 6-14181 ARC (Action Recorder Controller) will record actions when running in either/both “Conventional” and “Command” modes, correct? I called Loinel, and after an extended Hold time, I was told YES. I did this prior to purchasing the ARC, which I am now waiting for delivery of because it is currently stuck in USPS holiday ignore mode :>(.
- How do I implement the ARC?
- As shown in the pic below from the ARC manual, it shows adding the Command Base.
- It does not show how the track receives power, which currently comes from my ZW through a PowerMaster.
- I understand CAN BUS communications in automotive applications, but those systems are all hard wired and do not use wireless com signals, so my assumption would be that teeing controllers into the “U” loop is what I need to do with the Command Base, the PowerMaster and the ARC. I do not however think this is correct, but instead I am thinking that my current ZW/PM setup should remain intact, and the ARC/Command Base does not need any hard wiring to the PM, as wireless communication from the Cab-1 is all it takes to make it work. Supporting my wireless theory, the ARC manual shows this illustration for the ARC/CB wiring, but it does not mention/show how to add a PowerMaster. Furthermore, it states:
So, Can the Cab-1 simultaneously communicate with both the CB and the PM? If so, is the priority handled in the messaging?
This shows that obviously because the ARC and ASCs are not wireless devices, they must be hard-wired for communications between them to occur.
So, can both the PM and the Command Base co-exist, and work properly via wireless com with the Cab-1 to control trains in Conv mode, while at the same time allowing the ARC to record and play back?
Thanks,
GT
