Will not run-Ground Plane Problem?

BReece,

    Try Grounding both outside rails for your best Legacy signal.  If you are running DSC with Legacy, run one legacy base line to the opposite outside rail of your DCS set up, then run your legacy base connection to every outside black TIU channel connection, if this does not clean up your signal problem, it maybe that your engine has a problem of it's own.

PCRR/Dave

Ad Nauseam

Make sure the ground plane wire is solidly connected to an earth ground (eg water pipe that goes outside).  Also note that engines do not respond in the same way regarding a degraded signal as a result of an insufficient ground. That was what drove me to distraction. Going from the least sensitive to most sensitive: tmcc engines without cruise, tmcc engines with cruise, long steamers, long diesels, short diesels and short steamers - then Legacy engines.  Legacy engines have the most sensitivity to the signal because Legacy engines need complete data packets before responding.  For me the largest difference between DCS and Legacy, is that for DCS when a signal is lost the engine will continue at the last commanded speed. TMCC/Legacy will stop when they encounter a degraded signal.  When running multiple trains on the same track, Legacy trains might stop if a signal is degraded and might cause a collision.

Thanks Dave,

Let me indicate just how lost I am. Both loops are powered by a Lionel PW 180 powerhouse (one for each loop) connected directly to the track. The problem started when the upper loop was completed.

As far as I know there is no DCS involved.

Brent

Brent maybe you need to start over with the bottom loop get all going fine there with all your engines then try hooking up your upper level as it could be something you wired wrong and just don't see it. 

I remember on one of the forums I go to and not sure which that a person had one legacy system and accidentally had the grounds reverse on the two different loops. Can't remember all the problems but seems like it kinda ran on one loop but not the other.   

Basically if your only using one unit make sure your in phase with your ground