Trying to understand the ZW-L

1) The throttle are set up that way so you can run conventional engines with the cab2. The advantage to programming them rather than just using them outright is you can shut them off when needed or in the case of an emergency you can use the emergency stop button.

2) By programming a variable throttle as an engine you can toggle through any conventional engine right with the command engines to blow whistles and change speed. It saves on keystrokes when running multiple trains.

Ron

I'd agree with Ron. Handle A and D starting at 0 accounts for the fact that you might have a conventional loco on one or both of those tracks that you intend to run via the Legacy remote. Thus it starts you at 0 so nothing flings off the track at power-up.

I suppose it's still the old idea of handles A&D for tracks and B&C for accessories and lights.

For Command-only running it is a bit of a pain.

Being able to program the handles as engines seemed odd to me. While I see Ron's logic, it just seems like a feature that wasn't really needed.

I prefer to keep my power sources labeled as "tracks" in the TMCC/Legacy world.

I think Mike was showing that you can set them up as track or engine numbers. Comes in handy if your running TMCC engines in a mu where you only have track numbers 1-9. Giving the ZWL engine numbers rather than track numbers saves the track numbers for trains. Think it was a good idea.

I think he was just showing everyone that it is an option, but not required if you're running in 100% Command Environment. For anyone that runs in conventional mode, it gives them the option to run any handle in conventional by using the remote.

In your case, just turn that option off with the switch on the back. You are strictly a command runner, so it's just an extra step (or 4 steps) you don't need to do.

Kinda of like me buying a car with a cord hanging out of the engine bay for an engine block heater when I live in CA. Yeah it might be cool to some, and needed for many people living back east, but I would never want or need to use it.

Gromet what you could also do is make a recording of the power up of the transformers to get all the tracks on and at full power. Save it and every time you start up run the program and it will bring everything up to full voltage for you.

Ron

I suppose the case for using only bricks for "strictly command" is a valid one. However, it just seems very limiting as it's great to be able to throw a postwar Lionel, Williams, MTH, etc. on a given loop and run it via the Legacy remote and have a Legacy loco on the other. And then go to all command locos....then all conventional......

To the casual viewer, they don't see any difference in operating technique when comparing a conventional loco operated with the ZW-L/Legacy setup vs a new Legacy loco with the same set-up. They just see EVERY loco being controlled with the remote.

Old string, but I've noticed that the ZWLs are coming down in price.  I too am using command only (Legacy) and have for a long time.  I use Lionel's TMCC Direct Lockons which work perfectly and have built in circuit/engine protection.  I have a modern ZW, but really do not have much use for it.  I do use it to control (vary) the wattage on accessory blocks and to power switches, but that is all.

The only advantage I can see for buying a ZWL would be to cut down on the ac plugs and space for bricks.  One question I have is what happens if you are drawing more than 15 or 20 watts.  Wouldn't it trip your home circuit breaker since it is all flowing through the one AC outlet?  Can't see where having an available 36 watts really helps if you are limited by your home circuit breaker.

You mean amps, not watts. And it's 36 amps at 18vac. That's 648 watts. Your outlet is good for at least 15 amps at 120 vac. That's 1800 watts, well more than what the transformer can consume.

Electric express you're confusing watts and amps. A 15 amp house circuit breaker trips at 15 amps which at 120volts is 1800 watts. On a 20 amp circuit you could run 3 and possibly 4 zwls all drawing maximum power before the breaker would trip.

Ron

Right you are!  My mistake..  Had a brain lapse, watts, amps, 

I have the ZW-C which can be TMCC controlled.  You can vary the voltage down as an easy method to let a youngster run a legacy engine with some top speed limits, without having to set limit in the engine.  Additionally if you run composite Conventional and Command on the same loop you can have speed control on the conventional engine.  G