Wondering about protecting my investment in TMCC 1.0

I think it'll be a lot of years before you have to worry about TMCC going away.  I think you're covered, I figure there's enough TMCC hardware on the used market to keep your stuff running many years.

I have just one TMCC engine but it is very nice.  I just purchased a new to me Cab1 when my old one packed it in.   Seemed cheaper to purchase just a new remote.  Hope I am correct and the new one works fine.  The nice thing about running my old (2005?) TMCC is it runs just fine with conventional and DCS locomotives.  It also runs great on conventional.  As long as one can purchase the old transformers with good sign waves I don't see any show stopper problems. 

I agree with GRJ.  You are in a good place.  I am also invested in TMCC.  I have managed to pick up a spare Command Base and a CAB-1 remote at bargain prices and it's only going to get better.  I haven't played with LionChief yet, but I believe TMCC is more robust than Legacy (although has less features).  TMCC meets my needs, and I do not have any plans to upgrade or change it.

George

Only K-line TMCC electronics have been known to " crap out". You should be good otherwise.

Most of my collection is TMCC between 2000 and 2008. The new stuff is just priced out of my league.

If you want to better their performance. The cruise commander M can be installed to give you better speed steps.

J Daddy posted:

Only K-line TMCC electronics have been known to " crap out". You should be good otherwise.

Most of my collection is TMCC between 2000 and 2008. The new stuff is just priced out of my league.

If you want to better their performance. The cruise commander M can be installed to give you better speed steps.

Yep.  And I just had a Cruise Commander put into my Williams PRR B6sb.  It has TMCC, f/r electrocouplers, sound, and cruise.  Man, is it a sweet little shifter (switcher).  I love it!

George

I have DCS & (2)TMCC controllers.  I have several MTH 2.0 & 3.0 engines.  I also have several TMCC engines.  I just bought my first Legacy engine on the secondary market to try out.  As long as Legacy engines run on TMCC/DCS I'm content.  There are plenty of Legacy engines on the used market.  Even though the new stuff is priced too high IMO, I plan on buying more used Legacy engines to run on TMCC.  There are also many attractive TMCC engines on the resale market, some still in new condition after being a shelf queen for 10 years.  If my 2 TMCC controllers should die, I would then upgrade to Legacy.  By the way I think that Legacy engines on TMCC/DCS run great.....yes I know that I'm missing out on ALL the Legacy features.  Nice thing about this hobby today is that you can do your own thing.

You can also just bump up to the Cab-1L

Jim 1939 posted:

You can also just bump up to the Cab-1L

Or the full Legacy system, all will run the TMCC stuff just fine.   As long as you don't have an original PowerMaster, you're all set. 

I like a fool  sold my TMCC cab1's and bases and now wish I would of kept at least 1 set. Thinking thou of going to the cab1L set up since I did that as to buy a used complete set now is $100+ usually on the Bay. I might as well add another $100 to it and get a new item. And also have the plus of Legacy for my Legacy engine I have. I know it's not like the complete Legacy set up but from what I have been told anyway it's has things that the regular Cab1 set up didn't but it's like using the old cab1 basically. 

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Jim 1939 posted:

You can also just bump up to the Cab-1L

Or the full Legacy system, all will run the TMCC stuff just fine.   As long as you don't have an original PowerMaster, you're all set. 

GRJ - it was all good news until that last sentence.  I'm building a new layout (long story) and plan to have a PowerMaster on each mainline and siding so I can run the conventional engines with my Cab-1 while still using the plethora of PW transformers I have (I own 7-8 of them).  I'm hoping your comment about PowerMasters limited to the case if I switched over to full Legacy system?

The original Powermasters  (first released in 1994 as I recall) should work fine with the original Cab-1.  It doesn't work with the Legacy handheld without additional hardware, as I understand it.  Correct me if I've misinterpreted the question (or the answer).

