ZW -C

In command mode, 1 and 4 have to be dialed up with your cab1 or cab2 every time your power up.

Won't make a difference if you power up the Command Base 1st or the Bricks 1st. Per the manual, the command base is supposed to be powered up 1st, but many people, including myself, power them up at the same time in the same power strip. Never had an issue.

2 and 3 stay on because those were actually designed as accessory terminals. 1 and 2 were designed to control the trains, therefore dialing up the power upon start up every time.  

I sounds like you had it programed as TR-0 and somehow it reverted back to the default settings. To get it back to TR-0 you have to press the program button. It is recessed in a hole just above the A channel wire connections. The ZW-C came with a little plastic 'T' that you would put into the hole until the red light starts blinking. Pick up your Cab 1 and press TR, 0, SET. The red light will stop blinking and the ZW will act like a Post War one.

Thank you Steve.