Using CAB-1 to Activate MTH Couplers

TMCC (or legacy for that matter) will not operate an MTH PS2 locomotive in "command mode", for that you need  a DCS remote commander or a DCS system.

Adding a Lionel TPC unit will allow you to operate your MTH locomotive "conventionally" via your TMCC remote.  The whistle, bell, and coupler buttons will on your remote work as well and you will be able to activate some of the crewtalk .

MTH locos perform very well with a TPC unit, but its still conventional control i.e. hitting the direction button on the tmcc remote will cycle the direction by removing track power the same way your transformer does.

Hi Rick,

Thanks for the reply.  I think my question wasn't worded properly as I do realize that I cannot operate PS2 engines in command mode using TMCC. With the CAB-1, I can get the engine to move, change direction, and activate the bell and whistle.  I was hoping to be able to also hit the bell button and then the whistle button 3 times to activate the coupler.  That combo works with the whistle/bell controls directly on the ZW, but not from the CAB-1.  I was just wondering if there's a way to get that to work.

It's no big deal since my backup plan is to get the DCS remote commander.  This particular engine is going to spend it's time on a small dedicated block moving hoppers around.

Consider yourself lucky you can get the PS-2 to operate conventionally with your Modern ZW buttons.  I can not with mine.  You can not get the proper timing when the CAB-1 has to comunicate to the ZW via the Command Base.  Even the Modern ZW in manual use doesn't work for all PS-2 engines base on signal wave form.

Yours seems to be the exception rather than the rule.

Yes you can activate the whistle and bell, but using combinations to activate PSA or couplers doesn't normally work with Lionel Modern transformers.

Not sure the TPC solves this, and certainly I don't think the CAB-1 coupler button would operate a MTH PS-2 coupler because of a TPC.  G

Using a TPC allows for control of all PS-2 functions with a CAB-1 or CAB-2 in conventional mode. The CAB-1/CAB-2 coupler buttons do operate the PS-2 couplers. See the TPC manual for fuller details. http://www.lionel.com/media/se...ents/71-4189-250.pdf

Railride you're incorrect. The whistle and bell will operate conventionally with the cab1 and powermaster or ZW-C. I think Nocole is correct on the track power controller. It sends the correct dc offsets out with the correct timing to control the couplers.

Ron

Zeke, try hit the bell button and then the whistle button 3 times on the cab 1 to activate the coupler. 

I have run into the same issues some time ago using the same set-up. You can using the ZW and the buttons on the ZW to use the conventional coupler triggers and other sounds sequences on the MTH in conventional mode with no issues. The powermasters that are build into the ZW are not TPCs and therefore you cannot use the CAB1 to trigger the conventional sequences. At this point depending on how many MTH units you have you can either use this as is, which is what I did for quite a while, or add in the remote commander or a full DCS. It really depends on how much you have and how often you use it.

Nicole, That is good to know.  I did not realize Lionel modified the TPC to function that way.   G

A big "Thank You!" to everyone for the replies, and especially to Nicole for posting the TPC link.  It looks like getting a TPC will resolve the issue.