The original PowerMaster communicated directly with the CAB1 on 27mhz, it didn't know about the TMCC command base.  Both the new CAB1L and Legacy CAB2 communicate on 2.4ghz and are not compatible with the original PowerMaster.  A solution with  the Legacy system is the Legacy PowerMaster Bridge, I'm not sure if it's compatible with the BASE1L/CAB1L environment or not.

If you don't currently have PowerMasters, I'd suggest you consider some alternatives.  For one, there's the new Legacy Powermaster, a much more capable unit that is compatible with all TMCC/Legacy environments.  Also, the ZW-L transformer basically has the capability of a PowerMaster on each of it's four output channels, and it's also compatible with all TMCC/Legacy environments.  This would include the original BASE1/CAB1 as well as the newer products.

Guns,

    The programmable Channels on the ZW-L is IMO one of the big engineering reasons for investing in a new ZW-L.  The additional power is the other big reason of course. I also agree, the TMCC stuff is safe for a very long long time time.

PCRR/Dave

As John said: the new Legacy Powermaster, a much more capable unit that is compatible with all TMCC/Legacy environments. 

I just replaced my TPC's with these and sooooo much better. Just flip a switch on them from remote to conventional. Very nice and lazy.

Larry

J Daddy posted:

Most of my collection is TMCC between 2000 and 2008. The new stuff is just priced out of my league.

Well, maybe except for this, huh? 

I just put my order in for the new U.P. Excursion Passenger car set......

I have a bunch of stuff. I have found that TMCC boards and the like are durable (see possible exception below), and my layout is in an out-building that, while it is insulated, and air-conditioned while I'm using it is not exactly an in-house environment, and gets cold in the (Gulf Coast, 30's - 50's, occasional freeze) winter (I have a small space-heater). So far, so good - and I just brought 2 CAB-1's back to life after cleaning the connections (contact cleaner) under the button pad (some numbers would not take).

Exception, and slight, so far...the "radio board" seems to be the weak link; have lost 3. But that's since TMCC came out.  Lost one motherboard, but that was in my Lionel Niagara, so no surprise there - it's the Lionel Niagara!

J Daddy posted:

Only K-line TMCC electronics have been known to " crap out". You should be good otherwise.

If you want to better their performance. The cruise commander M can be installed to give you better speed steps.

Right. And if it should fail, K-Line TMCC (which was made by Lionel...personally, I've had no problems with it) can easily be replaced with ERR TMCC electronics.

And for better performance, it's well known that TMCC engines run better with the Legacy system, so going to Legacy will make a significant improvement in operation of your TMCC fleet. 

gunrunnerjohn posted:

If you don't currently have PowerMasters, I'd suggest you consider some alternatives. 

Thanks, but I already picked up 6 of them.  But, I really do appreciate the advice above and assurance that I'm not going to get stuck with obsolete technology and an expensive upgrade.

breezinup posted:

J Daddy posted:

Most of my collection is TMCC between 2000 and 2008. The new stuff is just priced out of my league.

Well, maybe except for this, huh? 

 

J DADDYOGR FORUM MEMBER

7 HOURS AGO

 

 

I just put my order in for the new U.P. Excursion Passenger car set......

 

yes, but not a new Legacy engine... I wanted the Allegheny, but I had to pass... 

breezinup posted:

J Daddy posted:

Only K-line TMCC electronics have been known to " crap out". You should be good otherwise.

If you want to better their performance. The cruise commander M can be installed to give you better speed steps.

Right. And if it should fail, K-Line TMCC (which was made by Lionel...personally, I've had no problems with it) can easily be replaced with ERR TMCC electronics.

And for better performance, it's well known that TMCC engines run better with the Legacy system, so going to Legacy will make a significant improvement in operation of your TMCC fleet. 

Absolutely agree. The Legacy remote really makes the older TMCC engines run top notch...

I have a K line K4 still under the table with burn't out electronics...  To this day I will not purchase a Kline engine with cruise control... I have to get some new ERR boards and fix her.