ZW-L

Is it only the front “Lionel” light that doesn’t come on? Do the gauge back lights come on?

Gauge back lights come on and gauges work. It’s just the front Lionel light. Without that light on it does not recognize my Legacy base so I can’t program the ZW-L.

Do you have a ground connection from the ZW-L to the output terminal of the Legacy base output? Any Common Binding Post will work, and the ZW-L has a separate Command Base Binding Post you can use (Common and Command Base Binding Posts internally connected together). ZW-L will not recognize Legacy signal without some type of ground connecting path from Base to ZW-L.

Yes. The Legacy base is connected to the command base post on the ZW-L.

Just to repeat what Lionel says in the ZW-L manual, you have to set the Run/Program, Command/Conventional, and 1Ch/4Ch switches before you turn on the ZW-L. Also, turn on the Legacy base a few seconds before you power on the ZW-L.

I would set the ZW-L switches to Run, Conventional, 4Ch - then when I turn on the ZW-L, I expect the Lionel light should be on, no flashing. If the Lionel light is off, something is amiss and servicing is what I would have to consider.

If the Lionel light was on above, the I would turn off the ZW-L, turn off the Legacy base, then set the Command/Conventional switch to Command, leaving the others at Run and 4Ch. Leaving the Legacy base powered off, turn on the ZW-L. I would expect that the Lionel light should start flashing, indicating searching for command signal. No blinking - something wrong and servicing is what I would have to consider.

If I got the blinking Lionel light, then I would turn off the ZW-L, leave the switches as Run, Command, 4Ch. Turn on the Legacy base, wait ten seconds, then turn on the the ZW-L. If I got this far, then hopefully the Lionel light will stop blinking (if it even blinked for a few seconds at all), Lionel light will be on. If not, time to consider servicing again.

So if I got this far, I would turn off ZW-L, leaving Legacy base powered on. Set switches to Program, Command, 4Ch. Power on the ZW-L, and I would expect the Lionel light to be off (if I understood the ZW-L user manual correctly). I would then do the set address sequence from the CAB2 remote - and when I hit the set button as the last step of the set address sequence, the Lionel light should blink for a bit to indicate the ZW-L executed the set address sequence.

I would now turn off the ZW-L, leaving the Legacy base powered on. Set the switches to Run, Command, 4Ch. Power on the ZW-L, and within a few seconds, the Lionel light should be on, and I can control from the CAB2.

Hope this helps!!!

Has the “Lionel” light ever came on with the switch in “COV”?

have actually tried to program the tracks even though the light is not on?

Lionel light has never been on. I have tried to program the ZW-L without the Lionel light on, but to no avail. It just doesn’t work. I just got off the phone with Lionel. The want it back and sent me an RA with a shipping label.

Sounds like the best course of action. Best of luck 👍

@rrvics posted:

Lionel light has never been on. I have tried to program the ZW-L without the Lionel light on, but to no avail. It just doesn’t work. I just got off the phone with Lionel. The want it back and sent me an RA with a shipping label.

Did you buy it new from a Lionel dealer.  

I bought mine from a forum member and it works fine but I was jus wondering if Lionel is treating the ZW-L like the Legacy system in that they repair them regardless of where you bought it and don’t ask for proof of purchase.